Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of current funding levels for the School Milk Subsidy Scheme.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

As this is a devolved matter, this answer applies to England only. 48% of eligible schools in England participated in the School Milk Subsidy Scheme in the school year 2024 to 2025. The allocated funding is regularly reviewed to ensure it is sufficient to cover the subsidy likely to be provided to those choosing to access the scheme.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the economic impact on UK businesses of any restriction or ban on ashwagandha food supplements; and whether that impact has been considered as part of the Food Standards Agency's risk management process.

Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department has not assessed the economic impact on United Kingdom businesses of any restriction or ban on ashwagandha for use in food supplements. Legislation on the addition of vitamins and minerals and of certain other substances to foods sets out the legal framework for the use of substances such as ashwagandha in food supplements, with further information available at the following link:

https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:02006R1925-20190515

Scientific assessments of food safety risks are carried out by the Food Standards Agency (FSA). The FSA has asked its expert committee, the Committee on Toxicity (COT), to assess the available scientific evidence on the safety of food supplements containing ashwagandha. This work is ongoing and focuses on potential risks to human health. It is outside the remit of COT to look at economic impact.

A subsequent risk management decision would be informed by this scientific evidence and would consider actions that are proportionate and necessary to protect public health. This would be a matter for the Department and the devolved administrations to consider together once that scientific advice is available.

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 any risk management decision on ashwagandha food supplements is proportionate to the available evidence and preserves consumer access to a herb with thousands of years of documented safe use.

Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department has not assessed the economic impact on United Kingdom businesses of any restriction or ban on ashwagandha for use in food supplements. Legislation on the addition of vitamins and minerals and of certain other substances to foods sets out the legal framework for the use of substances such as ashwagandha in food supplements, with further information available at the following link:

https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:02006R1925-20190515

Scientific assessments of food safety risks are carried out by the Food Standards Agency (FSA). The FSA has asked its expert committee, the Committee on Toxicity (COT), to assess the available scientific evidence on the safety of food supplements containing ashwagandha. This work is ongoing and focuses on potential risks to human health. It is outside the remit of COT to look at economic impact.

A subsequent risk management decision would be informed by this scientific evidence and would consider actions that are proportionate and necessary to protect public health. This would be a matter for the Department and the devolved administrations to consider together once that scientific advice is available.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make it his policy to set a target for reducing smoking among people living in social housing.

Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government is committed to delivering a smoke-free United Kingdom where no one is left behind. We are supporting current smokers to quit, particularly amongst priority groups such as those living in social housing, where smoking prevalence remains higher. We are investing an additional £260 million over three years, from 2026/27 to 2028/29, in local Stop Smoking Services through the Public Health Grant, meaning at least £153 million per year will be ringfenced for these services.

As part of the conditions of the Public Health Grant, local authorities are expected to meet a minimum standard of delivery by aiming to support at least 5% of their local smoking population to quit, ensuring effective reach across priority groups, including people living in social housing.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make it his policy to support smokers who live in social housing to quit.

Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government is committed to delivering a smoke-free United Kingdom where no one is left behind. We are supporting current smokers to quit, particularly amongst priority groups such as those living in social housing, where smoking prevalence remains higher. We are investing an additional £260 million over three years, from 2026/27 to 2028/29, in local Stop Smoking Services through the Public Health Grant, meaning at least £153 million per year will be ringfenced for these services.

As part of the conditions of the Public Health Grant, local authorities are expected to meet a minimum standard of delivery by aiming to support at least 5% of their local smoking population to quit, ensuring effective reach across priority groups, including people living in social housing.

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 4 November 2025 to Question 85312 on Chemicals: Health and Wildlife, when the UK Health Security Agency plans to publish biomonitoring data on the exposure of UK citizens to flame retardants.

Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

As a result of the Human Biomonitoring for Europe work carried out by the UK Health Security Agency in collaboration with Imperial College London, a human biomonitoring module was implemented into the NHS Health Survey for England 2022-2023 programme. Samples collected in this study are currently being analysed to ascertain exposure within England to a number of priority substances.

Data on background levels of flame retardants in the population samples are expected to be published in Autumn 2026.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether any community pharmacists were consulted prior to the publication of the new Cardiovascular Disease Modern Framework Service.

Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Community pharmacy already plays an important role in cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention through the hypertension case finding service which offers free, walk-in blood pressure checks to over 40 year olds. Since October 2021, 40 pharmacies have delivered nearly 4.2 million blood pressure and ambulatory monitoring checks.

As set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, community pharmacies will have a vital role in the Neighbourhood Health Service, working closely with other primary care providers at a neighbourhood level and delivering more clinical services.

NHS England continues to keep the clinical scope of pharmacy services under review. On Wednesday 25 February, the Department began the 2026/27 Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework consultation with Community Pharmacy England, to consider any proposed changes to the reimbursement and remuneration of pharmacy contractors in 2026/27. This includes reimbursement and remuneration for any current or proposed clinical services.

To support the Government’s ambition to reduce premature deaths from heart disease and stroke by 25% within a decade, we will publish a new cardiovascular disease Modern Service Framework (CVD MSF) this spring.

The Department and NHS England are engaging widely with stakeholders to co-produce the CVD MSF, ensuring that experts, people, and communities are at the heart of its development, and this has included engagement with the pharmacy sector.

The CVD MSF will focus on the interventions that will have the greatest impact on reducing premature mortality from heart disease and stroke, whilst supporting consistent, high quality and equitable care across the CVD pathway.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if any community pharmacists assisted his Department in co-producing the upcoming Cardiovascular Disease Modern Framework.

Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Community pharmacy already plays an important role in cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention through the hypertension case finding service which offers free, walk-in blood pressure checks to over 40 year olds. Since October 2021, 40 pharmacies have delivered nearly 4.2 million blood pressure and ambulatory monitoring checks.

As set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, community pharmacies will have a vital role in the Neighbourhood Health Service, working closely with other primary care providers at a neighbourhood level and delivering more clinical services.

NHS England continues to keep the clinical scope of pharmacy services under review. On Wednesday 25 February, the Department began the 2026/27 Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework consultation with Community Pharmacy England, to consider any proposed changes to the reimbursement and remuneration of pharmacy contractors in 2026/27. This includes reimbursement and remuneration for any current or proposed clinical services.

To support the Government’s ambition to reduce premature deaths from heart disease and stroke by 25% within a decade, we will publish a new cardiovascular disease Modern Service Framework (CVD MSF) this spring.

The Department and NHS England are engaging widely with stakeholders to co-produce the CVD MSF, ensuring that experts, people, and communities are at the heart of its development, and this has included engagement with the pharmacy sector.

The CVD MSF will focus on the interventions that will have the greatest impact on reducing premature mortality from heart disease and stroke, whilst supporting consistent, high quality and equitable care across the CVD pathway.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his Department will consider commissioning a funded community pharmacy lipid service pathway.

Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Community pharmacy already plays an important role in cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention through the hypertension case finding service which offers free, walk-in blood pressure checks to over 40 year olds. Since October 2021, 40 pharmacies have delivered nearly 4.2 million blood pressure and ambulatory monitoring checks.

As set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, community pharmacies will have a vital role in the Neighbourhood Health Service, working closely with other primary care providers at a neighbourhood level and delivering more clinical services.

NHS England continues to keep the clinical scope of pharmacy services under review. On Wednesday 25 February, the Department began the 2026/27 Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework consultation with Community Pharmacy England, to consider any proposed changes to the reimbursement and remuneration of pharmacy contractors in 2026/27. This includes reimbursement and remuneration for any current or proposed clinical services.

To support the Government’s ambition to reduce premature deaths from heart disease and stroke by 25% within a decade, we will publish a new cardiovascular disease Modern Service Framework (CVD MSF) this spring.

The Department and NHS England are engaging widely with stakeholders to co-produce the CVD MSF, ensuring that experts, people, and communities are at the heart of its development, and this has included engagement with the pharmacy sector.

The CVD MSF will focus on the interventions that will have the greatest impact on reducing premature mortality from heart disease and stroke, whilst supporting consistent, high quality and equitable care across the CVD pathway.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if community pharmacy will play a role in cardiovascular disease prevention and case finding as part of the upcoming Cardiovascular Disease Modern Framework.

Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Community pharmacy already plays an important role in cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention through the hypertension case finding service which offers free, walk-in blood pressure checks to over 40 year olds. Since October 2021, 40 pharmacies have delivered nearly 4.2 million blood pressure and ambulatory monitoring checks.

As set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, community pharmacies will have a vital role in the Neighbourhood Health Service, working closely with other primary care providers at a neighbourhood level and delivering more clinical services.

NHS England continues to keep the clinical scope of pharmacy services under review. On Wednesday 25 February, the Department began the 2026/27 Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework consultation with Community Pharmacy England, to consider any proposed changes to the reimbursement and remuneration of pharmacy contractors in 2026/27. This includes reimbursement and remuneration for any current or proposed clinical services.

To support the Government’s ambition to reduce premature deaths from heart disease and stroke by 25% within a decade, we will publish a new cardiovascular disease Modern Service Framework (CVD MSF) this spring.

The Department and NHS England are engaging widely with stakeholders to co-produce the CVD MSF, ensuring that experts, people, and communities are at the heart of its development, and this has included engagement with the pharmacy sector.

The CVD MSF will focus on the interventions that will have the greatest impact on reducing premature mortality from heart disease and stroke, whilst supporting consistent, high quality and equitable care across the CVD pathway.

Democracy in Iran

First anniversary of Pahalgam attack

Impact of the Abortion Act 1967 on levels of abortion

Increase in rates of skin cancer

Anzac Day 2026

MS Awareness Week 2026

Planned demolition of Christian informal settlements in Islamabad

100th anniversary of the birth of Queen Elizabeth II

Mountain rescue in Cumbria

Literacy and the criminal justice system

First anniversary of the For Women Scotland v The Scottish Ministers ruling

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Bob Blackman (Chair); Jonathan Davies; Mr Lee Dillon; Mary Glindon