Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans his Department has for the transition of (a) grant and (b) contract funding from NHS England to his Department; and whether he plans to continue existing levels of such funding for organisations led by (i) disabled people and (ii) patient-led charities.

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

Work is progressing at pace to develop the design and operating model for the new integrated organisation, and to plan for the smooth transfer of people, functions, and responsibilities.

Grants and contracts still held by NHS England at the point of transition will also legally transfer, or novate, to the Department. The ongoing need for these third-party arrangements will be assessed against policy objectives and funding availability, in line with our standard processes. Whilst this transformation takes place, we will ensure that we continue to comprehensively evaluate impacts, and will work collaboratively to put plans in place to prevent disruption to live funding streams.

The Department publishes figures for NHS England’s annual expenditure on the purchase of healthcare from the voluntary and not for profit sectors in its Annual report and Accounts, and the figure for 2023/24 was £1.84 billion. Further information is available at the following link:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6761518bd20fc50099e18fab/dhsc-annual-report-and-accounts-2023-2024-print-ready.pdf

For NHS England to identify just the registered and UK-registered charitable organisations it has grants and contracts with would exceed the disproportionate cost threshold.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the total value was of NHS England (a) grants and (b) contracts awarded to UK-registered charitable organisations in each of the last three financial years.

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

Work is progressing at pace to develop the design and operating model for the new integrated organisation, and to plan for the smooth transfer of people, functions, and responsibilities.

Grants and contracts still held by NHS England at the point of transition will also legally transfer, or novate, to the Department. The ongoing need for these third-party arrangements will be assessed against policy objectives and funding availability, in line with our standard processes. Whilst this transformation takes place, we will ensure that we continue to comprehensively evaluate impacts, and will work collaboratively to put plans in place to prevent disruption to live funding streams.

The Department publishes figures for NHS England’s annual expenditure on the purchase of healthcare from the voluntary and not for profit sectors in its Annual report and Accounts, and the figure for 2023/24 was £1.84 billion. Further information is available at the following link:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6761518bd20fc50099e18fab/dhsc-annual-report-and-accounts-2023-2024-print-ready.pdf

For NHS England to identify just the registered and UK-registered charitable organisations it has grants and contracts with would exceed the disproportionate cost threshold.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many registered charitable organisations were in receipt of NHS England (a) grants and (b) contracts in each of the last three financial years.

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

Work is progressing at pace to develop the design and operating model for the new integrated organisation, and to plan for the smooth transfer of people, functions, and responsibilities.

Grants and contracts still held by NHS England at the point of transition will also legally transfer, or novate, to the Department. The ongoing need for these third-party arrangements will be assessed against policy objectives and funding availability, in line with our standard processes. Whilst this transformation takes place, we will ensure that we continue to comprehensively evaluate impacts, and will work collaboratively to put plans in place to prevent disruption to live funding streams.

The Department publishes figures for NHS England’s annual expenditure on the purchase of healthcare from the voluntary and not for profit sectors in its Annual report and Accounts, and the figure for 2023/24 was £1.84 billion. Further information is available at the following link:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6761518bd20fc50099e18fab/dhsc-annual-report-and-accounts-2023-2024-print-ready.pdf

For NHS England to identify just the registered and UK-registered charitable organisations it has grants and contracts with would exceed the disproportionate cost threshold.

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 impact of the abolition of NHS England on the (a) operation and (b) funding of charities working in NHS hospital settings.

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

Work is progressing at pace to develop the design and operating model for the new integrated organisation, and to plan for the smooth transfer of people, functions, and responsibilities.

Grants and contracts still held by NHS England at the point of transition will also legally transfer, or novate, to the Department. The ongoing need for these third-party arrangements will be assessed against policy objectives and funding availability, in line with our standard processes. Whilst this transformation takes place, we will ensure that we continue to comprehensively evaluate impacts, and will work collaboratively to put plans in place to prevent disruption to live funding streams.

The Department publishes figures for NHS England’s annual expenditure on the purchase of healthcare from the voluntary and not for profit sectors in its Annual report and Accounts, and the figure for 2023/24 was £1.84 billion. Further information is available at the following link:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6761518bd20fc50099e18fab/dhsc-annual-report-and-accounts-2023-2024-print-ready.pdf

For NHS England to identify just the registered and UK-registered charitable organisations it has grants and contracts with would exceed the disproportionate cost threshold.

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 adequacy of the funding provided for local authority adult social care services in the Spending Review 2025.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government assessed the impact of the cost pressures facing adult social care as part of the wider consideration of local government spending within the Spending Review process in 2025. This assessment took account of a range of factors that could affect the delivery of social care services.

The Spending Review allows for an increase of over £4 billion of funding for adult social care in 2028/29 compared to 2025/26. This includes additional grant funding, growth in other sources of income available to support adult social care, and an increase to the National Health Service’s contribution to adult social care via the Better Care Fund, in line with the Department’s Spending Review settlement.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what progress he has made on expanding the pharmacy workforce.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

To support employers in developing their staff and delivering quality National Health Services, NHS England provides a number of fully funded national training opportunities for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians. This includes independent prescriber training, clinical examination skills, and training the next generation of education supervisors.

Later this year, we will publish a new workforce plan to ensure the NHS has the right people in the right places, with the right skills to deliver the care patients need when they need it.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to commission new services from community pharmacy in the context of changes to supervision.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government recognises that pharmacies are an integral part of the fabric of our communities, as an easily accessible ‘front door’ to the National Health Service, staffed by highly trained and skilled healthcare professionals.

We are committed to expanding the role of pharmacies and to better utilising the skills of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians. That includes making prescribing part of the services delivered by community pharmacists.

Future decisions on service arrangements for community pharmacies beyond 2025/26 are subject to the current Spending Review. As is custom and practice, the Department will consult Community Pharmacy England on any proposed changes.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 25 June 2025 to Question 65118 on Railways: North Shropshire, whether her Department plans to provide any additional funding to improve railway services to (a) North Shropshire and (b) Shropshire.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Following the Spending Review both the Chancellor and Secretary Of State have committed to the transformative Midlands Rail Hub programme, which will upgrade connectivity, reliability and provide capacity for hundreds of extra trains per day into Birmingham, including benefits to those stopping at Shrewsbury and Gobowen. Funding was also confirmed to support feasibility studies for works to improve accessibility for all passengers at 50 stations including at Whitchurch in Shropshire.

Later this year the Department will review the case for line speed improvements between Wolverhampton and Shrewsbury when the business case is completed. Any funding would be subject to a satisfactory business case which represents value for money, affordability and strong benefits for the country.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the announcement on railway stations awarded Access for All accessibility funding, published on 24 May 2024, what her planned timeline is for the completion of Access for All construction at Whitchurch Railway Station.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

This government is committed to improving the accessibility of the railway and recognises the social and economic benefits this brings to communities.

In May 2024, the previous government selected 50 stations for initial feasibility work for potential upgrades as part of our Access for All programme. This included Whitchurch railway station in Shropshire. We expect to provide an update to stakeholders during the summer.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will publish a list of the bodies that will be abolished as part of the NHS 10 Year Plan.

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

The following organisations will be closed or their functions transferred as part of the 10-Year Health Plan:

• NHS England;
• Health Services Safety Investigations Body;
• National Guardian;
• Healthwatch England;
• local Healthwatch organisations; and
• Commissioning Support Units.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the NHS 10 Year Plan, where the 85 mental health crisis centres will be located; and what criteria he is using for determining their location.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The announced expansion of crisis assessment centres, also referred to as mental health emergency departments, builds on a number of early implementer sites that have been established in recent years by local health systems to provide a dedicated therapeutic alternative to emergency departments for individuals in a mental health crisis.

Locations for the new centres are being identified through a capital allocation process, involving expressions of interest from integrated care boards and regionally and nationally coordinated assessments of local need, existing provision, and system readiness.

The new centres will typically serve multiple emergency departments and will be accessible via NHS 111, ambulance conveyance, walk-in, or referral pathways.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many GPs his Department intends to recruit over the course of the NHS 10 Year Plan.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The upcoming 10 Year Workforce Plan will ensure the National Health Service has the right people in the right places, with the right skills to deliver the best care for patients, when they need it. We will train thousands more general practitioners (GPs) in the coming years, and through the course of the 10-Year Health Plan, we will increase the proportion of staff we train for community and primary care roles, as outlined in chapter 7.

Our work has already begun. Between October 2024 and July 2025, we recruited 1,900 extra GPs in primary care networks through the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme. Separately, as of May 2025, 37,833 full time equivalent GPs are currently employed by practices, which is a 1.9% increase, or an increase by 691 GPs, compared to May 2024.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an estimate of the potential impact of mutual recognition schemes on the average time taken to recruit dentists from overseas.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The General Dental Council (GDC) is the independent regulator of dentistry in the United Kingdom. Only dentists and dental care professionals registered with the GDC can legally practise dentistry. As an independent regulator, it is for the GDC to determine the standards that must be met by domestic and international applicants wishing to be added to the dental register.

Changes to the GDC’s legislation made in 2023 gave it greater flexibility to expand the registration routes for international applicants and improve its international registration processes, including additional flexibility in how it operates the Overseas Registration Exam (ORE) and the ability to recognise overseas dentistry diplomas. New rules for the ORE made by the GDC under these reforms came into effect in March 2024.

I have welcomed the additional sittings of both parts of the ORE that the GDC has put in place and its ongoing procurement of new ORE provider contracts. However, I recognise that there remains a considerable waiting list for candidates to sit the exam. I met with the GDC earlier in July 2025 and have asked it to urgently develop an action plan of concrete measures to reduce the ORE waiting list and will be regularly meeting with it to monitor progress with this plan.

The GDC is currently consulting on its 2026-28 Corporate Strategy in which it has stated it will develop a comprehensive and accessible framework for registering overseas-qualified dental professionals, considering routes to registration in a holistic way. We will continue to encourage the GDC to make full use of the flexibilities that the 2023 legislation introduced when developing this framework.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps with the General Dental Council to improve the registration process for dentists who qualified outside the UK.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The General Dental Council (GDC) is the independent regulator of dentistry in the United Kingdom. Only dentists and dental care professionals registered with the GDC can legally practise dentistry. As an independent regulator, it is for the GDC to determine the standards that must be met by domestic and international applicants wishing to be added to the dental register.

Changes to the GDC’s legislation made in 2023 gave it greater flexibility to expand the registration routes for international applicants and improve its international registration processes, including additional flexibility in how it operates the Overseas Registration Exam (ORE) and the ability to recognise overseas dentistry diplomas. New rules for the ORE made by the GDC under these reforms came into effect in March 2024.

I have welcomed the additional sittings of both parts of the ORE that the GDC has put in place and its ongoing procurement of new ORE provider contracts. However, I recognise that there remains a considerable waiting list for candidates to sit the exam. I met with the GDC earlier in July 2025 and have asked it to urgently develop an action plan of concrete measures to reduce the ORE waiting list and will be regularly meeting with it to monitor progress with this plan.

The GDC is currently consulting on its 2026-28 Corporate Strategy in which it has stated it will develop a comprehensive and accessible framework for registering overseas-qualified dental professionals, considering routes to registration in a holistic way. We will continue to encourage the GDC to make full use of the flexibilities that the 2023 legislation introduced when developing this framework.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of reforming the Overseas Registration Exam for dentists.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The General Dental Council (GDC) is the independent regulator of dentistry in the United Kingdom. Only dentists and dental care professionals registered with the GDC can legally practise dentistry. As an independent regulator, it is for the GDC to determine the standards that must be met by domestic and international applicants wishing to be added to the dental register.

Changes to the GDC’s legislation made in 2023 gave it greater flexibility to expand the registration routes for international applicants and improve its international registration processes, including additional flexibility in how it operates the Overseas Registration Exam (ORE) and the ability to recognise overseas dentistry diplomas. New rules for the ORE made by the GDC under these reforms came into effect in March 2024.

I have welcomed the additional sittings of both parts of the ORE that the GDC has put in place and its ongoing procurement of new ORE provider contracts. However, I recognise that there remains a considerable waiting list for candidates to sit the exam. I met with the GDC earlier in July 2025 and have asked it to urgently develop an action plan of concrete measures to reduce the ORE waiting list and will be regularly meeting with it to monitor progress with this plan.

The GDC is currently consulting on its 2026-28 Corporate Strategy in which it has stated it will develop a comprehensive and accessible framework for registering overseas-qualified dental professionals, considering routes to registration in a holistic way. We will continue to encourage the GDC to make full use of the flexibilities that the 2023 legislation introduced when developing this framework.

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 adequacy of the capacity of the NHS to contribute to the provisions for Multi Agency Child Protection Teams in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, introduced in Parliament on 17 December, will protect children at risk of abuse, by stopping vulnerable children from falling through the cracks in services. The bill will place a duty on local safeguarding partners to establish multi-agency child protection teams (MACPTs), aimed at strengthening the multi-agency child protection response to all types of harm. These teams will have a minimum membership, nominated by safeguarding partners, of a social worker, a police officer, a registered health practitioner, and a person with experience of education.

MACPTs have been embedded in 10 local areas through the Families First for Children Pathfinders programme. Based on the learning from these pathfinders, the teams are being rolled out nationally through the Families First Partnership (FFP) programme, launched in April 2025. The FFP programme guide enables flexibility in the composition of MACPTs, which are designed according to local need.

NHS England is supporting and learning from the nine integrated care boards (ICBs) currently working with the Families First for Children Pathfinders programme, which includes MACPTs. The national safeguarding leads are collaborating with the Department for Education and the Department of Health and Social Care to profile how ICBs might implement MACPTs alongside local statutory partners, using Section 75 collaborative funding arrangements in order to optimise the Spending Review budget for the national rollout of the Families First Partnership programme and MACPTs.

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 NHS providers remain accountable for discharging their statutory safeguarding duties for children following the closure of NHS England.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department and NHS England’s safeguarding officials already work as one team to ensure that ministerial decisions are informed by policy and clinical expertise, considering the distinct yet integrated layers of child safeguarding functions. Through the upcoming transformation of NHS England and its integration with the Department, we will ensure health services continue to deliver core services and statutory safeguarding duties.

NHS England remains committed to supporting integrated, collaborative safeguarding arrangements that reflect statutory duties and local context. NHS England is actively engaging with safeguarding professionals across the system, including those in local government, integrated care boards (ICBs), and provider organisations, to ensure that safeguarding functions are not compromised amidst the upcoming changes. The frameworks and protocols outlining the expectations and accountability for safeguarding across National Health Service funded care continue to apply, with health services remaining accountable for safeguarding.

The statutory safeguarding duties for children are imbedded in the NHS Safeguarding Accountability and Assurance Framework, and NHS England is working with all NHS providers and ICBs to ensure these statutory safeguarding functions are protected through the Model ICB programme.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much funding his Department plans to provide for the roll-out of (a) fampridine and (b) other new drugs in each year of this Parliament.

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

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is the independent body responsible for developing authoritative, evidence-based recommendations for the National Health Service on whether new medicines represent a clinically and cost-effective use of resources.

The NHS in England is legally required to fund medicines recommended in a NICE appraisal, usually within three months of final guidance. Information about the amount of funding the NHS plans to provide for the roll-out of new drugs is not available. Commissioners within NHS England receive funding each year to commission services for their population, which includes funding for new and established medicines. Fampridine, however, has not been recommended by NICE, so is not available for routine NHS use within England.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to page 110 of the document entitled Fit for the Future: 10 Year Health Plan for the NHS, whether his Department has made an estimate of how many fewer staff there will be in the NHS by 2035 than projected by the 2023 Long Term Workforce Plan.

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

This assessment will be made through the 10-Year Workforce Plan which will consider what the 10-Year Health Plan, which set out a new service model for the National Health Service, means for the workforce. Through the workforce plan we will ensure we have the right people, in the right places, with the right skills to care for patients when they need it.

Over summer and autumn 2025, we will work with systems and partners to consider future workforce and will publish the 10-Year Workforce Plan later this year.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to reduce the number of potholes in North Shropshire constituency.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Vice Chamberlain (HM Household) (Whip, House of Commons)

Shropshire Council, as a local highway authority, has been allocated the following highway maintenance funding since 2015:

The Government has already provided an additional £500 million increase for local highway maintenance this financial year. As a result of this increase, Shropshire Council will receive up to £9.1 million more in additional funding.

Building on this, at the spending review the Chancellor announced that the Government will be providing £24 billion of capital funding between 2026-27 and 2029-30 to maintain and improve motorways and local roads across the country. This funding increase will allow National Highways and local authorities to invest in significantly improving the long-term condition of England’s road network, delivering faster, safer and more reliable journeys.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much funding her Department has provided to Shropshire Council to fill potholes in each year since 2015.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Vice Chamberlain (HM Household) (Whip, House of Commons)

Shropshire Council, as a local highway authority, has been allocated the following highway maintenance funding since 2015:

The Government has already provided an additional £500 million increase for local highway maintenance this financial year. As a result of this increase, Shropshire Council will receive up to £9.1 million more in additional funding.

Building on this, at the spending review the Chancellor announced that the Government will be providing £24 billion of capital funding between 2026-27 and 2029-30 to maintain and improve motorways and local roads across the country. This funding increase will allow National Highways and local authorities to invest in significantly improving the long-term condition of England’s road network, delivering faster, safer and more reliable journeys.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many serious vehicle accidents caused by potholes have resulted in a driver or passenger death in (a) North Shropshire constituency and (b) Shropshire in each year since 2020.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Vice Chamberlain (HM Household) (Whip, House of Commons)

Statistics on reported road injury collisions in Great Britain are published based on data reported by police via the data collection known as STATS19.

Within STATS19, reporting police officers can assign up to 6 factors which they believe may have contributed to the collision, including ‘poor or defective road surface’. Contributory factors are assigned based on the opinions of the reporting officer at the scene or within a short time of the collision, rather than a detailed investigation.

The number of serious collisions in Shropshire and North Shropshire (constituency) where a police officer assigned the contributory factor “poor or defective road surface” are given in the table below:

There were no drivers or passengers killed in collisions in Shropshire and North Shropshire (constituency) where a police officer assigned the contributory factor “poor or defective road surface” between 2020 to 2023.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many serious vehicle accidents have resulted from potholes in (a) North Shropshire constituency and (b) Shropshire in each year since 2020.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Vice Chamberlain (HM Household) (Whip, House of Commons)

Statistics on reported road injury collisions in Great Britain are published based on data reported by police via the data collection known as STATS19.

Within STATS19, reporting police officers can assign up to 6 factors which they believe may have contributed to the collision, including ‘poor or defective road surface’. Contributory factors are assigned based on the opinions of the reporting officer at the scene or within a short time of the collision, rather than a detailed investigation.

The number of serious collisions in Shropshire and North Shropshire (constituency) where a police officer assigned the contributory factor “poor or defective road surface” are given in the table below:

There were no drivers or passengers killed in collisions in Shropshire and North Shropshire (constituency) where a police officer assigned the contributory factor “poor or defective road surface” between 2020 to 2023.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with providers of community equipment on the financial resilience of those providers.

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

The Department is aware of concerns raised by community equipment suppliers. NHS England has published planning guidance setting out the funding available to integrated care boards and the overall approach to funding National Health Service providers in the next financial year, which takes account of a variety of pay and non-pay factors and pressures on providers of secondary healthcare. The NHS Payment Scheme is equally applicable to NHS and non-NHS providers of secondary healthcare.

Local authorities and local NHS procuring authorities, whether integrated care boards or NHS providers, are responsible for discussing and agreeing contracts with community equipment providers, which will consider the resources available to them. At the Autumn 2024 Budget, the Government announced a £22.6 billion increase in day-to-day health spending and a £3.1 billion increase in the capital budget over both the last financial year and this year. Departmental budgets beyond 2025/26 have now been set through phase 2 of the Spending Review. This includes £29 billion more day-to-day funding in real terms than 2023/24 for the NHS, and the largest ever health capital budget, with a £2.3 billion real terms increase in capital spending over the Spending Review period.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an assessment of the financial viability of providers of community equipment.

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

The Department is aware of concerns raised by community equipment suppliers. NHS England has published planning guidance setting out the funding available to integrated care boards and the overall approach to funding National Health Service providers in the next financial year, which takes account of a variety of pay and non-pay factors and pressures on providers of secondary healthcare. The NHS Payment Scheme is equally applicable to NHS and non-NHS providers of secondary healthcare.

Local authorities and local NHS procuring authorities, whether integrated care boards or NHS providers, are responsible for discussing and agreeing contracts with community equipment providers, which will consider the resources available to them. At the Autumn 2024 Budget, the Government announced a £22.6 billion increase in day-to-day health spending and a £3.1 billion increase in the capital budget over both the last financial year and this year. Departmental budgets beyond 2025/26 have now been set through phase 2 of the Spending Review. This includes £29 billion more day-to-day funding in real terms than 2023/24 for the NHS, and the largest ever health capital budget, with a £2.3 billion real terms increase in capital spending over the Spending Review period.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what discussions she has had with local authorities on the adequacy of the enforcement of safeguarding in relation to the placement of families in temporary accommodation with single homeless adults.

Answered by Rushanara Ali

Local authorities must ensure that temporary accommodation is suitable for the needs of the household and should keep the suitability of accommodation under review. The Homelessness Code of Guidance sets out what local authorities must consider when determining whether accommodation is suitable, which you can find on gov.uk here. When accommodation with shared facilities is used to house children, local authorities must consider safeguarding risks.

MHCLG’s dedicated team of homelessness advisers have regular discussions with local authorities as they discharge their homelessness duties in line with legislation.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the NHS 10 Year Plan includes a budget for the (a) use and (b) procurement of GLP-1 receptor agonists.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is the independent body responsible for developing authoritative, evidence-based recommendations for the National Health Service on whether new medicines represent a clinically and cost-effective use of resources. The NHS in England is legally required to fund medicines recommended in a NICE appraisal, including GLP-1 receptor agonists, usually within three months of final guidance.

NICE has recommended the GLP-1 receptor agonists liraglutide, semaglutide, and tirzepatide as clinically and cost-effective treatment options on the NHS for obesity. Liraglutide, brand name Saxenda, and semaglutide, brand name Wegovy, can currently only be accessed on the NHS via specialist weight management services, which are primarily based in hospital settings. In June 2025, the NHS began making tirzepatide, brand name Mounjaro, available through primary care. Approximately 220,000 adults will be considered for Mounjaro in the first three years, with access prioritised by clinical need.

The 10‑Year Health Plan is backed by an extra £29 billion in investment to fund the reforms, service improvements, and new technology required to deliver an NHS fit for the future. Through its implementation we are committed to further exploring how we can build on the current plans for the roll out of medicine like GLP-1 receptor agonists by working with industry to trial innovative approaches to treating obesity, as part of a rounded package of care. Additionally, we will explore a range of innovative commercial models that aim to increase patient access, whilst ensuring improved health outcomes and value for money.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate his Department has made of the potential cost to the public purse for the digital transformation outlined in the NHS 10 Year Plan.

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

In advance of the 10-Year Health Plan’s publication, the Government confirmed an allocation of up to £10 billion for National Health Service digital, data, and technology through the Spending Review. This is a nearly 50% uplift on current investment, with a 3% real terms uplift overall.

That investment will support delivery of the 10-Year Health Plan, while yielding substantial improvements in the public experience of using the NHS, and in the experience of staff working for it. It will also make a material contribution to achieving the 2% productivity target and wider efficiency targets.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department holds information on the (a) most common illnesses among babies and children in temporary accommodation and (b) incidence of each of those illnesses in the most recent period for which data is available.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department does not hold this information for primary care data due to a lack of granularity in the data.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure young people living with special educational needs in North Shropshire can access the support they require.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell

This government’s ambition is that all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) or in alternative provision receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life.

Following the last Ofsted inspection, departmental officials have been working with Shropshire Council to closely monitor progress against the areas for improvement identified by inspectors. A SEND Advisor was appointed to support and work alongside Shropshire Council and the local area partnership. Shropshire is also gaining valuable insights and learning across the SEND and alternative provision system through engagement in the Change Programme. A clear strategic vision and strength of partnership continues to drive improvement and access to support, though there is more work to be done.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact on the effectiveness of NHS dental services of removing occupational codes (a) 3213 and (b) 6113 from the Skilled Worker visa eligibility list from 22 July 2025.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

On 12 May, the Government published its Immigration White Paper ‘Restoring Control over the Immigration System’, and the first set of immigration rules giving effect to the policies in the White Paper was published on 1 July, including raising the skills threshold to RQF 6. At present dentists remain an eligible occupation as that occupation is skilled to RQF 6.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate her Department has made of the number of dental care professionals who will no longer be eligible for visa sponsorship following the immigration rule changes due to come into force on 22 July 2025.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

On 12 May, the Government published its Immigration White Paper ‘Restoring Control over the Immigration System’, and the first set of immigration rules giving effect to the policies in the White Paper was published on 1 July, including raising the skills threshold to RQF 6. At present dentists remain an eligible occupation as that occupation is skilled to RQF 6.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on the removal of dental care professions from the list of eligible occupations under the Skilled Worker visa.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

On 12 May, the Government published its Immigration White Paper ‘Restoring Control over the Immigration System’, and the first set of immigration rules giving effect to the policies in the White Paper was published on 1 July, including raising the skills threshold to RQF 6. At present dentists remain an eligible occupation as that occupation is skilled to RQF 6.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to include dental care professionals in the Temporary Shortage List.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

On 12 May, the Government published its Immigration White Paper ‘Restoring Control over the Immigration System’, and the first set of immigration rules giving effect to the policies in the White Paper was published on 1 July, including raising the skills threshold to RQF 6. At present dentists remain an eligible occupation as that occupation is skilled to RQF 6.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what information his Department holds on the number of children living in temporary accommodation who presented to A&E with an injury or illness in the 2024-25 financial year.

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

The information requested is not collected centrally.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to support the roll-out of demand responsive transport in Shropshire.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The government believes demand responsive transport (DRT) has an important role to play in ensuring communities can access transport services in areas where more traditional, regular stopping services may not be viable.

Shropshire Council has been allocated over £9.2 million of funding since 2023 to improve their bus services. Funding allocated to local authorities to improve services for passengers can be used in whichever way they wish. Shropshire have used some of this funding to support an expansion of their Connect On-Demand DRT service in July 2024 and January 2025.

We are also developing DRT Best Practice Guidance, which will share learnings from existing DRT schemes to support local authorities to set up similar schemes.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate his Department has made of the (a) potential cost to the public purse for mental health services delivered through the NHS 10 Year Plan and (b) proportion of the total costs for the NHS 10 Year Plan that will be spent on mental health.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The plan commits to wide reaching mental health transformation over the next 10 years, for which the National Health Service has a settlement for the next three years. The Spending Review prioritised health, with NHS day-to-day spending increasing by £29 billion in real terms by 2028/29 compared to 2023/24. We are preparing for the first multi-year planning round for the NHS in more than half a decade, which will confirm budget allocations and give local leaders the certainty they need to deliver.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what guidance his Department has issued on whether (a) a family and (b) babies and children living in temporary accommodation can remain registered at their GP surgery if they live (i) in the area and (ii) outside the area but within reasonable travelling distance.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Patients have the legal right to choose a general practice (GP) that best suits their needs. If a patient moves outside of their practice’s catchment area, the patient’s permanent practice must not de-register them, unless the patient is away from that practice’s area for more than three months. In those cases, the patient must be informed of this where practicable, and some practices may accept that you remain registered as an out of area patient. Housing status should not affect anyone’s ability to register with a GP. Patients who are homeless or in temporary housing do not need a fixed address to be registered.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department plans to publish an implementation plan for the NHS 10-Year Plan.

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

Implementation of the 10-Year Health Plan is already underway: new reforms to the dental contract will prioritise those with urgent and complex needs; we are taking first steps to rollout new neighbourhood health services, which will target the most-deprived areas first; a new pilot programme will support people with health conditions back into employment and ease pressure on doctors; a new animated series will get more children across the country moving more and encouraging a healthier lifestyle; and patients will benefit from better access to pharmacy services under new proposals.

Delivery expectations are embedded throughout the plan, which will shift care from hospital to community, analogue to digital, and sickness to prevention. Over the remainder of 2025/26, we will put in place key next steps to deliver the plan, build the foundations for the shifts from hospital to community, analogue to digital and sickness to prevention, and roll out current best practice across the whole country.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the NHS 10 Year Plan, published 3 July 2025, where the new neighbourhood health centres will be located.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Over the course of our 10-Year Health Plan, we aim to establish a Neighbourhood Health Centre in every community.

Nationwide coverage will take time, but we will start in the areas of greatest need, like in coastal towns and working-class communities, including by using public capital to update and refurbish existing, under-used buildings, targeting places where healthy life expectancy is lowest, and delivering healthcare closer to home for those that need it the most.

Successful centres are already operating across the country in places such as Birmingham and Whitstable, showing how the service can work and be delivered for local people.

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 7 July 2025 to Question 61929 on Integrated Care Boards: Redundancy, whether he is providing new funding to integrated care boards to cover the cost of redundancies.

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

The Department continues to work with NHS England to manage all financial risk, including the best way to manage cost pressures arising from any redundancy schemes once realised.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the NHS 10 Year Plan, published on 3 July 2025, whether (a) parents will be able to access the NHS App on behalf of their (i) children and (ii) young people and( b) data collected through the NHS App will be shared with third parties.

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

General practice (GP) surgeries can give someone secure access to another patient's GP services via the NHS App, so that they can help them manage their health and care. This is done through a proxy linked account.

Patients’ health records contain a type of data called confidential patient information. This data can be used to help with research and planning. However, patients can view or change their national data opt-out choice at any time.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to commission more adult vaccines from community pharmacy.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

We are committed to increase vaccine uptake and improving access, including by exploring new and innovative delivery models to deliver vaccinations, as outlined in the 10-Year Health Plan for England.

Community pharmacies already play a key role in delivering seasonal flu and COVID-19 vaccinations to adults, and we are exploring options to expand this offer to other vaccination programmes

For example, in 2024, NHS England commissioned selected community pharmacies in the East of England to help deliver year-round respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccination programmes for pregnant women, to protect newborns, and adults aged between 75 and 79 years old. This is being expanded to support the maternal pertussis vaccination programme, and selected pharmacies in other regions have now also been commissioned to deliver these vaccines.

Looking ahead, the 10-Year Health Plan sets out the Government’s ambition to expand the role of community pharmacy in prevention, including through the delivery of more National Health Service vaccination services. We will increase uptake of human papillomavirus vaccinations among younger adults who have left school including by making it available in pharmacies, supporting our aim to eliminate cervical cancer by 2040.

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 improve access to respite care for unpaid carers in North Shropshire constituency.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government is committed to ensuring that families have the support they need. The Care Act 2014 requires local authorities to deliver a wide range of sustainable, high-quality care and support services, including support for carers.

The Better Care Fund includes funding that can be used for carer support, including short breaks and respite services. Local areas determine how the money is best used to support carers, depending on local need and with reference to their statutory responsibilities.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure that Shropshire Council has the resources to provide timely access to education, health and care plans.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell

This government’s ambition is that all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) or in alternative provision receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life.

The government confirmed a substantial increase in high needs funding in 2025/26, this includes almost £1 billion which is intended to help local authorities in meeting the costs associated with supporting those children and young people with education, health and care plans. A further £740 million has been made available for councils to create more specialist places in mainstream schools, paving the way for significant, long-term reform.

The final Local Government Finance Settlement for 2025/26 makes available over £69 billion for local government, which is a 6.8% cash terms increase on 2024/2025. For Shropshire Council, the final Settlement represents an increase in Core Spending Power of up to 3.8%, making available a total of up to £353.2 million in 2025/26.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he expects the next Learning from Lives and Deaths report to be published.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Learning from Lives and Deaths reports are a crucial source of evidence which help to identify the key improvements needed to tackle health disparities and prevent the avoidable deaths of people with a learning disability and autistic people. We are committed to publishing the latest report soon after Parliament returns, alongside a Written Ministerial Statement.

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 14 July 2025 to Question 61959 on Dentistry: Recruitment, how many (a) recruited dentists and (b) dental posts are being advertised per region in England.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Data on Golden Hellos will be published by the end of August 2025. Once a publication date has been confirmed, this will be announced on the NHS England website.

Final delivery plan on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS)

Air Ambulance Week 2025 (No. 2)

Mental health care in Gaza

Neurodivergent children at school

Independence of Healthwatch England

National Federation of Young Farmers’ Clubs (NFYFC) grant

First female Astronomer Royal

Access to NHS-funded IVF

Eating disorders and online harms

Asthma awareness children’s book

Incisionless ultrasound surgery provision

Motor neurone disease

Humanitarian situation in Gaza

Fairtrade tea campaign

Improving equestrian road safety awareness

Funding and support for SEND

Carers and social care reform

Government policy on the Hillsborough Law

Cool hubs

Reform of the special educational needs and disabilities system

Jibraan Chaudhary Sepsis Research Foundation and chemotherapy-associated sepsis

Found: proposal was included in the Private Members' Bill, the Bus Services Bill, recently introduced by Helen Morgan

Found: REPORT STAGE Monday 1 September 2025 _NC2 Tom Gordon Vikki Slade Caroline Voaden Liz Jarvis Helen Morgan

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Found: _NC3 Zöe Franklin Dr Danny Chambers Jess Brown-Fuller Helen Morgan Alison Bennett .

Found: _NC3 Zöe Franklin Dr Danny Chambers Jess Brown-Fuller Helen Morgan Alison Bennett .

Found: REPORT STAGE Wednesday 23 July 2025 2 _NC2 Tom Gordon Vikki Slade Caroline Voaden Liz Jarvis Helen Morgan

Found: _NC2 Tom Gordon Vikki Slade Caroline Voaden Liz Jarvis Helen Morgan Siân Berry Anna Sabine Jess

Found: _NC3 Zöe Franklin Dr Danny Chambers Jess Brown-Fuller Helen Morgan Alison Bennett .

Found: _NC3 Zöe Franklin Dr Danny Chambers Jess Brown-Fuller Helen Morgan Alison Bennett .

Found: REPORT STAGE Tuesday 22 July 2025 _NC2 Tom Gordon Vikki Slade Caroline Voaden Liz Jarvis Helen Morgan

Found: _NC2 Tom Gordon Vikki Slade Caroline Voaden Liz Jarvis Helen Morgan Siân Berry Anna Sabine Jess

Found: _NC2 Tom Gordon Vikki Slade Caroline Voaden Liz Jarvis Helen Morgan Siân Berry Anna Sabine Jess

Found: REPORT STAGE Monday 21 July 2025 2 _NC2 Tom Gordon Vikki Slade Caroline Voaden Liz Jarvis Helen Morgan

Found: REPORT STAGE Friday 18 July 2025 2 _NC2 Tom Gordon Vikki Slade Caroline Voaden Liz Jarvis Helen Morgan

Found: _NC2 Tom Gordon Vikki Slade Caroline Voaden Liz Jarvis Helen Morgan Siân Berry Anna Sabine Jess

Found: REPORT STAGE Wednesday 16 July 2025 2 _NC2 Tom Gordon Vikki Slade Caroline Voaden Liz Jarvis Helen Morgan

Found: _NC2 Tom Gordon Vikki Slade Caroline Voaden Liz Jarvis Helen Morgan Siân Berry Anna Sabine Jess

Found: REPORT STAGE Tuesday 15 July 2025 2 _NC2 Tom Gordon Vikki Slade Caroline Voaden Liz Jarvis Helen Morgan

Found: _NC2 Tom Gordon Vikki Slade Caroline Voaden Liz Jarvis Helen Morgan Siân Berry Anna Sabine Jess

Found: _NC3 Zöe Franklin Dr Danny Chambers Jess Brown-Fuller Helen Morgan Alison Bennett .

Found: _NC3 Zöe Franklin Dr Danny Chambers Jess Brown-Fuller Helen Morgan Alison Bennett .

Digital Communities APPG
Tuesday 15th July 2025

Found: Authority Page | 16 Annex Evidence sessions Session One – Tuesday 14 January Panel Helen Morgan