Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will investigate NHS Barts Health Trust funding for the Tower Hamlets Muslim Charity Run; and if he will make it his policy to ensure NHS funds are not used to support events which discriminate against women and offer no alternative single-sex provision.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Tower Hamlets Muslim Charity Run is not funded by NHS Barts Health Trust. National Health Services are available to all, irrespective of sex. The Government does not tolerate discrimination within public services.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
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To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of NICE's draft guidance on brexucabtagene autoleucel on (a) the Life Sciences Strategy and (b) outcomes for patients with rare cancers.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government remains committed to the ambitions set out in the Life Sciences Sector Plan, which set out an ambition that by 2030, we will be one of the top three fastest places in Europe for patient access to medicines. We will achieve this by reducing friction in the system to optimise access and uptake of new medicines so the most clinically and cost-effective can reach patients faster.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is currently re-evaluating brexucabtagene autoleucel to determine whether it should be recommended for routine National Health Service use following a period of managed access through the Cancer Drugs Fund. NICE’s draft guidance, published in December 2025, does not recommend it as a clinically and cost-effective use of NHS resource, although NICE has not yet published final guidance. The Government recognises that the potential withdrawal of brexucabtagene autoleucel as a treatment for future patients will be concerning for patients and their families, but it is right that these decisions are taken independently and on the basis of the available evidence. In line with an arrangement between NHS England and the company, if NICE’s final guidance does not recommend use, patients who started treatment during the managed access period can continue their treatment.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to his Department's register of board members' interests, 2025 to 2026, published on 5 September 2025, what business A.M.Strategy undertakes.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Rt. Hon. Alan Milburn has declared A.M. Strategy Ltd in the Department’s register of interests. This is the business through which he has provided advisory services for several years.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what is the timetable for his department and NHS England to (a) open and (b) close applications for voluntary exit following the merger of the two; and whether there are plans for a compulsory redundancy process.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Both the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and NHS England opened voluntary redundancy schemes in 2025, prior to the merger, to allow staff to leave before the merger takes place.
The DHSC voluntary exit scheme launched on 2 April and closed 30 April 2025. The first cohorts of staff left in November and December 2025. A small cohort of staff were placed 'on hold' and will exit between January and May 2026.
The NHS England redundancy scheme ran from 1 December 2025 until 5:00pm on 16 December 2025. This was announced to staff on 11 November 2025, and formal consultation with trade unions concluded on 14 November 2025.
We remain committed to the target of my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, for a leaner, more efficient centre that is approximately 50% smaller. We are currently aiming to meet this target through voluntary means. However, until we know the outcome of these schemes, we cannot rule out future compulsory redundancies.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the proposed retrospective changes to Indefinite Leave to Remain qualifying periods on (a) the number of migrant meat hygiene inspectors working in the Food Standards Agency and (b) food safety and export standards.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) does not have directly employed staff who are subject to skilled worker visas.
The FSA recruits and trains domestic Official Auxiliaries, Meat Hygiene Inspectors, twice a year in line with the Government strategy of placing a strong emphasis on developing a sustainable, United Kingdom-based workforce. The FSA is also supporting its delivery partners in the development of domestic recruitment and training capabilities and plans to align with this strategy.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help increase the number of meat hygiene Inspectors.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) does not have directly employed staff who are subject to skilled worker visas.
The FSA recruits and trains domestic Official Auxiliaries, Meat Hygiene Inspectors, twice a year in line with the Government strategy of placing a strong emphasis on developing a sustainable, United Kingdom-based workforce. The FSA is also supporting its delivery partners in the development of domestic recruitment and training capabilities and plans to align with this strategy.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
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 19 November 2025 to Question 84923 on Public Houses: Electronic Cigarettes, whether his Department has assessed the potential impact of a ban on vaping in pubs on their (a) financial viability and (b) profitability.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Tobacco and Vapes Bill gives the Government powers to make most public places and workplaces that are smoke-free also vape-free.
We plan to consult on making most indoor settings, that are subject to existing smoke-free legislation, vape-free. This would include inside pubs and other hospitality venues. A number of places have already done this voluntarily.
These measures will be subject to a full consultation, and we will be guided by public health advice. All future regulations will be accompanied by an impact assessment that will consider the economic effects of the proposed measures and will be published as part of the consultation process.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of a pub vaping ban on the viability of local pubs which are designated as local community assets.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
We plan to consult on making most indoor settings, that are subject to existing smoke-free legislation, vape-free. This would include inside pubs and other hospitality venues. Many businesses and enclosed public places, including pubs, already have voluntary schemes in place to prohibit vape usage inside their premises.
An impact assessment will be prepared and published in advance of secondary legislation, which will consider the economic impacts of the proposed regulations.
It is useful to note that the tobacco industry opposed previous indoor smoke-free legislation arguing that it would be disastrous for the hospitality industry. However, a year after implementing smoke-free places, 40% of businesses reported that the ban had a positive impact on their business, compared to only 3% reporting a negative impact. Office for National Statistics survey data shows that 69% of respondents visited pubs about as often as before, while 17% visited more often than before smoking restrictions.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the publication Updating labelling guidance for no and low-alcohol alternatives, published on 28 September 2023, and pursuant to the Answer of 31 March 2025, to Question 41063, on Low Alcohol Drinks: Labelling and Marketing, whether the Government intends to publish a response to the 2023 consultation.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
In Fit for the Future: 10-Year Health Plan for England, the Government has committed to exploring whether to raise the upper alcohol limit for drinks labelled as alcohol-free to 0.5% alcohol by volume (ABV) from 0.05% ABV, as set out in the current labelling guidance for no and low (NoLo) alcohol drink alternatives.
Department officials are progressing work to take forward this commitment, and we will update stakeholders in due course. The consultation referred to was undertaken by the previous administration. A decision on publishing a response will be made as part of determining the delivery timescales of the NoLo commitments in the 10-Year Health Plan.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
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 15 September 2025, to Question 73327, on Alan Milburn, what other (a) NHS, (b) social care and (c) other matters Alan Milburn has recused himself from.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Prior to appointment, non-executive candidates are required to declare all relevant interests. Appropriate mitigations are then put in place and approved by the Department.
This process was carried out for the Rt Hon. Alan Milburn, whose interests and any updates to them are available in the Department’s Annual Report and Accounts and on the GOV.UK website in alignment with Government policy.