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 (a) levels of access to and (b) the quality of (i) palliative and (ii) end of life care across England.

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

Palliative care services are included in the list of services an integrated care board (ICB) must commission. To support ICBs in this duty, NHS England has published statutory guidance and service specifications.  The statutory guidance states that ICBs must work to ensure that there is sufficient provision of care services to meet the needs of their local populations

NHS England has also developed a palliative care and end of life care dashboard, which brings together all relevant local data in one place. The dashboard helps commissioners understand the palliative care and end of life care needs of their local population, enabling ICBs to put plans in place to address and track the improvement of health inequalities, and ensure that funding is distributed fairly, based on prevalence.

The Department and NHS England are currently looking at how to improve the access, quality, and sustainability of all-age palliative care and end of life care in line with the 10-Year Health Plan.

We will closely monitor the shift towards the strategic commissioning of palliative care and end of life care services to ensure that services reduce variation in access and quality, although some variation may be appropriate to reflect both innovation and the needs of local populations.

Additionally, through the National Institute for Health and Care Research, the Department is investing £3 million in a Policy Research Unit in Palliative and End of Life Care. This unit, launched in January 2024, is building the evidence base on palliative care and end of life care, with a specific focus on inequalities.

Whilst the majority of palliative care and end of life care is provided by National Health Service staff and services, we recognise the vital part charitable hospices play as well. This is why we are supporting the hospice sector with a £100 million capital funding boost for eligible adult and children’s hospices in England to ensure they have the best physical environment for care.

We are also providing £26 million in revenue funding to support children and young people’s hospices for 2025/26.  I am pleased to confirm the continuation of this vital funding for the next three financial years, from 2026/27 to 2028/29 inclusive. This funding will see approximately £26 million, adjusted for inflation, allocated to children and young people’s hospices in England each year, via their local ICBs on behalf of NHS England, as happened in 2024/25 and 2025/26.  This amounts to approximately £80 million over the next three years.

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 improving (a) access to, (b) quality of and (c) sustainability of (i) palliative care and (ii) end of life care for people of all ages through the 10 Year Health Plan, published on 3 July 2025.

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

Palliative care services are included in the list of services an integrated care board (ICB) must commission. To support ICBs in this duty, NHS England has published statutory guidance and service specifications.  The statutory guidance states that ICBs must work to ensure that there is sufficient provision of care services to meet the needs of their local populations.

NHS England has also developed a palliative care and end of life care dashboard, which brings together all relevant local data in one place. The dashboard helps commissioners understand the palliative care and end of life care needs of their local population, enabling ICBs to put plans in place to address and track the improvement of health inequalities, and ensure that funding is distributed fairly, based on prevalence.

The Department and NHS England are currently looking at how to improve the access, quality, and sustainability of all-age palliative care and end of life care in line with the 10-Year Health Plan.

We will closely monitor the shift towards the strategic commissioning of palliative care and end of life care services to ensure that services reduce variation in access and quality, although some variation may be appropriate to reflect both innovation and the needs of local populations.

Additionally, through the National Institute for Health and Care Research, the Department is investing £3 million in a Policy Research Unit in Palliative and End of Life Care. This unit, launched in January 2024, is building the evidence base on palliative care and end of life care, with a specific focus on inequalities.

Whilst the majority of palliative care and end of life care is provided by National Health Service staff and services, we recognise the vital part charitable hospices play as well. This is why we are supporting the hospice sector with a £100 million capital funding boost for eligible adult and children’s hospices in England to ensure they have the best physical environment for care.

We are also providing £26 million in revenue funding to support children and young people’s hospices for 2025/26.  I am pleased to confirm the continuation of this vital funding for the next three financial years, from 2026/27 to 2028/29 inclusive. This funding will see approximately £26 million, adjusted for inflation, allocated to children and young people’s hospices in England each year, via their local ICBs on behalf of NHS England, as happened in 2024/25 and 2025/26.  This amounts to approximately £80 million over the next three years.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with international partners on measures to provide support to the Hazara Muslim population in Afghanistan; and what diplomatic steps she is taking to ensure their protection.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

Ministers do not engage with the Taliban, but Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office officials regularly press the Taliban to respect the human rights of all Afghans, most recently in October. The Government is working with international partners to maintain collective pressure on the Taliban to reverse their inhuman restrictions. We continue to support the UN Special Rapporteur and his mandate to document human rights abuses in Afghanistan. Upholding human rights and gender equality is not only a moral imperative but also essential for building a stable, inclusive and prosperous country for all Afghans.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many cases of bluetongue virus in alpacas have been recorded since October 2023.

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

There have been no confirmed cases of bluetongue virus in alpacas since October 2023. Bluetongue is a notifiable disease, which means all suspected cases must be reported to the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA).

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Chair of the Infected Blood inquiry is remunerated for his work on the inquiry.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

Like all Inquiry Chairs, the Chair of the Infected Blood Inquiry is remunerated for the work he undertakes.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Financial Reports for the Infected Blood Inquiry for the financial year 2024-2025 will be published.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

Published costs for the Infected Blood Inquiry can be found on the inquiry webpage. The latest financial report was published on 27 August 2024. Additionally, the Infected Blood Compensation Authority has published an annual report enclosing a financial statement up to 31 March 2025.

Found: Q211 John Glen: I just want to raise a small point on the last issue.

Found: present: Dame Meg Hillier (Chair); Dame Harriett Baldwin; Chris Coghlan; Bobby Dean; Jim Dickson; John Glen

Found: present: Dame Meg Hillier (Chair); Dame Harriett Baldwin; Chris Coghlan; Bobby Dean; Jim Dickson; John Glen

Found: (Liberal Democrat; Dorking and Horley) Bobby Dean (Liberal Democrat; Carshalton and Wallington) John Glen

Found: Q6 Chair: The next application is from Catherine West and John Glen for a debate in the Chamber on the