Asked by: Nadia Whittome (Labour - Nottingham East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations her Department has made to the Government of Azerbaijan regarding the detention of Ali Karimli; and whether she will call for his immediate release.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK continues to monitor the human rights situation in Azerbaijan closely. On 4 December, senior officials from our Embassy in Baku raised this case with senior members of the Azerbaijani Government, including ensuring due legal process and where necessary access to medical care in accordance with Azerbaijan's international obligations and commitments.
Asked by: Nadia Whittome (Labour - Nottingham East)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment he has made of the potential benefits of making digital watermarking of AI mandatory.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The government continues to explore the feasibility of technical solutions for the labelling of AI-generated content to support transparency, such as through the Deepfake Detection Challenge.
AI is a general-purpose technology with a wide range of applications, which is why the government believes that most AI systems should be regulated at the point of use. In response to the AI Action Plan, the government committed to work with regulators to boost their capabilities. The government has been clear that we will legislate where needed, but we will do so on the basis of evidence where any serious gaps are.
Asked by: Nadia Whittome (Labour - Nottingham East)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of current waiting times on decisions on claims for Attendance Allowance; and whether he will take steps to reduce the target processing time from up to 12 weeks, particularly for claimants undergoing active cancer treatment such as chemotherapy.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Department keeps Attendance Allowance processing times under review and recognises the importance of timely decisions for older people, including those undergoing significant medical treatment.
Through our wider Service Modernisation programme, we have taken steps to speed up and streamline the processing of new Attendance Allowance claims. We are now working to a target of clearing 90% of new claims within 30 days, and current performance shows that the majority of claims are being cleared within around 3–4 weeks, supported by increasing uptake of the new digital application route.
For customers who are nearing the end of life, we operate a dedicated fast-track process under the Special Rules for End of Life, where claims are prioritised and typically cleared within 8 days. The extension of the end of life definition from 6 months to 12 months ensures more people with advanced conditions can benefit from this expedited process.
Asked by: Nadia Whittome (Labour - Nottingham East)
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 ensure that people with substance use issues can access specialist inpatient detox treatment.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Local authorities are responsible for commissioning drug and alcohol treatment services according to local need as part of their public health responsibilities, and this includes the provision of inpatient detoxification services.
In line with recommendations in Dame Carol Black’s independent review of drug treatment and recovery, the Department created a distinct grant to support and expand inpatient detoxification for people who use drugs and alcohol. The £10 million a year grant ran between 2022/23 and 2024/25, before being consolidated into the Drug and Alcohol Treatment and Recovery Improvement Grant in 2025/26. Investment in inpatient detoxification services will continue beyond 2026. The Government has committed over £13.45 billion across three years through the Public Health Grant, including £3.4 billion ringfenced for drug and alcohol prevention, treatment, and recovery, which includes funding for inpatient detoxification. This multi-year funding provides greater certainty for local areas as they plan and sustain services.
Asked by: Nadia Whittome (Labour - Nottingham 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 the availability of NHS provision on the number of patients with Cranio-Cervical Instability who are seeking (a) diagnosis and (b) surgical treatment overseas.
Answered by Ashley Dalton
The Department recognises that Ehlers–Danlos syndromes (EDS) and associated cranio‑cervical instability (CCI) are complex conditions that can be challenging to diagnose and manage, and we acknowledge the concerns raised by patients and clinicians about variation in expertise and access to appropriate care.
Care for CCI is managed within existing specialised neurology and spinal pathways, delivered in centres with the appropriate expertise. NHS England works with clinical experts and integrated care boards to ensure that provision reflects the best available evidence and supports patients with complex connective‑tissue and neurological presentations. Decisions on surgical interventions for CCI must be based on individual clinical assessment, the strength of available evidence for benefit, and consideration of potential risks.
Once qualified, healthcare professionals are responsible for ensuring their own clinical knowledge remains up to date, and for identifying learning needs as part of their continuing professional development. Clinical teams are expected to use the best available evidence and follow national guidance when assessing and managing patients with complex connective tissue disorders.
The Department continues to engage with patient groups, charities, and Members of Parliament on the issues facing people with EDS and CCI. Insights from this engagement, including on the barriers patients encounter in accessing National Health Services, are informing our ongoing consideration of what further action may be needed to strengthen referral routes, support the dissemination of clinical resources, and consider where further system support may improve diagnostic confidence and care coordination.
The Department is aware of a number of individual cases where patients with suspected CCI have travelled overseas for imaging or surgery not routinely available in the NHS.
Asked by: Nadia Whittome (Labour - Nottingham 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 improve a) (a) the diagnosis of, (b) clinician training on and (c) access to treatment for patients with Ehlers-Danlos Syndromes and associated Cranio-Cervical Instability.
Answered by Ashley Dalton
The Department recognises that Ehlers–Danlos syndromes (EDS) and associated cranio‑cervical instability (CCI) are complex conditions that can be challenging to diagnose and manage, and we acknowledge the concerns raised by patients and clinicians about variation in expertise and access to appropriate care.
Care for CCI is managed within existing specialised neurology and spinal pathways, delivered in centres with the appropriate expertise. NHS England works with clinical experts and integrated care boards to ensure that provision reflects the best available evidence and supports patients with complex connective‑tissue and neurological presentations. Decisions on surgical interventions for CCI must be based on individual clinical assessment, the strength of available evidence for benefit, and consideration of potential risks.
Once qualified, healthcare professionals are responsible for ensuring their own clinical knowledge remains up to date, and for identifying learning needs as part of their continuing professional development. Clinical teams are expected to use the best available evidence and follow national guidance when assessing and managing patients with complex connective tissue disorders.
The Department continues to engage with patient groups, charities, and Members of Parliament on the issues facing people with EDS and CCI. Insights from this engagement, including on the barriers patients encounter in accessing National Health Services, are informing our ongoing consideration of what further action may be needed to strengthen referral routes, support the dissemination of clinical resources, and consider where further system support may improve diagnostic confidence and care coordination.
The Department is aware of a number of individual cases where patients with suspected CCI have travelled overseas for imaging or surgery not routinely available in the NHS.
Asked by: Nadia Whittome (Labour - Nottingham East)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of allowing migrants with settled status to vote in general elections and referenda.
Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Government has no plans to change the voting rights of foreign nationals. There are no set rules regarding who can vote in a UK-wide referendum. Instead, the franchise for each referendum is determined on a case-by-case basis by Parliament in the legislation providing for that referendum.
Asked by: Nadia Whittome (Labour - Nottingham East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make it her policy to allow migrant nurses who are not employed by the NHS to qualify for indefinite leave to remain after 5 years.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The Government recognises and values the important contribution that nurses make to the UK and our National Health Service.
The earned settlement public consultation ran for 12 weeks and closed on 12 February 2026. We are now reviewing and analysing all responses received. This analysis will help inform the development of the final earned settlement model, including consideration of any potential exemptions or transitional measures for those already on a pathway to settlement.
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 an economic impact assessment and equality impact assessment which we will publish as well as the Government’s response in due course.
Asked by: Nadia Whittome (Labour - Nottingham East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of including international medical graduates who are GMC-registered and who have at least two years’ NHS experience by 5 March 2026 in the prioritisation for specialty training.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Medical Training (Prioritisation) Act 2026, which received Royal Assent on 5 March 2026, prioritises United Kingdom medical graduates and other doctors with significant National Health Service experience for specialty training places.
For specialty training places starting in 2026, immigration statuses are being used as a practical proxy to capture applicants who are most likely to have significant experience working in the health service in the UK.
From 2027, immigration status will no longer automatically determine priority for specialty training. Instead, we are able to make regulations to specify any additional groups who will be prioritised by reference to criteria indicating significant experience as a doctor in the health service, or by reference to immigration status. The Department will work with NHS England, the devolved administrations, and other partners on how best to define and evidence significant NHS experience as part of the development of those regulations.