Asked by: Marsha De Cordova (Labour - Battersea)
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 continuity of care for patients receiving eating disorder support.
Answered by Preet Kaur Gill - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
NHS England is supporting continuity of care for people with eating disorders by setting a community‑based, pathway‑led service model that spans primary care, community mental health services, specialist eating disorder teams and, where clinically necessary, inpatient care. The Adult Eating Disorders: Community, Inpatient and Intensive Day Patient Care – Guidance for commissioners and providers (2019) emphasises integrated pathways and continuity as people move between services, rather than stand‑alone episodes of treatment. The guidance is available at the following link:
In January 2026, NHS England published long-awaited updated commissioning guidance for children and young people eating disorder services. The guidance takes a whole-pathway approach, prioritising community-based care, earlier identification and intervention, and better integration with schools, colleges, and primary care. Integrated care boards are responsible for assessing local need and commissioning appropriate community and outpatient provision for their populations.
In addition, the Severe Mental Illness Modern Service Framework aims to set expectations for how local systems organise, prioritise and deliver joined‑up, high-quality care for people with a severe mental illness, including people with eating disorders.
Asked by: Marsha De Cordova (Labour - Battersea)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether transitional protections will apply to clergy already serving in the UK on the date any changes arising from the Earned Settlement proposals come into force.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The consultation for the earned settlement model, as proposed in ‘A Fairer Pathway to Settlement’, was open to the public between 20 November 2025 and 12 February 2026.
As part of this consultation, we sought views on the potential impact of the proposed changes and whether there should be transitional arrangements for those already on a pathway to settlement. We also asked for views on whether certain groups should be exempt from the income requirement.
We received over 200,000 responses from the public and organisations are now reviewing and analysing all responses received. This analysis will help inform the development of the final earned settlement model.
Once the final model has been decided, the Government will communicate the outcome publicly. As with all significant policy changes, the proposals will be subject to both economic and equality impact assessments.
Asked by: Marsha De Cordova (Labour - Battersea)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to engage with the Church of England and other denominational sponsors before final decisions are made on the Earned Settlement proposals.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The consultation for the earned settlement model, as proposed in ‘A Fairer Pathway to Settlement’, was open to the public between 20 November 2025 and 12 February 2026.
As part of this consultation, we sought views on the potential impact of the proposed changes and whether there should be transitional arrangements for those already on a pathway to settlement. We also asked for views on whether certain groups should be exempt from the income requirement.
We received over 200,000 responses from the public and organisations are now reviewing and analysing all responses received. This analysis will help inform the development of the final earned settlement model.
Once the final model has been decided, the Government will communicate the outcome publicly. As with all significant policy changes, the proposals will be subject to both economic and equality impact assessments.
Asked by: Marsha De Cordova (Labour - Battersea)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential financial impact of the Earned Settlement proposals on clergy and sponsoring dioceses.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The consultation for the earned settlement model, as proposed in ‘A Fairer Pathway to Settlement’, was open to the public between 20 November 2025 and 12 February 2026.
As part of this consultation, we sought views on the potential impact of the proposed changes and whether there should be transitional arrangements for those already on a pathway to settlement. We also asked for views on whether certain groups should be exempt from the income requirement.
We received over 200,000 responses from the public and organisations are now reviewing and analysing all responses received. This analysis will help inform the development of the final earned settlement model.
Once the final model has been decided, the Government will communicate the outcome publicly. As with all significant policy changes, the proposals will be subject to both economic and equality impact assessments.
Asked by: Marsha De Cordova (Labour - Battersea)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether ministers of religion on the relevant visa route will continue to be eligible for settlement after five years’ lawful residence; and whether they will be exempt from any proposed ten-year qualifying period under the Earned Settlement proposals.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The consultation for the earned settlement model, as proposed in ‘A Fairer Pathway to Settlement’, was open to the public between 20 November 2025 and 12 February 2026.
As part of this consultation, we sought views on the potential impact of the proposed changes and whether there should be transitional arrangements for those already on a pathway to settlement. We also asked for views on whether certain groups should be exempt from the income requirement.
We received over 200,000 responses from the public and organisations are now reviewing and analysing all responses received. This analysis will help inform the development of the final earned settlement model.
Once the final model has been decided, the Government will communicate the outcome publicly. As with all significant policy changes, the proposals will be subject to both economic and equality impact assessments.
Asked by: Marsha De Cordova (Labour - Battersea)
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 support capacity in hospital eye services, including through the use of optometry‑led diagnostic and treatment pathways.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Integrated care boards are responsible for commissioning primary and secondary eye care services. This can include the commissioning of enhanced eye care services from high street optical practices, including minor and urgent eye care services and glaucoma referral refinement services.
Improvements in IT connectivity and the development of single points of access between primary care optometry and secondary care will also support more care being delivered in the community, in line with ambitions in the 10-Year Health Plan.
The number of ophthalmology pathways waiting over 52 weeks has reduced by 4,418 between the beginning of July 2024 and the end of March 2026, while the proportion of pathways waiting 18 weeks or less has increased by 6.8% to 72.9%. Improving waiting times and access to treatment will be vital to prevent avoidable sight loss.
Asked by: Marsha De Cordova (Labour - Battersea)
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 effectiveness of community‑delivered Minor Eye Conditions Services and Covid Urgent Eye Care Services in areas where they are commissioned, including their effect on (a) patient outcomes and (b) referrals to secondary care.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for assessing the health needs of their local population and for commissioning primary and secondary eye care services to meet them. Local systems may take different approaches to meeting the needs of their local population, including decisions on commissioning enhanced eye care services, such as minor and urgent eye care services, in the community. In areas where these services are commissioned, ICBs are responsible for evaluating their effectiveness.
Asked by: Marsha De Cordova (Labour - Battersea)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what guidance his Department provides on expected levels of access to community eye care services across England.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for assessing the health needs of their local population and for commissioning primary and secondary eye care services to meet them. Local systems may take different approaches to meeting the needs of their local population, including decisions on commissioning enhanced eye care services, such as minor and urgent eye care services, in the community. In areas where these services are commissioned, ICBs are responsible for evaluating their effectiveness.
Asked by: Marsha De Cordova (Labour - Battersea)
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 geographic variation in access to community eye care services.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for assessing the health needs of their local population and for commissioning primary and secondary eye care services to meet them. Local systems may take different approaches to meeting the needs of their local population, including decisions on commissioning enhanced eye care services, such as minor and urgent eye care services, in the community. In areas where these services are commissioned, ICBs are responsible for evaluating their effectiveness.
Asked by: Marsha De Cordova (Labour - Battersea)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will set out the eating disorder services are available to adults in Battersea and the NHS South West London Integrated Care Board area.
Answered by Preet Kaur Gill - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The South West London Integrated Care Board commissions adult eating disorder services for the Battersea and wider South West London population through the South London Partnership, which brings together the Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust, the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, and the South West London and St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust to deliver a coordinated model of care.
The service includes inpatient, day patient, intensive outpatient, and outpatient provision.
Inpatient care is provided across two wards for the South London population, including 18 allocated beds, nine of which are at Springfield University Hospital’s Avalon Ward in Wandsworth. These services support adults with the most severe and complex eating disorders and are delivered by a multidisciplinary team.
For those requiring intensive support without admission, the Eating Disorders Day Unit at Springfield University Hospital provides a structured weekday programme combining therapeutic eating, psychological therapies, and rehabilitation as an alternative to inpatient care.
Community and outpatient services support early intervention, treatment, and recovery, including the Eating Disorders Outpatient Service, alongside enhanced outreach through the Enhanced Treatment Team and early intervention via the First Episode Rapid Early Intervention for Eating Disorders pathway.