Asked by: Helen Hayes (Labour - Dulwich and West Norwood)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans her Department has to incentivise the delivery of NHS Health Checks for the earlier detection of cardiovascular disease, including through the Quality and Outcomes Framework.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Since 2013 local authorities in England have been legally responsible for commissioning the NHS Health Check programme as set out in the Local Authorities Functions Regulations 2013. The Government’s Public Health Grant to local authorities is used to enable its provision, with general practice being the most frequently commissioned by local authorities to provide the service.
The NHS Health Check provides a mechanism for supporting primary care in achieving several Quality and Outcomes Framework indicators.
There are currently no plans to further incentivise the delivery of NHS Health Checks.
Asked by: Helen Hayes (Labour - Dulwich and West Norwood)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, how his Department is working with the Department for Education to assess the potential impact of statutory kinship care leave on (a) placement stability for children and (b) children's educational outcomes as part of the Government's review of parental leave and related employment rights.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Minister of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade)
The Government’s Parental Leave and Pay Review is considering all current parental leave and pay entitlements, as well as the needs of working families who do not qualify for existing leave and pay entitlements, such as kinship carers. We are engaging with a broad range of stakeholders and considering a wide range of evidence as part of the Review. The Review will conclude in early 2027 with findings which will outline next steps for any potential reforms.
Asked by: Helen Hayes (Labour - Dulwich and West Norwood)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what assessment he has made of the Department for Education's decision to provide paid kinship leave to its own employees when considering whether statutory employment rights for kinship carers should form part of the Government's review of parental leave.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Minister of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade)
The Government’s Parental Leave and Pay Review is considering all current parental leave and pay entitlements, as well as the needs of working families who do not qualify for existing leave and pay entitlements, such as kinship carers. We are engaging with a broad range of stakeholders and considering a wide range of evidence as part of the Review. The Review will conclude in early 2027 with findings which will outline next steps for any potential reforms.
Asked by: Helen Hayes (Labour - Dulwich and West Norwood)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, whether his Department has received advice from the Department for Education on the introduction of statutory kinship care leave following publication of the Education Committee's report Children's social care.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Minister of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade)
The Government’s Parental Leave and Pay Review is considering all current parental leave and pay entitlements, as well as the needs of working families who do not qualify for existing leave and pay entitlements, such as kinship carers. We are engaging with a broad range of stakeholders and considering a wide range of evidence as part of the Review. The Review will conclude in early 2027 with findings which will outline next steps for any potential reforms.
Asked by: Helen Hayes (Labour - Dulwich and West Norwood)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment her Department has made of the variation between integrated care boards (ICB) in the proportion of patients with cardiovascular disease achieving recommended cholesterol levels; and what steps her Department is taking to support ICBs to improve lipid management services.
Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for ensuring that people with high cholesterol or an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) receive treatment in line with recommended targets. Published on 7 July 2026, the CVD Modern Service Framework identifies improved cholesterol detection and management, for people with and without existing CVD, among the 12 priorities supporting the Government’s ambition to reduce premature deaths from heart disease and stroke by 25% within a decade.
For each of the priorities, it brings together national standards, key metrics, and delivery ambitions over three and 10 year horizons to drive implementation locally and narrow variation across the country.
ICBs are responsible for identifying and managing inherited lipid conditions, including familial hypercholesterolaemia, in line with National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance and with support from national genetic testing services.
Asked by: Helen Hayes (Labour - Dulwich and West Norwood)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to improve access to genetic testing for inherited lipid conditions, including familial hypercholesterolaemia, in order to initiate cholesterol management at an early stage for people at greatest risk of cardiovascular disease.
Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for ensuring that people with high cholesterol or an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) receive treatment in line with recommended targets. Published on 7 July 2026, the CVD Modern Service Framework identifies improved cholesterol detection and management, for people with and without existing CVD, among the 12 priorities supporting the Government’s ambition to reduce premature deaths from heart disease and stroke by 25% within a decade.
For each of the priorities, it brings together national standards, key metrics, and delivery ambitions over three and 10 year horizons to drive implementation locally and narrow variation across the country.
ICBs are responsible for identifying and managing inherited lipid conditions, including familial hypercholesterolaemia, in line with National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance and with support from national genetic testing services.
Asked by: Helen Hayes (Labour - Dulwich and West Norwood)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, whether the evidence received by the Education Committee during its inquiry into children's social care, and the Committee's recommendation that the Government should legislate for statutory kinship care leave at the earliest opportunity, will inform the Government's review of parental leave and related employment rights.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Minister of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade)
The Government’s Parental Leave and Pay Review is considering all current parental leave and pay entitlements, as well as the needs of working families who do not qualify for existing leave and pay entitlements, such as kinship carers. We are engaging with a broad range of stakeholders and considering a wide range of evidence as part of the Review. The Review will conclude in early 2027 with findings which will outline next steps for any potential reforms.
Asked by: Helen Hayes (Labour - Dulwich and West Norwood)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure (a) support plans and (b) informal capability procedures are appropriately used to (i) improve staff performance and (ii) retain staff.
Answered by Olivia Bailey
The Department has established policies for managing both performance and underperformance, with an emphasis on early, supportive intervention to help staff succeed and remain in their roles.
Line managers are expected to work with staff to put in place appropriate support, including identifying development needs and access to learning opportunities at an early stage. Where performance concerns persist, informal measures such as performance improvement plans provide clear expectations, structured support and regular review.
This year, the Department is introducing a more structured approach to performance management, building on existing good practice to support greater consistency, clarity and fairness in how performance is assessed and managed.
These approaches are designed to improve performance in a timely and proportionate way, while supporting staff development and maximising retention wherever possible.
Asked by: Helen Hayes (Labour - Dulwich and West Norwood)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate she has made of the number of teachers placed on (a) support plans and (b) informal capability procedures in each of the last five years.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The department sets out the broad statutory requirements that maintained schools must follow and recently updated non-statutory guidance in relation to teacher appraisal, including informal support arrangements, which is available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/66a253b20808eaf43b50d742/Teacher_Appraisal_-_guidance_for_schools_July_2024.pdf.
Academies are free to make their own arrangements, but most choose to follow the statutory process.
As the department is not the employer of any teachers, it does not collect any data on the numbers of teachers with support plans or in informal capability procedures.
Asked by: Helen Hayes (Labour - Dulwich and West Norwood)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the policy paper entitled Protecting What Matters: Towards a more confident, cohesive, and resilient United Kingdom, if he will set out the (a) timeline and (b) consultation process planned for his Department's review of English language provision.
Answered by Nesil Caliskan
In Protecting What Matters, this government committed to review English language provision to identify best practice, and explore how innovation, including digital delivery, can increase the numbers able to speak English, with conclusions published in Autumn this year. This review will engage providers and learners throughout.