Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
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
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
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.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
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.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
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.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
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.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
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.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
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.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
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.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
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.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
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.