Asked by: Layla Moran (Liberal Democrat - Oxford West and Abingdon)
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 help ensure that Integrated Care Systems provide a range of weight management services.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Local authorities and Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) are responsible for providing local weight management services, taking into account their population needs and relevant guidance. Weight management services range from behavioural programmes to specialist services for those living with obesity and associated co-morbidities.
Local authorities are able to fund behavioural weight management services from their Public Health Grant. Additionally, NHS England commissions the NHS Digital Weight Management Programme nationally, which can be accessed via referral from general practice or community pharmacy.
ICBs are responsible for commissioning NHS specialist weight management services. Until recently the newest obesity medicines have only been available via the NHS through specialist weight management services. One of these medicines, tirzepatide (brand name Mounjaro®), is now available in primary care, with access currently being prioritised to those with the greatest clinical need. ICBs are developing new care pathways to ensure that patients can access these medicines via general practice.
Asked by: Layla Moran (Liberal Democrat - Oxford West and Abingdon)
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 evaluate the effectiveness of NHS weight management programmes.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department of Health and Social Care, through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), has commissioned a range of research to evaluate the effectiveness of NHS weight management programmes.
This includes an evaluation of the NHS Digital Weight Management Programme, which reported in April 2024 and found it to be highly cost-effective service, helping people to lose a clinically meaningful amounts of weight. There is also a £1.7 million evaluation commencing looking at NHS England’s new service models to deliver weight loss drugs outside of hospital settings. It will provide evidence on the effectiveness of the models to support wider roll out. It is expected to report around 2028. In addition, there is a £1.4 million evaluation of NHS England’s Complications of Excess Weight clinics, which deliver tailored support to children and young people with severe or complex forms of obesity. The evaluation will provide evidence on optimal models of care to support future expansion of the clinics and is expected to report around 2026. There is also a range of other ongoing research relevant to weight management services, including looking at services for people with depression and looking at weight regain.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has also undertaken an evaluation of digital technologies delivering multidisciplinary weight-management services either with or without prescribing and monitoring obesity medicines. This was published in October 2023 and recommended the technologies that can be used in the NHS while more evidence is generated.
Asked by: Layla Moran (Liberal Democrat - Oxford West and Abingdon)
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 integrate mental health support into weight management services.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) produces evidence-based guidance for service commissioners, providers, and health and care practitioners on best practice for weight management. Its guidance on weight management makes a number of recommendations about mental health support. For example, it recommends that:
- For adults, providers of weight management services discuss with a person accessing weight management services whether their individual circumstances such as psychological factors may affect their ability to lose weight, and whether referral to another service (such as mental health support) may be appropriate.
- For children, practitioners make a referral to the local mental health pathway if there are concerns that the child or young person's mental wellbeing is affected by their weight, that mental health is affecting their weight or the circumstances that influence their weight, or an eating disorder is suspected.
- Specialist weight management services, commissioned by NHS integrated care boards, should be provided by multidisciplinary teams, with psychological and behavioural support.
More recently, NHS England has issued commissioning guidance for the use of tirzepatide for the management of obesity. It states that prescribers should carefully consider the patient’s overall wellbeing, particularly when eating disorders, body dysmorphia, or mental health status are factors in the request and consideration for treatment. Onward referral to dedicated services may be made where appropriate, in line with local guidelines and existing NICE guidance.
Asked by: Layla Moran (Liberal Democrat - Oxford West and Abingdon)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of expanding financial (a) incentives and (b) subsidies for households to install solar panels.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Deploying rooftop solar remains a key priority and the Government continues to support installation in various ways, including through tax relief, energy efficiency schemes and the Smart Export Guarantee. Solar can already benefit households by allowing them to reduce electricity bills significantly and receive payment for excess electricity generated. The Government is investing £13.2bn in the Warm Homes Plan over the Spending Review period, to help households take up measures like solar panels, heat pumps, batteries and insulation. Further detail will be set out by October.
Asked by: Layla Moran (Liberal Democrat - Oxford West and Abingdon)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what discussions his Department has had with (a) Oxford City Council and (b) 1Energy on the Oxford Energy Network project; and what steps his Department is taking to help support (i) people and (ii) businesses to connect to the Oxford Energy Network in Oxford West and Abingdon constituency.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Department's Heat Networks Team is in regular dialogue with Oxford City Council about their role in Heat Network Zoning and the Oxford Energy Network project. We provided technical support through the early release of our National Zoning Model work and offer commercial support with best practice guidance and templates and signposting to similar Local Authorities. This aims to ensure the private-led heat network benefits Oxford's residents and businesses.
1Energy was awarded capital funding of over £21.956m from the Green Heat Network Fund for the Oxford City project. The fund is delivered by an external partner, Triple Point Heat Network Investment Management, who have regular contact with 1Energy on the progress of the project.
Asked by: Layla Moran (Liberal Democrat - Oxford West and Abingdon)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of extending the Boiler Upgrade Scheme to provide financial support for (a) connection costs and (b) internal heat interface units for consumers connecting to low-carbon heat networks.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme provides grants to encourage property owners to replace existing fossil fuel heating with more efficient, low carbon heating systems. Heat pumps are the primary supported technology under the scheme. It does not provide financial support for the connection costs for connecting to heat networks or internal heat interface units.
Significant funding to develop new and existing low carbon heat networks across England is provided through the Green Heat Network Fund, which has announced over £506 million in grant awards to date. The Government’s Warm Homes Plan will provide further detail on the support available to help property owners transition to cleaner, low carbon heating.
Asked by: Layla Moran (Liberal Democrat - Oxford West and Abingdon)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of low-carbon heat networks on (a) reducing (i) NOx emissions and (ii) particulate matter (PM2.5) in urban areas and (b) public health outcomes.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Our assessment of the potential impact of low-carbon heat networks includes monetised air quality benefits based on Green Book (Table 15) fuel consumption standards[1]. Our published consultation stage Zoning Impact Assessment estimated the value of those benefits at between £50m and £270m (2020 prices, 2024 base year) over 40 years. This range includes the health benefits of both reduced NOx and reduced particulate matter.
We are working with Defra to ensure heat network zoning policy contributes to the UK’s wider air quality goals - supporting cleaner air and better public health.
[1] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/valuation-of-energy-use-and-greenhouse-gas-emissions-for-appraisal - Table 15
Asked by: Layla Moran (Liberal Democrat - Oxford West and Abingdon)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how his Department plans to integrate the strategic deployment of heat networks capturing waste heat into the Warm Homes Plan.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Warm Homes Plan will help households and businesses make the switch to clean heat and save money on their bills. Heat networks can offer low-cost, low-carbon heat, and reduce everyone’s bills by using surplus heat that would otherwise be wasted.
The Government is investing £13.2bn in the Warm Homes Plan over the Spending Review period (up to 2029/30). Further detail on the Warm Homes Plan, including deployment targets and funding to deliver heat network schemes, will be set out by October.
Asked by: Layla Moran (Liberal Democrat - Oxford West and Abingdon)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of using the Oxford Energy Network as a model for decarbonising heat in historic cities.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Oxford City heat network, which is being taken forward by 1Energy with support from the Green Heat Network Fund, aims to connect many of the city's historic buildings together. The Department will be monitoring the progress of the project, which is expected to provide many lessons for future heat network development in areas of significant built heritage.
Asked by: Layla Moran (Liberal Democrat - Oxford West and Abingdon)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of implementing a Dispute Resolution Scheme, similar to the Tenancy Deposit Scheme, to resolve service charge disputes between landlords and tenants in social housing.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
By law, variable service charges must be reasonable. Overcharging through service charges is completely unacceptable. Should tenants of private registered providers of social housing wish to contest the reasonableness of their service charges, they may make an application to the appropriate tribunal.
The Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 includes measures designed to designed to drive up the transparency of service charges and to make them more easily challengeable if leaseholders consider them to be unreasonable.
On 4 July, my Department published a consultation on Strengthening Leaseholder Protections for charges and services. It can be found on gov.uk here.
The consultation seeks views on how to implement the relevant measures in the Act, and includes proposals to extend aspects of it to social housing tenants.
I otherwise refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 4 July (HCWS780).