Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Hinckley and Bosworth)
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 for the reasons for the difference in the number of additional NHS appointments that were provided between (a) July 2024 and June 2025 and (b) the preceding 12 months.
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: Luke Evans (Conservative - Hinckley and Bosworth)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 2 December 2025 to Question 87411 on NHS England: Redundancy, what proportion of the £860 million will be spent in each financial year.
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: Luke Evans (Conservative - Hinckley and Bosworth)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to question 87411, if he will publish the calculations for the figure of £860 million.
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: Rachel Taylor (Labour - North Warwickshire and Bedworth)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has considered developing an LGBT+ health strategy.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - 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, how many and what proportion of Neighbourhood Health Centre sites have prioritised neurology within their (a) initial service plans and (b) delivery models.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
In August 2025, NHS England updated its service specification for specialised adult neurology services. It outlines how specialised neurology services should support integrated and responsive care for individuals with long-term neurological conditions through collaboration between hospital and community providers. Service specifications define the standards of care expected from organisations funded by NHS England to provide specialised care.
At the national level, there are a number of initiatives supporting service improvement and better care for patients with neurological conditions, including the Getting It Right First Time Programme for Neurology and the Neurology Transformation Programme.
We have announced our commitment to deliver 250 Neighbourhood Health Centres (NHCs) through the NHS Neighbourhood Rebuild Programme, with 120 delivered by 2030, and with rollout starting in areas with the greatest need where healthy life expectancy is lowest
We expect neighbourhood teams and services to be designed in a way that reflects the specific needs of local populations. While the focus on personalised, coordinated care will be consistent, that will mean the service will look different in different places across the country. We will be publishing further guidance to support local areas to develop neighbourhood health plans in due course. This will set out how the National Health Service, local authorities, and partners should work together under the leadership of Health and Wellbeing Boards to develop and implement plans.
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, what guidance his Department has provided to Neighbourhood Health Centre sites on integrating specialist neurology services with neighbourhood-based care teams.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
In August 2025, NHS England updated its service specification for specialised adult neurology services. It outlines how specialised neurology services should support integrated and responsive care for individuals with long-term neurological conditions through collaboration between hospital and community providers. Service specifications define the standards of care expected from organisations funded by NHS England to provide specialised care.
At the national level, there are a number of initiatives supporting service improvement and better care for patients with neurological conditions, including the Getting It Right First Time Programme for Neurology and the Neurology Transformation Programme.
We have announced our commitment to deliver 250 Neighbourhood Health Centres (NHCs) through the NHS Neighbourhood Rebuild Programme, with 120 delivered by 2030, and with rollout starting in areas with the greatest need where healthy life expectancy is lowest
We expect neighbourhood teams and services to be designed in a way that reflects the specific needs of local populations. While the focus on personalised, coordinated care will be consistent, that will mean the service will look different in different places across the country. We will be publishing further guidance to support local areas to develop neighbourhood health plans in due course. This will set out how the National Health Service, local authorities, and partners should work together under the leadership of Health and Wellbeing Boards to develop and implement plans.
Asked by: Chris Bloore (Labour - Redditch)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what proportion of the additional funding for the NHS announced on 11 June 2025 will be allocated to NHS dentistry.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
NHS England has now published the Medium Term Planning Framework and allocations for 2026/27 to 2027/28. Further information on the Medium Term Planning Framework and the allocations is available, respectively, at the following two links:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/allocation-of-resources-2026-27-to-2027-28/
National Health Service organisations are now in the process of developing their operational plans that will detail how they will meet the standards set out in the Medium-Term Planning Framework.
A separate schedule will be issued setting out the ringfence for dental services, including 2026/27 to 2028/29 integrated care board pharmacy optometry and dental allocations.
Asked by: Lord Kamall (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the potential benefits of expanding primary eye care services through high street optometry practices to support the early detection of eye conditions.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for assessing the health needs of their population and commissioning primary and secondary eye care services to meet them.
ICBs already commission National Health Service sight testing services through high street optical practices. Regular sight tests, whether provided by the NHS or privately, play a vital role in the early detection of sight threatening eye conditions.
ICBs can also commission enhanced eye care services from high street optical practices, including minor and urgent eye care services and glaucoma referral refinement services. These services further support the identification and management of eye conditions to prevent avoidable sight loss.
Asked by: Lord Wigley (Plaid Cymru - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government, in the light of the three-paper series concerning the health dangers associated with ultra-processed food, published in <em>The Lancet</em> on 18 November, what plans they have to review the safety standards for such foods.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department acknowledges the three-paper series on ultra-processed food published in The Lancet on 18 November. The Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) considered the evidence on the impact of processing on health, including mental health, in 2023 and 2025.
The SACN concluded that the observed associations between higher consumption of processed and ultra processed foods and adverse health outcomes are concerning. The SACN recommends that on balance, most people are likely to benefit from reducing their consumption of processed foods high in energy, saturated fat, salt, and free sugars, and which are low in fibre. The SACN’s recommendations align with existing policies for supporting healthier diets and our advice to consumers.
The SACN has made a number of research recommendations to help understand whether processing is a risk factor, over and above the nutrients and energy intake. The SACN will keep the topic of processed foods under annual review and will consider it again in 2026.
All food additives used in the United Kingdom are subject to rigorous safety assessments before they are approved for use. These assessments consider how the additive will be used, the types of foods it can be added to, and the maximum permitted levels to ensure consumer safety. Current evidence indicates that these limits are set at levels designed to protect people’s health.
The concerns regarding the packaging of ultra-processed foods containing chemicals such as phthalates, bisphenols, and per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAs) are indeed legitimate. These compounds have been linked to potential health risks, including endocrine disruption and reduced fertility. All materials and articles intended for contact with food must adhere to a comprehensive legal framework. This framework includes specific regulations for different material types, which are enforced under the Materials and Articles in Contact with Food Regulations.
Asked by: Lord Booth (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what resources they are providing towards finding a cure for HIV, and which international groups and drug companies they are working with to find a cure.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
On 1 December 2025, the Department published the new HIV Action Plan to support the Government’s ambition to end new HIV transmissions by 2030. The new HIV Action Plan encourages research and development with an action for the Medical Research Council to support high quality proposals in HIV vaccine and therapeutic development research. The Department funds research on health and social care through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health and care including HIV research.
These applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made based on the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money and scientific quality. Welcoming applications on HIV to all NIHR programmes enables maximum flexibility both in terms of amount of research funding a particular area can be awarded, and the type of research which can be funded.