Asked by: Nadia Whittome (Labour - Nottingham East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when his Department plans to make a decision on whether the Federated Data Platform and Associated Services contract with Palantir Technologies will be extended; and what contingency plans his Department has in place to ensure ongoing provision of the programme if that contract is ended.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
Asked by: Rosena Allin-Khan (Labour - Tooting)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that fertility patients under the South West London ICB can access three rounds of fertility care.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
Asked by: Clive Lewis (Labour - Norwich South)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has sought advice on triggering the break clause in Palantir’s contract with the NHS.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will publish the ten advice and guidance referral pathways selected by each integrated care board.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
Asked by: Lord Rooker (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made, if any, of the reasons that females have a longer average lifespan, and shorter average health span, than males.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
We know that women live longer but spend more years in poor health than men, often due to conditions that are misdiagnosed, undertreated, or under-researched.
Healthy life expectancy measures health-related wellbeing by measuring the difference between mortality and the average time someone is expected to remain in self-reported “good” health.
In 2022 to 2024, males in England could expect to spend 60.9 years, or 77% of their life, in “good” general health, compared to 61.3 years, or 74%, for women. While there has been a reduction for both men and women from 2019 to 2021, and this reduction has been larger for women, at 2.4 years, than for men, at 1.8 years. Healthy life expectancy at birth in England has decreased to its lowest level since the Office for National Statistics’ time series began.
A 2023 report from the Office for Health Improvements and Disparities found that changes in self-reported “good” health prevalence has a larger impact on healthy life expectancy than changes in mortality rates. Research found that self-reported poor health was associated with chronic health conditions and multimorbidity.
Our renewed Women’s Health Strategy, published on the 15 April, sets out a bold, long‑term plan to transform how the health and care system listens to, supports and delivers for women and girls. It puts women’s voices and choices at the centre of care, drives faster improvements in services and outcomes that matter most to women, and tackles long‑standing health inequalities across the life course. The strategy aligns with the 10-Year Health Plan to shift care into the community, harness digital innovation and strengthen prevention so women can live healthier, more fulfilled lives.
Asked by: Lord Foulkes of Cumnock (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to recover the £24 million of public funds lost in relation to the PPE contract for protective coveralls awarded to SG Recruitment; and what is the status of the claim submitted to the company’s liquidators.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department awarded personal protective equipment contracts to SG Recruitment during the COVID‑19 pandemic, including a contract for protective coveralls. The protective coveralls supplied under this contract did not meet the required specifications and were rejected. The Department therefore holds a claim in respect of the contract.
SG Recruitment is now in liquidation. The Department has submitted its claim to the company’s liquidators and will continue to engage with the liquidation process. The liquidators will advise creditors of the outcome of their investigations, and any distributions to creditors, in due course. The liquidators’ final report will be published at Companies House at the conclusion of the liquidation.
The handling of the Department’s claim against SG Recruitment was examined by the Covid Counter Fraud Commissioner as part of his review into COVID-19 era commercial activity.
Asked by: Chris Coghlan (Liberal Democrat - Dorking and Horley)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has considered the potential impact of the proposed timeline for the NHS Neighbourhood Rebuild programme on the involvement of the new unitary authorities.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Published on 17 March 2026, the Neighbourhood Health Framework empowers local leaders to develop and scale neighbourhood health. It provides clarity and consistency to support joined-up partnership between integrated care boards (ICBs), local authorities, and other partners. Through Health and Wellbeing Boards, they will work together to develop locally led Neighbourhood Health Plans and align approaches to commissioning to support the integration of health and care services. However, local ICBs will remain directly responsible for commissioning services within Neighbourhood Health Centres and not the local authority.
Asked by: Stuart Andrew (Conservative - Daventry)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of whether NHS England’s projected PET-CT activity volumes for prostate cancer under the forthcoming commissioning arrangements align with current regional activity levels; and what assessment he has made of any variance between projected and existing provision.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
NHS England is responsible for commissioning prostate‑specific membrane antigen (PSMA) radiotracers for positron emission tomography–computed tomography (PET‑CT) imaging for adults with high‑risk primary or recurrent prostate cancer. The commissioning policy, published in February 2025, sets out that PSMA PET‑CT should be available as a routinely commissioned imaging option within defined clinical criteria.
NHS England undertook an assessment of current service provision, clinical evidence, and projected demand. This included reviewing existing PET‑CT activity across regions to identify variation and to ensure that projected activity volumes for prostate cancer aligned with current patterns of use and expected regional need. NHS England also considered evidence on current provision and expert advice when determining its recommended commissioning position.
With respect to the modelling assumptions underpinning projected PSMA PET‑CT activity levels, NHS England’s assessment drew on a review of clinical evidence, expected diagnostic pathways, and forward‑looking estimates of the number of patients with high‑risk primary or recurrent prostate cancer who would meet the criteria for PSMA PET‑CT. The Clinical Panel and commissioning groups considered evidence on current provision, anticipated future utilisation, and the role of PSMA PET‑CT where conventional imaging leaves clinically important uncertainties. These assessments are reflected in the policy documentation and supporting evidence reviews published by NHS England.
The commissioning policy documents including the Clinical Panel report, Evidence Review, and associated materials, are publicly available on the NHS England website at the following link:
Asked by: Stuart Andrew (Conservative - Daventry)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to publish the methodology used by NHS England to calculate projected PET-CT activity volumes, including any assumptions relating to future demand growth and pathway developments in prostate cancer.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
NHS England is responsible for commissioning prostate‑specific membrane antigen (PSMA) radiotracers for positron emission tomography–computed tomography (PET‑CT) imaging for adults with high‑risk primary or recurrent prostate cancer. The commissioning policy, published in February 2025, sets out that PSMA PET‑CT should be available as a routinely commissioned imaging option within defined clinical criteria.
NHS England undertook an assessment of current service provision, clinical evidence, and projected demand. This included reviewing existing PET‑CT activity across regions to identify variation and to ensure that projected activity volumes for prostate cancer aligned with current patterns of use and expected regional need. NHS England also considered evidence on current provision and expert advice when determining its recommended commissioning position.
With respect to the modelling assumptions underpinning projected PSMA PET‑CT activity levels, NHS England’s assessment drew on a review of clinical evidence, expected diagnostic pathways, and forward‑looking estimates of the number of patients with high‑risk primary or recurrent prostate cancer who would meet the criteria for PSMA PET‑CT. The Clinical Panel and commissioning groups considered evidence on current provision, anticipated future utilisation, and the role of PSMA PET‑CT where conventional imaging leaves clinically important uncertainties. These assessments are reflected in the policy documentation and supporting evidence reviews published by NHS England.
The commissioning policy documents including the Clinical Panel report, Evidence Review, and associated materials, are publicly available on the NHS England website at the following link:
Asked by: Stuart Andrew (Conservative - Daventry)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of whether the modelling assumptions underpinning projected PSMA PET-CT activity volumes within the forthcoming PET-CT commissioning arrangements are (a) forward-looking and (b) reflect clinical demand.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
NHS England is responsible for commissioning prostate‑specific membrane antigen (PSMA) radiotracers for positron emission tomography–computed tomography (PET‑CT) imaging for adults with high‑risk primary or recurrent prostate cancer. The commissioning policy, published in February 2025, sets out that PSMA PET‑CT should be available as a routinely commissioned imaging option within defined clinical criteria.
NHS England undertook an assessment of current service provision, clinical evidence, and projected demand. This included reviewing existing PET‑CT activity across regions to identify variation and to ensure that projected activity volumes for prostate cancer aligned with current patterns of use and expected regional need. NHS England also considered evidence on current provision and expert advice when determining its recommended commissioning position.
With respect to the modelling assumptions underpinning projected PSMA PET‑CT activity levels, NHS England’s assessment drew on a review of clinical evidence, expected diagnostic pathways, and forward‑looking estimates of the number of patients with high‑risk primary or recurrent prostate cancer who would meet the criteria for PSMA PET‑CT. The Clinical Panel and commissioning groups considered evidence on current provision, anticipated future utilisation, and the role of PSMA PET‑CT where conventional imaging leaves clinically important uncertainties. These assessments are reflected in the policy documentation and supporting evidence reviews published by NHS England.
The commissioning policy documents including the Clinical Panel report, Evidence Review, and associated materials, are publicly available on the NHS England website at the following link: