Asked by: Sonia Kumar (Labour - Dudley)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure mental health support is provided to adults with autism and special needs.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We are recruiting 8,500 more mental health workers by the end of this Parliament, to help to ease pressure on busy mental health services.Asked by: Ben Goldsborough (Labour - South Norfolk)
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 improve community healthcare in rural areas.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government’s 10 Year Health Plan commits to three big shifts which includes increasingly moving services away from centralised hospitals into the wider community. Integrated care boards are responsible for the planning and commissioning of health services. In doing so ICBs must take into account the needs of their local population, which includes meeting the healthcare needs of their rural populations.Asked by: Alex McIntyre (Labour - Gloucester)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to improve patient access to GPs.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
In our manifesto we said that we will end the 8am scramble, and that is precisely what we are doing.Asked by: Caroline Johnson (Conservative - Sleaford and North Hykeham)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he plans to respond to the Question 84255 from the hon. Member for Sleaford and North Hykeham.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 12 January 2026 to Question 84255.
Asked by: Lord Wigley (Plaid Cymru - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what is the percentage uptake of flu vaccines in children in each region of England; and what is their target uptake for children this winter.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
For England, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) publishes provisional vaccine uptake data throughout the flu season.
Monthly regional level data for general practice patients, including two- and three-year-olds and school-aged children, is available throughout the season. The following table shows the provisional vaccine uptake for two- and three-year-olds in England, by region, for the 2025 to 2026 season:
National Health Service region | Two year olds | Three year olds |
East of England | 36.8% | 37.0% |
London | 27.9% | 27.0% |
Midlands | 31.8% | 32.0% |
North East and Yorkshire | 33.6% | 33.7% |
North West | 28.2% | 29.0% |
South East | 41.2% | 41.6% |
South West | 41.1% | 40.7% |
England | 33.8% | 33.9% |
In addition, the following table shows the provisional vaccine uptake for school-aged children in England, by region:
NHS region | All primary school-aged in reception to Year 6 | All secondary school-aged in Year 7 to 11 | All school-aged children (reception to year 11) |
East of England | 43.7% | 47.9% | 45.4% |
London | 25.9% | 16.9% | 22.1% |
Midlands | 27.7% | 23.8% | 26.0% |
North East and Yorkshire | 33.4% | 19.9% | 27.6% |
North West | 29.2% | 12.6% | 22.1% |
South East | 35.1% | 15.4% | 26.3% |
South West | 37.6% | 9.3% | 25.0% |
England | 32.7% | 20.8% | 27.6% |
Providers are expected to deliver a 100% offer to eligible groups. They should ensure they make firm plans to equal or improve uptake rates in 2025 to 2026, particularly in those cohorts where uptake has been lower.
Asked by: Lord Kamall (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether nicotine-containing vaping liquids imported into the United Kingdom in pre-filled pods or cartridges are subject to the same testing, notification, and compliance requirements under the Tobacco and Related Products Regulations 2016 as those manufactured domestically; and what testing or evidence of conformity producers or importers are required to hold prior to placing such products on the UK market.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
All businesses placing nicotine vaping products on the United Kingdom market are required to notify the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). The MHRA’s notification scheme for nicotine-containing vaping products, including pre-filled pods or cartridges, helps ensure that products are in line with the requirements set out by the Tobacco and Related Product Regulations 2016. Businesses are required to provide key product information before these products can be sold, including toxicology data, nicotine dose, and the name and contact details of the manufacturer, so the MHRA can review the data for compliance with the notification requirements. Where products fail to align with the notification data, Trading Standards have powers to remove the products from UK supply chains.
The Tobacco and Vapes Bill provides the Government with regulation making powers to develop a new registration system for tobacco, vape and nicotine products that are sold on the UK market. Under this registration system, all producers and manufacturers will be required to provide relevant information before their product can be sold in the UK. Additionally, we are taking powers to establish a new testing regime for these products.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much has been spent on Bootham Park Hospital (a) security and (b) maintenance and upkeep since its closure as an NHS facility.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The former Bootham Park Hospital site was declared surplus to National Health Service requirements in 2016 and has been vacant since 2018. Returning the property to any operational use is considered unviable, with previous estimates indicating that approximately £75 million would be required to bring it back into economic use.
NHS Property Services, who own the site, invited bids from public bodies and other interested parties in October 2023, but none were received. Separately, a potential purchaser withdrew their interest after securing planning permission for redevelopment that included significant public benefits alongside a commitment that 50% of sale proceeds will be reinvested into the local health system. Since its closure, combined holding costs for security, maintenance, and upkeep have totalled approximately £5.5 million, reflecting the management of a Grade I heritage asset in line with Historic England and Cabinet Office guidance.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of Botham Park Hospital being used as an asset for community use.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The former Bootham Park Hospital site was declared surplus to National Health Service requirements in 2016 and has been vacant since 2018. Returning the property to any operational use is considered unviable, with previous estimates indicating that approximately £75 million would be required to bring it back into economic use.
NHS Property Services, who own the site, invited bids from public bodies and other interested parties in October 2023, but none were received. Separately, a potential purchaser withdrew their interest after securing planning permission for redevelopment that included significant public benefits alongside a commitment that 50% of sale proceeds will be reinvested into the local health system. Since its closure, combined holding costs for security, maintenance, and upkeep have totalled approximately £5.5 million, reflecting the management of a Grade I heritage asset in line with Historic England and Cabinet Office guidance.
Asked by: Lord Booth (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to evaluate the effectiveness of the salt reduction programme, and what plans they have for further measures to achieve that public health objective.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Evaluation to date has shown that through the voluntary programme, salt reductions of up to 20% have been achieved in some products. Data also shows that retailers and manufacturers have a higher proportion of products that meet the targets set than the out of home sector. Planning for future monitoring of salt reduction in foods is ongoing.
The legislated restrictions on the advertising of junk food on television and online, and on the promotion of less healthy foods in certain locations in supermarkets and with reduced prices, also target foods that are high in salt, through the inclusion of products such as crisps, pizza, and sandwiches, and through the criteria that are used to assess the “healthiness” of products, which includes salt levels per 100 grams.
As set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, the Government has committed to introducing healthy food sales reporting for all large businesses in the food sector before the end of this Parliament and to set targets to increase the healthiness of sales in all communities. This mandatory measure will cover foods that are high in salt.
Asked by: Lord Kempsell (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government, for the purposes of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, and having regard to the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards and the Mental Capacity Act 2005, what assessment they have made of the risks associated with permitting assistance for someone to end their own life where the person has not previously undergone any deprivation of liberty or comprehensive safeguarding assessment.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill is currently under consideration in Parliament, and it is rightly a matter for Parliament to decide if the safeguards in the bill are sufficient. The Government remains neutral on the bill.
Given that the bill is still under consideration, the Government has made no assessment of the risks associated with permitting assistance for someone to end their own life where the person has not previously undergone any deprivation of liberty or comprehensive safeguarding assessment.