Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has had recent discussions with families who have experienced baby loss on their experience of (a) maternity services and (b) other healthcare provision.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has held a series of meetings with harmed and bereaved families from across the country to hear about their experiences of maternity care and the wider healthcare system, most recently meeting with families failed by maternity care at Leeds Teaching Hospital Trust. He has also twice visited Nottingham to meet with families involved in the ongoing independent review of maternity services at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust.

The Hon. Member and other local constituency MPs were invited to a meeting. However, the Hon. Member was unable to attend.

The Secretary of State has committed to ensuring the voices of women and families are at the heart of improving standards.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many Trading Standards enforcement officers there were in each (a) region, (b) local authority area and (c) parliamentary constituency in each year for the past 5 years.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Trading Standards enforcement officers are the responsibility of individual Local Authorities.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many people have been a) arrested b) charged and c) convicted in relation to (i) underage and (ii) illicit sales of cigarettes each year for the past five years.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Department for Business and Trade does not hold this data.

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 awareness of ME symptoms.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

We published the final delivery plan (FDP) for myalgic encephalomyelitis, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), on 22 July, which focuses on boosting research, improving attitudes and education, and bettering the lives of people with this debilitating disease.

To support healthcare professionals in the diagnosis and management of ME/CFS, as set out in the FDP, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has worked with NHS England to develop an e-learning programme on ME/CFS for healthcare professionals, with the aim of supporting staff to be able to provide better care and improve patient outcomes. All three sessions, with sessions one and two having universal access, whilst the third session is only available to healthcare professionals, of the e-learning programme are now available at the following link:

https://learninghub.nhs.uk/catalogue/mecfselearning?nodeId=7288

The Medical Schools Council will promote the NHS England e-learning programme on ME/CFS to all United Kingdom medical schools and will encourage those medical schools to provide undergraduates with direct patient experience of ME/CFS. The General Medical Council (GMC) is the regulator of medical schools, and it is important that education is reenforced at different stages of medical training. Royal colleges play an important role in this. The GMC has included ME/CFS in the content map for the new national exam, so all medical schools will need to teach it as a subject.

As outlined in the FDP, we will improve awareness of ME/CFS by launching a public awareness initiative to promote wider awareness and understanding of the condition and support available to people with ME/CFS and their families.

DHSC will also engage stakeholders to discuss timely diagnosis and support for children who have ME/CFS and their families, as well as best practice in relation to safeguarding responsibilities. This will be taken forward in parallel with NHS England’s actions on ME/CFS services and neighbourhood multidisciplinary teams for children and young people.

Furthermore, as outlined in the FDP, the Department for Education is encouraging the sharing of ME/CFS-specific information with relevant organisations and promoting relevant training and resources to support children and young people.

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 reduce waiting times for (a) tests, (b) diagnosis and (c) treatment for endometriosis.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Reducing waiting lists, including for gynaecology, is a key part of the Government’s Health Mission. We are committed to putting patients first by ensuring that they are seen on time and that they have the best possible experience of care.

At the end of September 2025, the gynaecology waiting list, which includes those waiting for endometriosis treatment, stood at 575,653, with 57.1% of patient pathways waiting less than 18 weeks. This is an improvement from September 2024 where the waiting list stood at 587,887, of which 54.6% of patient pathways were waiting less than 18 weeks.

Patients waiting for an endometriosis diagnosis may receive diagnostic tests such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and ultrasound, though the only definitive way to diagnose endometriosis is by a laparoscopic procedure. The laparoscopy is also used to treat endometriosis.

We will transform diagnostic services and are taking steps to support the National Health Service to increase diagnostic capacity to meet the demand for diagnostic services, including for MRI and ultrasound. This includes expanding existing community diagnostic centres (CDCs), as well as building up to five new ones in 2025/26. The plan also commits to CDCs opening 12 hours per day, seven days a week, delivering more same-day tests and consultations.

We are taking action to ensure that individuals with endometriosis not only receive a timely diagnosis but also receive timely and effective treatment.

NHS surgical hubs, funded by the Targeted Investment Fund, are specifically designed to deliver high-volume, low-complexity elective surgeries, including gynaecological procedures. These explicitly include operative laparoscopies, endometrial ablation, hysteroscopies, and laparoscopic hysterectomies. As of November 2025, over half of the 123 operational elective surgical hubs in England provide gynaecology services, and laparoscopies are a key part of this offering.

The 2025 Spending Review also confirmed over £6 billion of additional capital investment over five years across new diagnostic, elective, and urgent care capacity. This will ensure that we are able to meet women’s health needs and address the challenges across the entirety of patient pathways.

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 improve access to ME/CFS support in Ashfield.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Residents of Ashfield with myalgic encephalomyelitis, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), are supported primarily through the Community Pain Management Service (CPMS), commissioned by the NHS Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Integrated Care Board for the mid Nottinghamshire area, which covers Mansfield and Ashfield and Newark and Sherwood.

The CPMS delivers a multi-disciplinary, community-based service for adults, those aged 16 years old and over, with chronic pain and/or ME/CFS. The service is designed to be accessible, equitable, and holistic, supporting both physical and psychological needs.

Ashfield residents can access the service at several local clinics, including Ashfield Health and Wellbeing Centre in Sutton-in-Ashfield, as well as other sites across mid Nottinghamshire, including Mansfield Community Hospital and Oak Tree Health Centre.

Referrals are accepted from general practitioners, musculoskeletal services, and hospital consultants. The service acts as a single point of access, ensuring streamlined and timely triage and assessment.

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 support children and young people with ME/CFS.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

We published the final delivery plan (FDP) for myalgic encephalomyelitis, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), on 22 July, which focuses on boosting research, improving attitudes and education, and bettering the lives of people with this debilitating disease.

To support healthcare professionals in the diagnosis and management of ME/CFS, as set out in the FDP, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has worked with NHS England to develop an e-learning programme on ME/CFS for healthcare professionals, with the aim of supporting staff to be able to provide better care and improve patient outcomes. All three sessions, with sessions one and two having universal access, whilst the third session is only available to healthcare professionals, of the e-learning programme are now available at the following link:

https://learninghub.nhs.uk/catalogue/mecfselearning?nodeId=7288

The Medical Schools Council will promote the NHS England e-learning programme on ME/CFS to all United Kingdom medical schools and will encourage those medical schools to provide undergraduates with direct patient experience of ME/CFS. The General Medical Council (GMC) is the regulator of medical schools, and it is important that education is reenforced at different stages of medical training. Royal colleges play an important role in this. The GMC has included ME/CFS in the content map for the new national exam, so all medical schools will need to teach it as a subject.

As outlined in the FDP, we will improve awareness of ME/CFS by launching a public awareness initiative to promote wider awareness and understanding of the condition and support available to people with ME/CFS and their families.

DHSC will also engage stakeholders to discuss timely diagnosis and support for children who have ME/CFS and their families, as well as best practice in relation to safeguarding responsibilities. This will be taken forward in parallel with NHS England’s actions on ME/CFS services and neighbourhood multidisciplinary teams for children and young people.

Furthermore, as outlined in the FDP, the Department for Education is encouraging the sharing of ME/CFS-specific information with relevant organisations and promoting relevant training and resources to support children and young people.

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 implications for his policies of trends in the number of illegitimate businesses and rogue retailers selling tobacco and nicotine products.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Underage and illicit sales of tobacco and vapes undermine the Government’s work to protect people from harm and risk of addiction. The Tobacco and Vapes Bill will strengthen enforcement, supporting legitimate businesses and cracking down on rogue retailers who breach tobacco and vape regulations. The bill introduces new £200 fixed penalty notices in England and Wales for certain offences, including underage sales, and enables the introduction of a retail licensing scheme in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland for the sale of tobacco, vapes, and nicotine products, and a new registration scheme for tobacco, vape, and nicotine products sold on the United Kingdom’s market.

Alongside the bill, we are investing £30 million of new funding for enforcement agencies in 2025/26, including Trading Standards, HM Revenue and Customs, and Border Force. This funding is being used to support the enforcement of illicit and underage tobacco and vape sales in England, including a boost to the Trading Standards workforce by recruiting 94 new apprentices.

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 merits of testing for other commonly linked conditions when running diagnosis tests for ME/CFS.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department recognises the significant challenges faced by individuals living with multiple complex conditions such as myalgic encephalomyelitis, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), and Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS). Our approach focuses on improving care coordination and access to appropriate services.

For ME/CFS, we have published a cross-Government final delivery plan, which sets out actions to boost research, improve professional education, and enhance support for daily living, including community-based services and better benefit assessments. While the plan is specific to ME/CFS, it acknowledges overlaps with other long-term conditions such as EDS and commits to exploring synergies during implementation.

Additionally, the 10-Year Health Plan aims to transform services and outcomes for people living with complex conditions such as EDS and ME/CFS by prioritising integrated, personalised care. The plan focuses on earlier diagnosis and promotes multidisciplinary teams and community-based services to deliver coordinated support closer to home, reducing reliance on hospital care. Digital innovations, including remote monitoring and personalised care planning, will help manage long-term conditions more effectively.

Guidance published by the National Institute for Care Excellence on the diagnosis and management of ME/CFS, reference code NG206, does not recommend routine testing for conditions such as EDS as part of the diagnostic process for ME/CFS. The guideline makes clear that there is no single test for ME/CFS and diagnosis should be based on the clinical assessment of symptoms persisting for at least three months. It advises clinicians to carry out investigations only to rule out other possible causes of symptoms or to identify comorbidities that require separate management. Testing for other conditions, like EDS, should be considered if clinical features suggest their presence, rather than as a standard part of ME/CFS assessment.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment they are taking to help support people living with ME/CFS and Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome simultaneously.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department recognises the significant challenges faced by individuals living with multiple complex conditions such as myalgic encephalomyelitis, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), and Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS). Our approach focuses on improving care coordination and access to appropriate services.

For ME/CFS, we have published a cross-Government final delivery plan, which sets out actions to boost research, improve professional education, and enhance support for daily living, including community-based services and better benefit assessments. While the plan is specific to ME/CFS, it acknowledges overlaps with other long-term conditions such as EDS and commits to exploring synergies during implementation.

Additionally, the 10-Year Health Plan aims to transform services and outcomes for people living with complex conditions such as EDS and ME/CFS by prioritising integrated, personalised care. The plan focuses on earlier diagnosis and promotes multidisciplinary teams and community-based services to deliver coordinated support closer to home, reducing reliance on hospital care. Digital innovations, including remote monitoring and personalised care planning, will help manage long-term conditions more effectively.

Guidance published by the National Institute for Care Excellence on the diagnosis and management of ME/CFS, reference code NG206, does not recommend routine testing for conditions such as EDS as part of the diagnostic process for ME/CFS. The guideline makes clear that there is no single test for ME/CFS and diagnosis should be based on the clinical assessment of symptoms persisting for at least three months. It advises clinicians to carry out investigations only to rule out other possible causes of symptoms or to identify comorbidities that require separate management. Testing for other conditions, like EDS, should be considered if clinical features suggest their presence, rather than as a standard part of ME/CFS assessment.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his department are taking to improve the reliability of ME/CFS diagnosis tests.

Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

We have outlined our approach to supporting myalgic encephalomyelitis, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), research in the ME/CFS Final Delivery Plan published in July. These steps include a research showcase event, a new funding opportunity for a development award focussed on evaluating repurposed pharmaceutical interventions, and the announcement of new funded studies in health and care services, and research infrastructure and capacity-building.

We are determined to accelerate progress in the treatment and management of ME/CFS and will continue working with the ME/CFS community to identify and address barriers to research, with the ambition of supporting more research and capacity-building programmes.

The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) and Medical Research Council have provided over £3.2 million towards the DecodeME study which aims to understand if there is a genetic component to the condition. While there is currently no diagnostic test for ME/CFS, we hope that DecodeME will help support the development of diagnostic tests and targeted treatments. Preliminary findings from DecodeME indicate genetic differences in eight areas linked to the immune and nervous systems in people with ME/CFS. This discovery of specific genetic signals may help us understand the biological pathways involved in ME/CFS in the future. Further research is needed for the development of diagnostic tests and targeted treatments.

The Department funds research through the NIHR. The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health and care, including ME/CFS and the development of diagnostic tests. Research funding is available, and applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards made on the basis of the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money, and scientific quality.

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 research into ME/CFS.

Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

We have outlined our approach to supporting myalgic encephalomyelitis, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), research in the ME/CFS Final Delivery Plan published in July. These steps include a research showcase event, a new funding opportunity for a development award focussed on evaluating repurposed pharmaceutical interventions, and the announcement of new funded studies in health and care services, and research infrastructure and capacity-building.

We are determined to accelerate progress in the treatment and management of ME/CFS and will continue working with the ME/CFS community to identify and address barriers to research, with the ambition of supporting more research and capacity-building programmes.

The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) and Medical Research Council have provided over £3.2 million towards the DecodeME study which aims to understand if there is a genetic component to the condition. While there is currently no diagnostic test for ME/CFS, we hope that DecodeME will help support the development of diagnostic tests and targeted treatments. Preliminary findings from DecodeME indicate genetic differences in eight areas linked to the immune and nervous systems in people with ME/CFS. This discovery of specific genetic signals may help us understand the biological pathways involved in ME/CFS in the future. Further research is needed for the development of diagnostic tests and targeted treatments.

The Department funds research through the NIHR. The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health and care, including ME/CFS and the development of diagnostic tests. Research funding is available, and applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards made on the basis of the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money, and scientific quality.

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 merits of increasing levels of research into the (a) causes of and (b) treatment pathways for endometriosis.

Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), the research delivery arm of the Department, funds and supports a range of research to support women’s health conditions, including endometriosis. These awards seek to improve outcomes for women with endometriosis by better understanding the condition, enabling earlier diagnosis, and evaluating current and emerging treatment options.

Ongoing NIHR funded research includes a £2.1 million trial to look at the effectiveness of keyhole surgery to treat endometriosis, with a new £2.4 million NIHR funded research programme on pain management for endometriosis due to start in March 2026. Further information on both of these studies is available, respectively, at the following two links:

https://fundingawards.nihr.ac.uk/award/NIHR129801

https://fundingawards.nihr.ac.uk/award/NIHR169738

The NIHR continues to welcome funding applications for research into endometriosis. Applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made on the basis of the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money, and scientific quality.

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 access to disability medical equipment for (a) adults and (b) children.

Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for commissioning services to meet the health needs of their local population, and responsibility for providing equipment to disabled people typically falls to the National Health Service and local authorities.

We expect ICBs to follow guidance from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). In 2022, NICE published relevant guidance in relation to children, called Disabled children and young people up to 25 with severe complex needs: integrated service delivery and organisation across health, social care and education, which is available at the following link:

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng213/chapter/Recommendations-on-service-organisation-integration-and-commissioning

The Medium-Term Planning Framework, published in October 2025, requires that from 2026/27 all ICBs and Community Health Services must actively manage and reduce the proportion of waits across all community health services over 18 weeks and develop a plan to eliminate all 52-week waits.

Local authorities in England have a statutory duty, including under the Care Act 2014, to make arrangements for the provision of disability aids and community equipment to meet the assessed eligible needs of individuals who are resident in their area. Responsibility for managing the market for these services, including commissioning and oversight of delivery, rests with local authorities.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his department are taking to ensure people have access to adequate counselling support for disability diagnoses.

Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

We want disabled people’s access to, and experience of, healthcare services to be equitable, effective, and responsive to their needs.

More people, including those experiencing depression and anxiety associated with a disability, now have better access to counselling support provided through NHS Talking Therapies services. We have increased the number of therapy sessions so that more than 670,000 people completed a course of treatment last year, compared to 567,000 in 2016/17.

We plan to expand NHS Talking Therapies still further so that 915,000 people complete a course of treatment by March 2029, with improved effectiveness and quality of services.

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 reduce the time taken for the delivery of disability medical equipment to (a) adults and (b) children.

Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for commissioning services to meet the health needs of their local population, and responsibility for providing equipment to disabled people typically falls to the National Health Service and local authorities.

We expect ICBs to follow guidance from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). In 2022, NICE published relevant guidance in relation to children, called Disabled children and young people up to 25 with severe complex needs: integrated service delivery and organisation across health, social care and education, which is available at the following link:

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng213/chapter/Recommendations-on-service-organisation-integration-and-commissioning

The Medium-Term Planning Framework, published in October 2025, requires that from 2026/27 all ICBs and Community Health Services must actively manage and reduce the proportion of waits across all community health services over 18 weeks and develop a plan to eliminate all 52-week waits.

Local authorities in England have a statutory duty, including under the Care Act 2014, to make arrangements for the provision of disability aids and community equipment to meet the assessed eligible needs of individuals who are resident in their area. Responsibility for managing the market for these services, including commissioning and oversight of delivery, rests with local authorities.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she plans to review the freeze on PAYE tax bands.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The previous Government made the decision to maintain income tax thresholds at their current levels from April 2021 until April 2028.

This government is making fair and necessary choices on tax so it can deliver on the public's priorities, including by maintaining personal tax thresholds until April 2031. Everyone is being asked to contribute to support these goals, but the government is keeping the contribution as low as possible by pursuing a programme of reform to fix longstanding issues in the tax system - modernising it, and addressing unequal and unfair treatment, while ensuring the wealthiest contribute more.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prisoners released through the Early Release Scheme have since reoffended.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

This Government inherited prisons days from collapse. We have had no choice but to take decisive action to stop our prisons overflowing and keep the public safe.

Reoffending rates are published regularly on an annual and quarterly basis. The most recent rates are available at the link below: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/proven-reoffending-statistics

We have also published SDS40 release data alongside the quarterly Offender Management Statistics, in line with the Lord Chancellor’s commitment to transparency: Standard Determinate Sentence (SDS40) release data - GOV.UK

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 November 2025 to question 88331 on Health Services: Foreign Nationals, what discussions his Department has had with NHS England on the cost of treatment for people who came to Britain only for (a) health and (b) medical treatment in each of the last three years.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department has had and continues to have regular discussions regarding overseas visitors with NHS England to ensure that the system works as effectively and fairly as possible.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many individual properties are being used as dispersal accommodation for asylum seekers.

Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Office publishes data on the number of asylum seekers at a regional and local level. The department does not publish data at a property level, but at a person level.

The latest published Immigration Statistics detail the number of supported asylum seekers. These statistics can be found at: Immigration system statistics data tables - GOV.UK.

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 increase awareness of endometriosis amongst medical professionals.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

In November 2024 the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence updated their guideline on endometriosis to make firmer recommendations for healthcare professionals on referral and investigations for women with a suspected diagnosis. This will help women receive a diagnosis and effective treatment faster. This guideline is available at the following link:

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/NG73)www.nice.org.uk/guidance/NG73

Additionally, the General Medical Council has introduced the Medical Licensing Assessment to encourage a better understanding of common women’s health problems among all doctors as they start their careers in the United Kingdom. The content for this assessment includes several topics relating to women’s health, including endometriosis. This will encourage a better understanding of common women’s health problems among all doctors as they start their careers in the UK.

Endometriosis is also included in the core curriculum for trainee general practitioners, and for obstetricians and gynaecologists.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will publish a timeline for the transfer of the £2.3bn investment reserve to BCSSS members.

Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Chancellor announced in the budget the transfer of the full reserve of £2.3bn which will increase member incomes by 41%. The transfer has been completed and the required amendments to the scheme rules agreed and signed.

Implementation is a matter for the Trustees but we understand they have put processes in place so that the first payments will be made on 23 December.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her department are taking to help support university students living with (a) Chron's and (b) Colitis.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

This government is committed to ensuring that all students are well supported during their time at university.

Higher education providers have responsibilities under the Equality Act 2010 to make reasonable adjustments for all their disabled students, which includes those with a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long-term negative effect on their ability to do normal daily activities.

Wherever possible, disabled students should expect to have their needs met through inclusive learning practices and individual reasonable adjustments made by their provider. In addition to reasonable adjustments, Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) is available for the provision of more specialist support.

My noble Friend, the Minister for Skills, has recently appointed Sir Steve West as Higher Education Student Support Champion to lead the Higher Education Mental Health Implementation Taskforce. The Taskforce is instrumental in assessing and driving improvements in mental health support across the sector, including taking forward recommendations from the recent national review of higher education student suicides.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her department are taking to ensure universities have adequate mental health support services.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

This government is committed to ensuring that all students are well supported during their time at university.

Higher education providers have responsibilities under the Equality Act 2010 to make reasonable adjustments for all their disabled students, which includes those with a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long-term negative effect on their ability to do normal daily activities.

Wherever possible, disabled students should expect to have their needs met through inclusive learning practices and individual reasonable adjustments made by their provider. In addition to reasonable adjustments, Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) is available for the provision of more specialist support.

My noble Friend, the Minister for Skills, has recently appointed Sir Steve West as Higher Education Student Support Champion to lead the Higher Education Mental Health Implementation Taskforce. The Taskforce is instrumental in assessing and driving improvements in mental health support across the sector, including taking forward recommendations from the recent national review of higher education student suicides.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department are taking to ensure universities have adequate disability support services.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

This government is committed to ensuring that all students are well supported during their time at university.

Higher education providers have responsibilities under the Equality Act 2010 to make reasonable adjustments for all their disabled students, which includes those with a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long-term negative effect on their ability to do normal daily activities.

Wherever possible, disabled students should expect to have their needs met through inclusive learning practices and individual reasonable adjustments made by their provider. In addition to reasonable adjustments, Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) is available for the provision of more specialist support.

My noble Friend, the Minister for Skills, has recently appointed Sir Steve West as Higher Education Student Support Champion to lead the Higher Education Mental Health Implementation Taskforce. The Taskforce is instrumental in assessing and driving improvements in mental health support across the sector, including taking forward recommendations from the recent national review of higher education student suicides.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what funding his department has allocated towards research into (a) Chron's and (b) Colitis in the last year.

Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department invests £1.6 billion each year on research through its research delivery arm, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).

In the financial year 2024/25, the NIHR committed £279,000 for new research projects and programmes into Crohn's and Colitis. The NIHR continues to welcome funding applications for research into any aspect of human health and care, including Crohn's and Colitis research.

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 adequacy of (a) staff training on support for and (b) support available to deaf residents in care homes.

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

The Government is taking steps to improve the quality of adult social care, which will include deaf people in care homes.

The Department is committed to enhancing the skills of staff working in adult social care. To this end, the Department launched the Adult Social Care Learning and Development Support Scheme in September 2024, providing funding for eligible care staff to complete training courses and qualifications. In April 2025, the Department also published the expanded and revised Care Workforce Pathway. The pathway guides workers in building their careers in adult social care by signposting training and development opportunities, highlighting routes for progression, and giving proper recognition to the highly skilled, complex care and support they provide.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is assessing how well local authorities in England are performing against their duties under the Care Act 2014, including their duties relating to the access and provision of care and support for deaf people. The CQC also monitors, inspects, and regulates adult social care services to make sure they meet fundamental standards of quality and safety. For deaf individuals, this includes providing care that is responsive to their communication needs.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to increase the provision of visually impaired sport in (a) Ashfield constituency and (b) the UK.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

The Government believes that opportunities to play sport and get physically active should be available to everyone. We are committed to breaking down the barriers that contribute to the persisting inequalities in participation and want to ensure that everyone can experience the physical, mental and social benefits that come with being active.

To achieve this, the Government works closely with its Arm's Length Bodies, Sport England and UK Sport, as well as other partners in the sector, to improve access to sports for all.

Sport England's ten-year Uniting the Movement strategy reinforces its commitment to increasing participation in sport and physical activity for those from under-represented groups, including disabled people. Sport England has ensured that each of their programmes impact directly on disabled people and those with a long-term health condition, with initiatives like the 'We are Undefeatable' campaign and partnerships with Disability Rights UK, Activity Alliance, Aspire, and Sense.

Sport England also launched a partnership with the Royal National Institute of Blind People and British Blind Sport in 2021. This involved investing £1 million into the See Sport Differently programme, which has been designed to tackle the biggest barriers that stop blind and partially blind people from getting involved in sport and activity.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to increase the provision of disability sport in (a) Ashfield constituency and (b) the UK.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

The Government believes that opportunities to play sport and get physically active should be available to everyone. We are committed to breaking down the barriers that contribute to the persisting inequalities in participation and want to ensure that everyone can experience the physical, mental and social benefits that come with being active.

To achieve this, the Government works closely with its Arm's Length Bodies, Sport England and UK Sport, as well as other partners in the sector, to improve access to sports for all.

Sport England's ten-year Uniting the Movement strategy reinforces its commitment to increasing participation in sport and physical activity for those from under-represented groups, including disabled people. Sport England has ensured that each of their programmes impact directly on disabled people and those with a long-term health condition, with initiatives like the 'We are Undefeatable' campaign and partnerships with Disability Rights UK, Activity Alliance, Aspire, and Sense.

Sport England also launched a partnership with the Royal National Institute of Blind People and British Blind Sport in 2021. This involved investing £1 million into the See Sport Differently programme, which has been designed to tackle the biggest barriers that stop blind and partially blind people from getting involved in sport and activity.