Asked by: Adrian Ramsay (Green Party - Waveney Valley)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many import permits for hunting trophies have been issued by her Department since July 2024.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Between 1 July 2024 and 25 March 2026, the Animal and Plant Health Agency issued 28 import permits for hunting trophies under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
Trade data up to 2024 is available on the CITES Trade Database.
Asked by: Adrian Ramsay (Green Party - Waveney Valley)
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 that changes to NICE’s cost effectiveness thresholds results in improved and equitable access to new and effective treatments for people with incurable secondary breast cancer.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government intends to increase the standard cost-effectiveness threshold that the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) uses in its evaluations of medicines in line with the commitment in the United Kingdon and United States’ trade deal. The new threshold is expected to mean that NICE is able to recommend some medicines for use on the National Health Service that it would not have otherwise been able to recommend. Decisions on whether an individual medicine can be recommended as a clinically and cost-effective use of NHS resources once the new threshold is applied will be taken by NICE in line with its established processes.
Asked by: Adrian Ramsay (Green Party - Waveney Valley)
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 issued to Integrated Care Boards on how Right to Choose providers should integrate with local NHS paediatric and mental health services for children with ADHD, including for young children with complex or multiple needs.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
It is the responsibility of integrated care boards (ICBs) in England to make available appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population, including providing access to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism services and support, in line with relevant National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines.
NHS England established an ADHD taskforce which brought together those with lived experience with experts from the NHS, education, charity, and justice sectors to get a better understanding of the challenges affecting those with ADHD, including in accessing services and support. The final report was published on 6 November 2025. The work of the independent ADHD Taskforce highlighted the need for coordinated action across health, education and public services to reform ADHD services and support.
On 4 December 2025, my Rt. Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, announced the launch of an Independent Review into Prevalence and Support for Mental Health Conditions, ADHD and Autism. This will build on the work of the Independent ADHD Taskforce.
Asked by: Adrian Ramsay (Green Party - Waveney Valley)
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 that the new National Inherited Cancer Predisposition Registry is accessible to women at increased risk of breast cancer.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The National Inherited Cancer Predisposition Registry (NICPR), which is part of the National Disease Registration Service (NDRS), records information on individuals who have confirmed pathogenic or likely-pathogenic variants in any of the approximately 120 cancer predisposition genes tested for in the National Health Service. These individuals must be referred to one of the Regional Clinical Genetics Services in England for genetic counselling and management. NDRS works closely with these services and the UK Cancer Genetics Group to ensure that all eligible individuals, including women at increased genetic risk of breast cancer, are captured in the NICPR. To support this, NDRS provides regular feedback to Regional Clinical Genetics Services through quarterly reconciliation audits, to confirm that all relevant individuals are included and have access to appropriate clinical support.
NICPR also supports referrals into the Very High Risk Breast Screening Programme, where relevant. In addition to those with confirmed genetic variants, NDRS also supports referral of women in the risk-equivalent category, for example those with a strong family history of breast cancer but who have not undertaken a definitive genetic test. Information on these women is submitted using a similar portal as for NICPR referrals.
Asked by: Adrian Ramsay (Green Party - Waveney Valley)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is taking to decouple the price of wholesale electricity from the cost of gas beyond moving more renewables into Contracts for Difference.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government is determined to increase the share of renewables on the system so that the electricity price is set by cheaper clean power sources rather than gas. Every wind turbine we switch on and solar panel we deploy helps push gas off as the price setter.
The Contracts for Difference scheme remains one of our most successful initiatives for doing this. However, this sits alongside other flagship renewable energy policies, including removing the ban on onshore wind within 72 hours of taking office, and the most significant programme of investment in homegrown clean energy in British history – with £61.9bn in capital funding committed in the Spending Review.
Asked by: Adrian Ramsay (Green Party - Waveney Valley)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment his Department has undertaken on the proposal put forward by Greenpeace UK and Stonehaven in their Power Shift report to move gas-fired power stations into a Regulated Asset Base strategic reserve.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
This government has been clear that the answers to the challenges around energy security, affordability and sustainability point in the same direction – clean energy.
Under current market frameworks, technologies with the lowest marginal cost dispatch first. Unabated gas is already at the bottom of the merit order, meaning it already dispatches last.
By 2030 unabated gas will account for less than 5% of total generation. As low‑carbon technologies are deployed at scale, gas will increasingly shift to a reserve role in the system, meaning it will set electricity prices less often over time, reducing consumers’ exposure to volatile fossil fuel prices.
As the role of unabated gas diminishes, we will continue to explore how market and system arrangements can evolve to minimise its impact on consumer bills, including considering the potential benefits and risks of alternative market reforms.
Asked by: Adrian Ramsay (Green Party - Waveney Valley)
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 the potential impact of financial barriers on graduate entry medical students in England.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
No specific assessment has been made. The Government reviews the funding arrangements for medical students annually. This includes the NHS Bursary Scheme and Student Finance England support.
The 10-Year Health Plan, published in July 2025, recognises the need to improve access to the medical profession for those from disadvantaged backgrounds and commits to a range of actions to achieve this. This includes exploring options to improve financial support for students from the lowest socio-economic backgrounds, so that they are able to thrive at medical school. We will set out next steps in due course.
Asked by: Adrian Ramsay (Green Party - Waveney Valley)
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 help ensure that professional regulatory costs do not act as a disincentive to entering or remaining in the nursing, midwifery and nursing associate professions.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) is independent of the Government, is directly accountable to Parliament, and is responsible for operational matters concerning the discharge of its statutory duties.
As the NMC set out in its consultation, registrant fees, which account for 97% of organisational income, have remained at the same level for over 10 years. The NMC has deemed it necessary to propose a fee increase to ensure that the organisation can carry out its statutory functions. We understand that the proposed increase would equate to an annual increase of £23 per registrant, the equivalent of an additional £1.92 a month.
The NMC’s registrant fee remains one of the lowest across all of the health and care professional regulators. United Kingdom taxpayers can claim tax relief on their registration fees, helping to reduce the overall cost. Professionals can also apply to spread the cost of registration by paying in four instalments each year.
We are working closely with employers and leaders across the National Health Service to improve staff retention. There are many issues that can influence staff retention, so this requires a multi-faceted approach.
The 10 Year Workforce Plan due to be published in the spring will have a big focus on making the NHS a better employer. This includes the development of a new set of staff standards which will focus on improving staff experience and health and wellbeing.
NHS England is already leading work nationally through its retention programme to drive a consistent, system-wide approach to staff retention across NHS trusts. This ensures trusts have access to proven retention strategies, data-driven monitoring, and can foster a more stable, engaged, productive, and supported workforce.
Asked by: Adrian Ramsay (Green Party - Waveney Valley)
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 the potential impact of the proposed Nursing and Midwifery Council registration fee increase on recruitment, retention and workforce morale within the NHS.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) is independent of the Government, is directly accountable to Parliament, and is responsible for operational matters concerning the discharge of its statutory duties.
As the NMC set out in its consultation, registrant fees, which account for 97% of organisational income, have remained at the same level for over 10 years. The NMC has deemed it necessary to propose a fee increase to ensure that the organisation can carry out its statutory functions. We understand that the proposed increase would equate to an annual increase of £23 per registrant, the equivalent of an additional £1.92 a month.
The NMC’s registrant fee remains one of the lowest across all of the health and care professional regulators. United Kingdom taxpayers can claim tax relief on their registration fees, helping to reduce the overall cost. Professionals can also apply to spread the cost of registration by paying in four instalments each year.
We are working closely with employers and leaders across the National Health Service to improve staff retention. There are many issues that can influence staff retention, so this requires a multi-faceted approach.
The 10 Year Workforce Plan due to be published in the spring will have a big focus on making the NHS a better employer. This includes the development of a new set of staff standards which will focus on improving staff experience and health and wellbeing.
NHS England is already leading work nationally through its retention programme to drive a consistent, system-wide approach to staff retention across NHS trusts. This ensures trusts have access to proven retention strategies, data-driven monitoring, and can foster a more stable, engaged, productive, and supported workforce.
Asked by: Adrian Ramsay (Green Party - Waveney Valley)
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 patients with brain tumours treated at NHS trusts that are not members of the National Institute for Health and Care Research's Brain Tumour Research Consortium are able to access equivalent a) tumour tissue freezing, b) whole genome sequencing and c) clinical trial stratification pathways.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department invests over £1.6 billion each year in research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).
The Department is committed to ensuring that all patients, including those with brain tumours, have access to cutting-edge clinical trials and innovative, lifesaving treatments. The NIHR funds research and research infrastructure across England which supports patients and the public to participate in high-quality research, including brain cancer trials. The NIHR also provides an online service called Be Part of Research which promotes participation in health and care research, by allowing users to search for relevant studies and register their interest.
In addition, the Government will implement the Rare Cancers Act 2026. The act will make it easier for clinical trials on brain tumours to take place in England, by ensuring the patient population can be more easily contacted by researchers.
The NIHR’s investments for capital equipment, technology, and modular buildings support National Health Service trusts across England to deliver high-quality research to improve the health of the population. These investments include cutting edge research equipment and fixed assets such as ultra-low and cryogenic freezers, to strengthen research capacity and improve access to samples for research.
Genomic testing in the NHS in England is delivered through the NHS Genomic Medicine Service (GMS) via seven regional Genomic Laboratory Hubs (GLHs). All seven GLHs deliver testing based on the National Genomic Test Directory, which outlines eligibility criteria for genomic testing. The Test Directory includes over 200 cancer indications for a range of genomic tests, including whole genome sequencing for neurological tumours, for both diagnostic and treatment purposes. Seven NHS GMS Alliances also work to embed genomics into clinical pathways, raise awareness among clinicians and the public, and ensure equitable access to whole genome sequencing across all regions.