Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department is taking steps to establish a ring-fenced research fund for studying the reproductive safety of sodium valproate.

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

The Department, through the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), commissions a range of research to improve maternal and neonatal health outcomes. For example, the NIHR is currently funding a £2.7 million award which aims to improve outcomes, for both mother and baby, in pregnant women with epilepsy through early identification of women and their babies at risk of complications, and to promote safe antiepileptic drug (AED) use.

The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health and care, including AEDs such as sodium valproate. These 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. Welcoming applications to all NIHR programmes enables maximum flexibility both in terms of the amount of research funding a particular area can be awarded, and the type of research which can be funded.

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 regulations on the (a) composition, (b) marketing and (c) labelling of commercial infant and toddler foods.

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

Children’s early years provide an important foundation for their future health and strongly influences many aspects of wellbeing in later life.

It is vital that we maintain the highest standards for foods consumed by babies and infants, which is why we have regulations in place that set nutritional, compositional, and labelling standards for commercial baby food. These ensure that the ingredients used in commercial baby food are suitable for the nutritional needs of infants and require businesses to ensure labelling in clear and not misleading. The regulations also set labelling standards to ensure consumers have clear and accurate information about the products they buy.

We continue to keep these regulations under review to ensure they reflect the latest scientific and dietary guidelines.

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 support the (a) preservation and (b) public accessibility of the legacy photographic archives documenting the (i) industrial and (ii) cultural heritage of Tiverton and Minehead constituency; and if she will allocate funding to ensure their (A) full restoration and (B) public release.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Since 2013, The National Archives has served as the archive sector leader in England, and is responsible for providing guidance and support to archives.

The National Archives is a non-ministerial government department which is sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

Archival institutions which require information and support on how best to protect their collections, and ensure such collections are accessible to the public, are encouraged to contact officials in The National Archives.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much has been spent on primary care NHS dental services per head of population in England in real terms in each of the last 10 years (a) inclusive and (b) exclusive of the patient charge revenue.

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

Dental expenditure and patient charge revenue data is published each year in NHS England’s annual accounts. The annual accounts for 2024/25 have not yet been published, and so the latest published accounts data is for 2023/24.

The following table shows the expenditure per head of population in England in real terms, inclusive and exclusive of patient charge revenue:

Notes:

1. in 2016/17, NHS England’s accounts recorded a significant fall in dental services due to the improved allocation of costs between primary care and secondary dental services. The figures for earlier years are therefore not directly comparable;
2. the population has been based on the England population mid-year estimate time series, published by the Office for National Statistics. Further information is available at the following link:
   https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/populationandmigration/populationestimates/timeseries/enpop/pop; and
3. conversion to real terms costs has been calculated using gross domestic product deflator rates as per the latest publication, in June 2025. Further information is available at the following link:
   https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/gdp-deflators-at-market-prices-and-money-gdp-june-2025-quarterly-national-accounts.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will consider the human health risks to (a) children and (b) adults of spot on pet treatments containing (i) fipronil and (ii) imidacloprid; and if he will take steps to address this.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner

Veterinary Medicinal Products (VMPs) undergo a thorough assessment by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) before they are authorised for marketing in the UK. This includes a product-specific user risk assessment that considers all those that may come into contact with the medicine, including adults and children. This assessment considers the identified hazards of the medicine, the likely exposure to adults and children when VMPs are used as recommended, and concludes on the likely risks to humans. The identified risks are mitigated using appropriate packaging and user safety warnings on the product information supplied with the medicines. Once authorised for marketing, pharmacovigilance reporting provides further data from use of these medicines in real-world situations, and these data are used to consider any changes required to reduce identified risks, such as updating the user safety warnings. All VMPs are authorised based on a Benefit: Risk assessment, which accounts for the therapeutic benefits to the treated animals, the potential for reduction of zoonotic diseases in humans, and the possible risks identified to humans and animals. The benefits must outweigh the risks before a product can be authorised and may be removed from the market if shown that this is not the case after authorisation.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to ensure that (a) support is provided for claimants with (i) severe health conditions and (ii) daily-living needs who score zero on a Personal Independence Payment assessment, (b) decisions take into account a claimant’s circumstances and (c) interim assistance is provided pending appeal.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

Personal Independence Payment (PIP) provides a contribution towards the extra costs that may arise from a long-term disability or health condition.

Entitlement to PIP focuses on the functional impacts of a person’s health condition or disability on their daily life. It is assessed on the basis of needs arising and not on the condition itself, so is available to individuals when they meet the PIP qualifying criteria. If PIP is not in payment, then the claimant can claim any other benefit to which they consider they may be entitled

A claimant appealing against their PIP decision will continue to receive the level of award, if any, that the decision entitles them to until such time as a new decision is made by the tribunal. If the tribunal allow the appeal, then in most cases the decision will be effective from its original date and arrears will be paid if appropriate.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to increase the proportion of NHS funding allocated to dentistry over the remainder of this Parliament.

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

The Department settlement announced at the 2025 Spending Review means that annual National Health Service day-to-day spending will increase by £29 billion in real terms, a £53 billion cash increase, by 2028/29 compared to 2023/24. This will take the NHS resource budget to £226 billion by 2028/29, the equivalent to a 3% average annual real terms growth rate over the Spending Review period.

The details of budget allocations within departments are still being determined. The Department is working to provide the detail and certainty needed on future funding and spending plans, including for NHS dentistry.

NHS planning guidance for 2025/26 confirms that dental budgets are ringfenced. Planning guidance also confirms that improving access to urgent dental appointments is a key national priority.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether NHS dental services will receive increased funding from the Spending Review.

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

The Department settlement announced at the 2025 Spending Review means that annual National Health Service day-to-day spending will increase by £29 billion in real terms, a £53 billion cash increase, by 2028/29 compared to 2023/24. This will take the NHS resource budget to £226 billion by 2028/29, the equivalent to a 3% average annual real terms growth rate over the Spending Review period.

The details of budget allocations within departments are still being determined. The Department is working to provide the detail and certainty needed on future funding and spending plans, including for NHS dentistry.

NHS planning guidance for 2025/26 confirms that dental budgets are ringfenced. Planning guidance also confirms that improving access to urgent dental appointments is a key national priority.

Neurodivergent children at school

Final delivery plan on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS)

National Federation of Young Farmers’ Clubs (NFYFC) grant

100th anniversary of Devon in Sight

Closure of the Fleming Fund

Found: York Outer) Anna Dixon (Labour; Shipley) Peter Fortune (Conservative; Bromley and Biggin Hill) Rachel Gilmour

Found: DillonMartin Wrigley John Milne Mr Paul KohlerTessa Munt Monica Harding Ian RoomeHelen Maguire Rachel Gilmour

Found: DillonMartin Wrigley John Milne Mr Paul KohlerTessa Munt Monica Harding Ian RoomeHelen Maguire Rachel Gilmour

Found: DillonMartin Wrigley John Milne Mr Paul KohlerTessa Munt Monica Harding Ian RoomeHelen Maguire Rachel Gilmour

Found: _NC32 John Milne Mr Paul Kohler Ellie Chowns Sarah Dyke Gideon Amos Chris Coghlan Alex Brewer Rachel Gilmour

Found: DillonMartin Wrigley John Milne Mr Paul KohlerTessa Munt Monica Harding Ian RoomeHelen Maguire Rachel Gilmour

Found: _NC33 John Milne Mr Paul Kohler Ellie Chowns Sarah Dyke Gideon Amos Chris Coghlan Alex Brewer Rachel Gilmour

Found: _NC3 Mr Joshua Reynolds Pippa Heylings Susan Murray Rachel Gilmour Tom Gordon Martin Wrigley REPORT STAGE

Found: REPORT STAGE Monday 1 September 2025 4 _NC3 Mr Joshua Reynolds Pippa Heylings Susan Murray Rachel Gilmour

Found: DillonMartin Wrigley John Milne Mr Paul KohlerTessa Munt Monica Harding Ian RoomeHelen Maguire Rachel Gilmour