Asked by: Kirith Entwistle (Labour - Bolton North East)
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 support Greater Manchester ICB to increase the speed of access to diagnostic tests for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Data on the number of people waiting to receive a spirometry test for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in the Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board (ICB) is not held centrally.
The Government is committed to putting patients first, including in Greater Manchester. This means making sure that patients, including those waiting to receive a spirometry test or other diagnostic tests for COPD, are seen on time, and ensuring that people have the best possible experience during their care.
The Government is supporting the Greater Manchester ICB to increase the speed of diagnostic tests for COPD, for instance through community diagnostic centres (CDCs). There are seven CDCs across the Greater Manchester ICB, of which four are either a standard or large model CDC. All standard and large CDCs are required to offer respiratory tests such as spirometry, and full lung function tests.
The Greater Manchester ICB is also exploring and testing innovative case finding tools for patients with COPD and asthma as part of a Greater Manchester toolkit for respiratory care, including developing remote spirometry as a proof of concept. The Greater Manchester ICB has also trained approximately 300 staff to provide quality assured spirometry to patients, and is currently working towards getting staff accredited to Association for Respiratory Technology and Physiology standards.
In January 2025, we published the Elective Reform Plan. The plan sets out the productivity and reform efforts needed to return to the 18-week constitutional standard by the end of this Parliament. The Elective Reform Plan commits to transform and expand diagnostic services and speed up waiting times for tests, a crucial part of reducing overall waiting times and returning to the Referral to Treatment 18-week standard.
This includes expanding existing CDCs, as well as building up to five new ones in 2025/26, to support the NHS to return to meeting the elective waiting time constitutional standard. The plan also commits to CDCs opening 12 hours per day, seven days a week, delivering more same-day tests and consultations, and to an expanded range of tests.
Asked by: Kirith Entwistle (Labour - Bolton North East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many people are waiting to receive a spirometry test for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in Greater Manchester integrated care board.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Data on the number of people waiting to receive a spirometry test for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in the Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board (ICB) is not held centrally.
The Government is committed to putting patients first, including in Greater Manchester. This means making sure that patients, including those waiting to receive a spirometry test or other diagnostic tests for COPD, are seen on time, and ensuring that people have the best possible experience during their care.
The Government is supporting the Greater Manchester ICB to increase the speed of diagnostic tests for COPD, for instance through community diagnostic centres (CDCs). There are seven CDCs across the Greater Manchester ICB, of which four are either a standard or large model CDC. All standard and large CDCs are required to offer respiratory tests such as spirometry, and full lung function tests.
The Greater Manchester ICB is also exploring and testing innovative case finding tools for patients with COPD and asthma as part of a Greater Manchester toolkit for respiratory care, including developing remote spirometry as a proof of concept. The Greater Manchester ICB has also trained approximately 300 staff to provide quality assured spirometry to patients, and is currently working towards getting staff accredited to Association for Respiratory Technology and Physiology standards.
In January 2025, we published the Elective Reform Plan. The plan sets out the productivity and reform efforts needed to return to the 18-week constitutional standard by the end of this Parliament. The Elective Reform Plan commits to transform and expand diagnostic services and speed up waiting times for tests, a crucial part of reducing overall waiting times and returning to the Referral to Treatment 18-week standard.
This includes expanding existing CDCs, as well as building up to five new ones in 2025/26, to support the NHS to return to meeting the elective waiting time constitutional standard. The plan also commits to CDCs opening 12 hours per day, seven days a week, delivering more same-day tests and consultations, and to an expanded range of tests.
Asked by: Kirith Entwistle (Labour - Bolton North East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent steps his Department has taken to secure an end to the violence in Gaza.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
In recent weeks, the Foreign Secretary has spoken to Secretary Rubio, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar, Israeli Minister for Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer, EU High Representative Kallas and the UN emergency relief co-ordinator, Tom Fletcher.
On 15 April, the Foreign Secretary met with his Israeli counterpart Gideon Sa'ar in London. During the conversation, he pressed Israel to restore humanitarian access, raised serious concerns about the deaths of aid workers, and made clear the urgent need of returning to a ceasefire and a negotiated path forward. The Foreign Secretary plans to speak to Palestinian PM Mustafa shortly. The UK made statements in the UN Security Council on Tuesday 18 March and Friday 21 March and joined a G7 Foreign Ministers' statement the week before. An E3 Foreign Ministers statement issued on Friday 21 March calling on all parties to re-engage with negotiations to ensure the ceasefire is implemented in full and becomes permanent.
Asked by: Kirith Entwistle (Labour - Bolton North East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent steps his Department has taken to ensure that aid can reach people in Gaza.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign Secretary met with Israeli Foreign Minister Sa'ar on 15 April to press Israel to restore the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza and raise concerns about the safety of aid workers in the region. On 21 March, the UK issued a joint statement with France and Germany, making clear that Israel should fully respect international law and allow the flow of aid immediately. We called on Israel to restore humanitarian access, restore water and electricity, and ensure access to medical care and medical evacuations in accordance with international humanitarian law. I also spoke to the Emergency Relief Coordinator, Tom Fletcher, about the humanitarian situation in Gaza on 14 March. We announced £129 million for the Occupied Palestinian Territories in 2024/25 Financial Year and will continue to play a key humanitarian role in Gaza.
Asked by: Kirith Entwistle (Labour - Bolton North East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with (a) Cabinet Colleagues and (b) his Israeli counterpart on ending hostilities in Gaza.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign Secretary has raised the Israeli operations in Gaza with his Israeli counterparts. On 15 April, the Foreign Secretary met with his Israeli counterpart Gideon Sa'ar in London. During the conversation, he pressed Israel to restore humanitarian access, raised serious concerns about the deaths of aid workers, and made clear the urgent need of returning to a ceasefire and a negotiated path forward.
As he has made clear in Parliament, the UK is seriously concerned by the expansion of Israel's operations in Gaza and the displacement of Palestinians. Palestinians must be allowed home. Civilians must be protected and the destruction of civilian infrastructure minimised. We urge Israel to immediately re-start a rapid and unimpeded flow of humanitarian aid to Gaza in order to meet the needs of all civilians.
Asked by: Kirith Entwistle (Labour - Bolton North East)
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 ensure that meeting patients' communications needs is included in the 10 year plan objective to shift from analogue to digital.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We have committed to develop a 10 Year Plan to deliver a National Health Service fit for the future. While it is too soon to say exactly what will be in the plan, digital services will support and complement face to face care and will help meet patients’ communication needs.
The Government will create a more modern NHS by bringing together a single patient record, summarising patient health information, test results, and letters in one place, through the NHS App. It will put patients in control of their own medical history, meaning they do not have to repeat it at every appointment, and that staff have the full picture of patients’ health.
Asked by: Kirith Entwistle (Labour - Bolton North East)
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 abolishing NHS England on the ongoing programme of work on accessible health and care information.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We understand how vital it is to ensure that the communication needs of patients and carers with a disability, impairment, or sensory loss are met by health services.
Ministers and senior Department officials will work with the new executive team at the top of NHS England, led by Sir Jim Mackey, to jointly lead this transformation. As we work to bring the two organisations together, we will ensure that we continue to evaluate impacts of all kinds and will work collaboratively to put plans in place to ensure continuity of care and that there are no risks to patient safety.
Asked by: Kirith Entwistle (Labour - Bolton North East)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps he is taking to ensure that small but high-risk platforms promoting (a) suicide encouragement and (b) misogyny are subject to the fullest range of duties under the Online Safety Act.
Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Online Safety Act requires such services to risk assess for illegal content and have measures in place to tackle it. Ofcom have already launched an enforcement programme which includes asking small but high-risk services for their risk assessments by 31 March. Such services will also, where relevant, need to protect children from harmful content.
Asked by: Kirith Entwistle (Labour - Bolton North East)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if he will commission a report into real-world harms associated with smaller online forums that encourage (a) self-harm, (b) suicide and (c) misogyny.
Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Online Safety Act requires such services to risk assess for illegal content and have measures in place to tackle it. Ofcom have already launched an enforcement programme which includes asking small but high-risk services for their risk assessments by 31 March. Such services will also, where relevant, need to protect children from harmful content.
Asked by: Kirith Entwistle (Labour - Bolton North East)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if he will review the criteria used to determine platform categorisation under the Online Safety Act to ensure that small but high-risk platforms hosting (a) suicide-related and (b) misogynistic content are subject to the fullest range of duties.
Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Under the Online Safety Act, all user-to-user services – including small but high-risk services – must have measures in place to proactively tackle certain types of illegal content, including content which assists suicide and several offences which disproportionately affect women, such as intimate image abuse and harassment. These duties are now in force which means Ofcom can take enforcement action against non-compliant services.
The Secretary of State keeps all legislation under review and will act where necessary to keep people safe online.