Asked by: Elsie Blundell (Labour - Heywood and Middleton North)
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 ensure that an increasing number of hospitals and healthcare settings are equipped to diagnose endometriosis swiftly.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is committed to improving the diagnosis, treatment, and ongoing care for gynaecological conditions, including endometriosis.
Patients waiting for an endometriosis diagnosis may receive diagnostic tests, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and ultrasound, though the only definitive way to diagnose endometriosis is by a laparoscopic procedure. The laparoscopy is also used to treat endometriosis.
We are taking steps to support the National Health Service to increase diagnostic capacity to meet the demand for diagnostic services, including for MRI and ultrasound. This includes expanding existing community diagnostic centres (CDCs) which, as of January 2026, are now operating at 170 sites across the country. 103 CDCs now offer out of hours service, 12 hours a day, seven days a week, delivering more same-day tests and consultations. We are taking action to ensure that individuals with endometriosis not only receive a timely diagnosis but also receive timely and effective treatment.
NHS surgical hubs, funded by the Targeted Investment Fund, are specifically designed to deliver high-volume, low-complexity elective surgeries, including gynaecological procedures. These explicitly include operative laparoscopies, endometrial ablation, hysteroscopies, and laparoscopic hysterectomies. As of November 2025, over half of the 123 operational elective surgical hubs in England provide gynaecology services, and laparoscopies are a key part of this offering.
Asked by: Elsie Blundell (Labour - Heywood and Middleton North)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the recommendations in the report by the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition entitled Feeding young children aged 1 to 5 years, last updated 8 May 2024.whether she plans to take steps to make an assessment on the potential impact of (a) food pouches and (b) highly blended food on the development of (i) chewing skills, (ii) oral motor function and (iii) dental health in children under 36 months.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Two research projects have been commissioned that will consider the impact of commercially manufactured baby foods on dental health. These are based on research recommendations made in the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition report Feeding young children aged 1 to 5 years and are funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).
One is the Studying Health Impacts of Early Diets project, that runs from December 2024 to May 2027. The overall aim of this project is to assess how the diet of children aged between one and five years old in the United Kingdom influences their health in childhood, adolescence and early adulthood.
The other is the Growing Well Study running from March 2025 to March 2028. This study aims to understand more about the eating habits of children aged between one and five years old, and how this affects their growth and dental health.
No Government-funded research is currently underway that is considering the potential impact of food pouches and highly blended food on the development of chewing skills or oral motor function in children aged under 36 months.
The Department commissions research through the NIHR. The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including the health impacts of infant feeding practices.
Asked by: Elsie Blundell (Labour - Heywood and Middleton North)
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 ensure that industry follows Commercial Food and Drink Voluntary Industry Guidelines on health claims.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Voluntary guidelines published in August 2025 require commercial baby food and drink businesses for children under 36 months to restrict implied nutrition and health claims on labels. These claims can lead to parents overestimating the healthiness of the product. Businesses are expected to comply by February 2027.
We will monitor progress after that time, to ensure businesses have the maximum time available to make these changes.
The Government will consider additional or alternative measures if businesses fail to implement these guidelines.
Asked by: Elsie Blundell (Labour - Heywood and Middleton North)
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 ensure that the appropriate amount of (a) iron and (b) vitamins is in food marketed for children under 36 months.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Children’s early years provide an important foundation for their future health and strongly influence many aspects of wellbeing in later life.
The Department has regulations in place that set nutritional, compositional, and labelling standards for commercial baby food for children from six to 36 months. These include maximum levels of iron, and minimum and maximum levels of some vitamins that can be added to commercial baby food. We continue to keep these regulations under review to ensure that the composition of infant food and drinks reflect the latest scientific advice and dietary guidelines. It is the responsibility of individual businesses to ensure they comply with the law and the responsibility of local authorities to enforce the law.
Asked by: Elsie Blundell (Labour - Heywood and Middleton North)
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 ensure the Modern Service Framework for cardiovascular disease will (a) reduce disability caused by stroke and (b) improve the lives of stroke survivors living with poor health or a disability post-stroke.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
To accelerate 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) in 2026. The CVD MSF will consider approaches to reducing poor health and disability caused by heart disease and stroke.
The Department and NHS England are working together to deliver the CVD MSF and are engaging widely throughout its development to ensure that we prioritise ambitious, evidence-led and clinically informed approaches to prevention, treatment, and care. At the heart of this is engagement with people and communities, so that the modern service framework is shaped by and meets their needs. We will say more on these plans in due course.
Asked by: Elsie Blundell (Labour - Heywood and Middleton North)
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 merits of establishing a stroke team within his Department.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is committed to improving the outcomes for patients who suffer from a stroke. The teams responsible for the policy and delivery of services related to strokes within the Department and NHS England work closely together.
Subject to Parliament passing the primary legislation that will transfer most of NHS England’s functions to the Department, there will be further opportunities to consider how the future Department can best support patients suffering from a stroke.
Asked by: Elsie Blundell (Labour - Heywood and Middleton North)
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 increase uptake of the MMRV vaccine among children.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Fylde on 8 September 2025 to Question 73633.