Asked by: Jim Dickson (Labour - Dartford)
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 extent to which cigarette filters are used to circumvent the ban on menthol and other characterising flavours in tobacco products.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
I refer the Hon. Members to the Government's consultations, and accompanying consultation stage impact assessments, on smoke-free, heated tobacco-free, and vape-free places, and on the packaging, device appearance, and display of tobacco, vaping, and nicotine products. The Government will carefully consider the responses before taking decisions on future regulations.
I refer the Hon. Members to the Tobacco and Vapes Bill House of Lords debate on 24 February 2026 in relation to filters. Evidence is still developing and there are no current plans to consult on plain packaging and promotions restrictions. No assessment has been taken on filters being used to circumvent the current flavours ban.
Asked by: Jim Dickson (Labour - Dartford)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if her Department will consult on requiring cigarette filters to be sold in plain packaging and restrict their promotion.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
I refer the Hon. Members to the Government's consultations, and accompanying consultation stage impact assessments, on smoke-free, heated tobacco-free, and vape-free places, and on the packaging, device appearance, and display of tobacco, vaping, and nicotine products. The Government will carefully consider the responses before taking decisions on future regulations.
I refer the Hon. Members to the Tobacco and Vapes Bill House of Lords debate on 24 February 2026 in relation to filters. Evidence is still developing and there are no current plans to consult on plain packaging and promotions restrictions. No assessment has been taken on filters being used to circumvent the current flavours ban.
Asked by: Jim Dickson (Labour - Dartford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what her planned timeline is for the procurement and roll out of Southeastern Metro rolling stock.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Southeastern is currently engaged in a live rolling stock procurement. Their full business case, with a recommended solution, is currently being taken through Department for Transport governance approvals required for investment decisions. I am not able to provide details on timescales until the procurement has concluded. Southeastern will ensure stakeholders and customers are informed accordingly as and when more information is available.
Asked by: Jim Dickson (Labour - Dartford)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the scope of the Horticulture Sector Growth Plan being developed by her Department will cover legumes such as peas, lentils and fava beans.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Horticulture Sector Growth Plan is sector-led, using sector expertise to create evidence-based plans that set out a clear vision and pathway to deliver growth. Sector expert groups have determined the remit of the Horticulture plan based on their industry expertise.
Fresh peas and beans grown as horticultural crops are within the scope of the Plan. Legumes and pulses cultivated as arable crops, requiring processing or not for direct human consumption, are more aligned with the arable sector, and their interests will be considered through work with the arable sector.
Asked by: Jim Dickson (Labour - Dartford)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if her Department will publish figures on the number of unaccompanied asylum seeking children arriving in Kent each month since January 2024.
Answered by Alex Norris - Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice
The Home Office publishes data on the number of unaccompanied asylum seeking children (UASC) in the ‘Immigration System Statistics Quarterly Release’. This data is published on a quarterly basis and is not broken down by location. As such, figures on the number of UASC arriving specifically in Kent each month are not routinely published.
Published data does show:
Official statistics published by the Home Office are kept under review in line with the Code of Practice for Statistics, taking into account a number of factors including user needs, the resources required to compile the statistics, as well as quality and availability of data. These reviews allow us to balance the production of our regular statistics whilst developing new statistics for future release.
Asked by: Jim Dickson (Labour - Dartford)
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 to assess the effectiveness of NHS health checks to ensure a) they are targeted at the right patients and b) checking for the correct conditions.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson
The NHS Health Check is designed to assess the top risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD) and refer people to further support through behavioural interventions, for example weight management, clinical assessment, and treatment where appropriate.
Programme guidance encourages commissioners and their providers to adopt a proportionate universalist approach, to ensure that checks are delivered in a way that prioritises resources and effort towards engaging people at higher risk of CVD.
A 2021 review found that the NHS Health Check programme had largely achieved its aims, reaching two in five eligible people, including those at higher risk of CVD, and delivering better outcomes for attendees.
In response to the review recommendations, the Department has prioritised improving access to and uptake of the programme through the ongoing development of the NHS Health Check Online and the piloting of CVD checks in workplace settings during 2025.
Asked by: Jim Dickson (Labour - Dartford)
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 to raise awareness of the link between obesity, kidney disease and heart disease amongst health care professionals and the public.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson
The Government recognises the importance of raising awareness about the interconnectedness of conditions such as cardiovascular disease, obesity, and kidney disease amongst healthcare professionals and the public.
To tackle unwarranted variation, support consistent, high-quality care across the cardiovascular disease pathway, and 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) shortly. In developing the CVD MSF, we are reviewing evidence and engaging stakeholders on a range of pathway areas and risk factors for cardiovascular disease.
The NHS Health Check programme, a core component of England’s cardiovascular disease prevention programme, aims to detect people at risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and kidney disease in those aged between 40 and 74 years old. The programme plays a key role in raising awareness and assessing the top risk factors associated with these conditions and refers people for further support through behavioural interventions, for example weight management, clinical assessment, and treatment where appropriate.
The NHS Health Check Best Practice Guidance assists healthcare professionals to understand, identify, and manage cardiovascular disease risk factors alongside National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines, and how to communicate meaningful advice to patients following their health check.
Asked by: Jim Dickson (Labour - Dartford)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the upcoming Cardiovascular Disease Modern Service Framework will consider the impact of obesity and kidney disease on cardiovascular disease.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson
The Government recognises the importance of raising awareness about the interconnectedness of conditions such as cardiovascular disease, obesity, and kidney disease amongst healthcare professionals and the public.
To tackle unwarranted variation, support consistent, high-quality care across the cardiovascular disease pathway, and 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) shortly. In developing the CVD MSF, we are reviewing evidence and engaging stakeholders on a range of pathway areas and risk factors for cardiovascular disease.
The NHS Health Check programme, a core component of England’s cardiovascular disease prevention programme, aims to detect people at risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and kidney disease in those aged between 40 and 74 years old. The programme plays a key role in raising awareness and assessing the top risk factors associated with these conditions and refers people for further support through behavioural interventions, for example weight management, clinical assessment, and treatment where appropriate.
The NHS Health Check Best Practice Guidance assists healthcare professionals to understand, identify, and manage cardiovascular disease risk factors alongside National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines, and how to communicate meaningful advice to patients following their health check.
Asked by: Jim Dickson (Labour - Dartford)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department has taken to ensure that children and young people are able to contribute their views to the consultation on updating the School Food Standards.
Answered by Olivia Bailey
We know that children and young people’s own experiences are key to shaping effective school food standards. To support this, we have been engaging with children and young people to understand what they eat at school, what they enjoy, and what they would like to see improved. We are working with youth organisations, such as the Food Foundation’s Young Food Ambassadors, to ensure that the consultation responses they submit capture the views of children and young people, helping us build a rounded picture of what matters to children in their day-to-day school life.
Asked by: Jim Dickson (Labour - Dartford)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the timetable is for the publication of a government consultation regarding the health reporting requirements and targets for large businesses under the healthy food standard policy announced as part of the 10-year health plan for England.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson
As set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, we will take decisive action on the obesity crisis, easing the strain on our National Health Service and creating the healthiest generation of children ever. The plan committed to introducing mandatory healthier food sales reporting for all large companies in the sector by the end of this Parliament. The plan also committed to introducing new targets to increase the healthiness of sales.
We intend to launch a full public consultation soon to gather a wide range of views on our proposals.
Specific implementation dates will be determined following consultation, and the intention is that the policy will be finalised and legislation laid so that reporting comes into force before the end of this Parliament, no later than 2029.