Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has had discussions with NHS England on the potential merits of funding research on using AI based on the knowledge of expert cardiologists to help interpret ECGs for the diagnosis of young people with cardiac conditions in (a) primary and (b) secondary care.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The National Health Service has set an ambitious goal in its new 10-Year Plan that by 2035, artificial intelligence (AI) should be seamlessly integrated into most clinical pathways, with tools like generative AI being widely adopted and continuously improved. The aim is for the NHS to become a global leader in the ethical use of AI.

One promising area is the use of AI to interpret electrocardiograms (ECGs). While AI is not yet routinely used for ECG interpretation in NHS practice, it is being actively developed and tested in research and pilot settings. Major funders such as the British Heart Foundation, the National Institute for Health and Care Research, and the Medical Research Council are supporting this work to improve the speed, accuracy, and accessibility of ECG analysis.

However, there are still important challenges to overcome. Different studies use different types of ECG recordings and data preparation methods, making it difficult to compare results or identify best practices. AI models also need further refinement to ensure they work well across diverse patient groups, including young people. Importantly, these tools must be thoroughly validated, clinicians must be trained to use them, and appropriate legal and ethical frameworks must be in place before they can be safely adopted into routine care.

Research teams are working to address these barriers. For example, NHS trials are planned to begin in late 2025 at the Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust and the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. These trials will test whether an AI model can accurately predict long-term health risks from routine ECGs.

At the same time, United Kingdom health regulators are developing the rules and safety checks needed to ensure that AI tools are accurate, fair, and safe for patients.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential implications for its policies of the finding on p.22 of the report by the Food Standards Agency entitled School Food Standards Compliance Pilot: Discovery Research, published in November 2023, on the awareness by schools of their responsibilities in relation to school food standards.

Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

It is important that children eat nutritious food at school and the department understands the value of compliance with the school food standards. We continue to work with the Food Standards Agency (FSA) following the findings of the compliance pilot run by the department and the FSA during the 2022/23 academic year.

School governors and trustees have a responsibility to ensure compliance with the school food standards and should work with the headteacher and the senior leadership team to ensure the school is meeting its obligations.

To support governors, in November 2024 the department, along with the National Governance Association, launched an online training course on school food for governors and trustees. This training is designed to improve understanding of the school food standards and give governing boards confidence to hold their school leaders to account on their whole school approach to food.

Additionally, to ensure quality and nutrition in meals for the future, the department is acting quickly with experts across the sector to revise the school food standards, so every school is supported with the latest nutrition guidance. We will consider approaches to compliance to ensure children receive the nutritious meals they need.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when she plans to publish the (a) 2021-22, (b) 2022-23 and (c) 2023-24 Social Fund Annual Reports.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

Work on the 2021-22 and 2022-23 Social Fund Annual Reports is underway, and these will be published as soon as possible. The 2023-24 Social Fund Annual Report will follow in due course.

Changing Places Toilets Awareness Day

Found: Members present: Debbie Abrahams (Chair); Johanna Baxter; Steve Darling; Damien Egan; Gill German; Amanda Hack

Maternity APPG
Thursday 10th July 2025

Found: Hastings and Rye), Mark Ferguson MP (Gateshead Central and Whickham), Jodie Gosling MP (Nuneaton), Amanda Hack

Submit Evidence (by 29 Sep 2025)

With the disability employment gap persistently at nearly 30%, the Government has announced it will spend an additional £2.2 billion on employment support over the next four years.

Millions of children and parents are served by the Child Maintenance Service. But is it working as effectively as it could be so that the best interests of the child are being met?