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 8 April 2025 to Question 43351 on Domestic Waste: Fires, whether the UK Health Security Agency has undertaken research on the impact of the low-intensity burning of domestic household waste in household gardens.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has not undertaken an assessment of the health impact of the low intensity burning of domestic household waste in household gardens, as there is legislation and guidance to prevent fires causing pollution or a nuisance. However, the UKHSA has published systematic reviews of the epidemiological studies on the health impacts associated with outdoor and indoor exposure to solid fuel burning.
The evidence suggests that burning solid fuels indoors could contribute to the risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and lung cancer in adults, while the evidence for other respiratory effects is less clear. The results regarding outdoor exposure and the health effects were too limited to draw firm conclusions.
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 25 April 2025 to Question 45661 on Waste: Health Hazards, if he will publish guidance issued by the UK Health Security Agency to the local Director of Public Health.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has provided standard guidance to the local authority on the public health risks associated with household waste, to minimise health risks to Birmingham residents. This information can be found on the Birmingham City Council website, at the following link:
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 24 April 2025 to Question 45641 on Nappies: Waste Disposal, whether the UK Health Security Agency have provided (a) advice and (b) support to Birmingham City Council on discarded nappies in public places.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and other agencies provide support to local authorities and their directors of public health for localised incidents. The UKHSA has not given specific advice about the potential impact of discarded used nappies on public health.
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Environment Agency have produced the statutory guidance Waste duty of care: code of practice, which is available at the following link:
Guidance for waste planning policy is published by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, and is available at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/waste
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 3 April 2025 to Question 41085 on Domestic Waste and Fly-tipping: Health Hazards, if he will publish the risk assessment on the potential health impacts of uncollected waste.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The risk assessment is a live document, owned and kept under review by the local Director of Public Health who is responsible for its distribution. The UK Health Security Agency is part of a multi-agency response Strategic Commissioning Group and has contributed to the risk assessment.
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 used nappies discarded in public places on Public Health.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has not made a specific assessment of the potential impact of discarded used nappies on public health. The UKHSA and other agencies provide support to local authorities and their directors of public health for localised incidents, such as risks associated with household waste.
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Environment Agency have produced the statutory guidance Waste duty of care: code of practice, which is available at the following link:
Guidance for waste planning policy is published by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, and is available at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/waste
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 14 March 2025 to Question 35705 on Independent Commission into Adult Social Care, whether he plans for the recommendation of the Phase two of the independent commission to (a) have a Government response, (b) undertake a further consultation, (c) have legislation introduced and (d) be commenced in this Parliament.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Chaired by Baroness Casey of Blackstock, the independent commission on adult social care will be undertaken in two phases.
Phase 1, reporting in 2026, will identify the biggest challenges in adult social care and recommend practical changes to improve people’s lives over the next decade.
Phase 2, reporting by 2028, will make longer-term recommendations for the transformation of adult social care, addressing demographic change, how services should be organised to deliver this and how best to create a fair and affordable adult social care system.
The Government will consider and respond to the commission’s recommendations, including whether there is a need for further consultation or legislation, when it reports.
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 31 March 2025 to Question 41063 on Low Alcohol Drinks: Labelling and Marketing, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of amending labelling regulations on pubs.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
While the Government has not made a specific assessment of the potential impact of amending labelling regulations on no or low alcohol products in pubs, work continues across the Government to better understand how we can reduce alcohol-related harms by exploring potential opportunities, including changes to alcohol labelling.
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 he plans to provide additional resources to Birmingham City Council to help support public health.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Birmingham City Council’s Public Health Grant for 2025/26 will be £109,102,134. This is an increase of 5.9% relative to 2024/25, and equates to £92.98 per capita against a per capita average across all English upper tier local authorities of £66.64.
Birmingham will also receive targeted investment in 2025/26 of £1,647,900 to improve its Start for Life offer, £1,596,854 to support stop smoking services, and £11,741,333 to support drug and alcohol treatment and recovery. Future funding decisions will be subject to the upcoming Spending Review.
The Government continues to support Birmingham City Council’s recovery, and action to protect and improve public health.
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 21 February 2025 to Question 29991 on Independent Commission into Adult Social Care, what his planned timetable is for responding to the 2028 Phase 2 report; and whether he plans that social care reforms will be (a) legislated for and (b) delivered in this Parliament.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Chaired by Baroness Casey, the Independent Commission on adult social care will be undertaken in two phases. Phase one, reporting in 2026, will identify the biggest challenges in adult social care and recommend practical changes to improve people’s lives over the next decade. Phase two, reporting by 2028, will make longer-term recommendations for the transformation of adult social care, addressing demographic change, how services should be organised to deliver this, and how to best create a fair and affordable adult social care system.
The Government will consider and respond to the commission’s recommendations, including any legislative implications, when it reports. The Government recognises the pivotal role adult social care plays in nurturing local communities and helping people live as independent and fulfilling lives as possible.
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 (a) end of life and (b) other palliative care services provided by the NHS on patient quality of life; and whether the new 10-year health plan for the NHS will include measures on ensuring equal access to palliative care.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
As part of the work to develop a 10-Year Health Plan, we will carefully be considering policies, including those that impact people with palliative and end of life care needs, with input from the public, patients, health staff, and our partners, including those in the hospice sector.
Addressing healthcare inequity is a core focus of the 10-Year Health Plan, to ensure the National Health Service is there for anyone who needs it, whenever they need it. We have established 11 working groups to take forward policy development that will feed into the plan. This includes working groups focused on how care should be designed and delivered to improve healthcare equity, alongside ensuring that access to healthcare services is effective and responsive.
We have launched a significant public engagement process, and we would encourage all those with an interest in palliative and end of life care to take part in that process so that we can fully understand what is not working as well as it should and what the potential solutions are. This public engagement process is available at the following link: