Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester Rusholme)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her department is taking to support autistic students with Pathological Demand Avoidance in mainstream school settings.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
I refer my hon. Friend, the Member for Manchester Rusholme, to the answer of 15 April 2026 to Question 121149.
Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester Rusholme)
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 help ensure that art psychotherapy and other Allied Health Professions are recognised as a delivery partner for the 10-year Health Plan for England .
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester Rusholme)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he is taking steps to bring public awareness to the role Art Psychotherapists and other Allied Health Professionals have across the health and care system.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester Rusholme)
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 help promote the role of art psychotherapists in addressing issues related to mental health and wellbeing.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The National Health Service is expanding access to timely, high‑quality mental health support, including psychological therapies, as part of the 10 Year Health Plan shifts towards prevention, early intervention, and community‑based care. This includes continued expansion of NHS Talking Therapies and the development of new community mental health models that bring together multidisciplinary teams to deliver personalised, holistic care.
The Government has actively collaborated with Allied Health Professional (AHP) bodies, including those representing arts therapies, to enhance the emphasis on mental health and wellbeing. This partnership is reflected in the United Kingdom AHP Public Health Strategic Framework 2025 to 2030, which provides a clear vision and actions for integrating public health approaches into clinical practice.
We need a diverse workforce with the skills and expertise needed to meet a wide range of mental health needs and improve outcomes for patients. We are therefore investing in, and growing, the mental health workforce, with over 8,000 additional mental health staff recruited since July 2024. We will also publish a 10 Year Workforce Plan to set out action to create a workforce ready to deliver the transformed service set out in the 10 Year Health Plan.
Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester Rusholme)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with a) her European counterparts and b) the Israeli Foreign Minister on the treatment of Palestinians in prison in Israel.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 28 April in response to Question 128654.
Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester Rusholme)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he is taking steps to help ensure representation from Allied Health Professions in the Department for Health and Social Care structure that will replace NHS England.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The proposed new Department is not simply a merger of the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England, where both organisations’ current functions are added together. Rather, it is a fundamental redesign of the size, shape, and role of the centre in relation to the rest of the health and care system. The proposed abolition of NHS England and associated transfer and modification of functions is subject to legislation and the will of Parliament. We will be engaging with partners inside and outside the organisations as the process to design the future Department continues.
Allied Health Professional representation will be considered during the detailed design process for the future Department and will ensure the future Department will effectively discharge its accountabilities for workforce education, training, and professional leadership for all of the clinical professions, including the Allied Health Profession.
Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester Rusholme)
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 access to maternity pathways with tailored support for pregnant people experiencing homelessness.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester Rusholme)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to support local authorities with the provision of Education Otherwise Than At School.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.