Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an estimate of the cost to the public purse of increasing the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence cost-effectiveness threshold by 25%.

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

The pharmaceutical sector and the innovative medicines it produces are critical to our national interest, helping people access life changing treatments, reducing pressure on the health service over the longer-term, and ensuring we have a National Health Service that is fit for the future.

That is why through our Life Sciences Sector Plan, we have committed to working with industry to accelerate growth in spending on innovative medicines, compared to the previous decade. Our 10-Year Health Plan sets out how we will reform the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.

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 16 December 2024 to Question 16483 on Department of Health and Social Care: Staff, what the (a) headcount and (b) FTE number of officials working in his Department was in each month since October 2024.

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

This data is published monthly at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/dhsc-workforce-management-information#2025

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many (a) headcount and (b) FTE staff were employed by NHS England on (a) 4 July 2024 and (b) 14 October 2025.

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

As of June 2024, the headcount for NHS England was 15,803, and the full-time equivalent staff employed was 14,327.6. These figures are published and available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/dhsc-workforce-management-information.

We are still finalising figures for October, and this will be published in due course.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate his Department has made of the costs of the Employment Rights Bill to the NHS.

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

No estimate of costs has been made of the Employment Rights Bill to the National Health Service. NHS terms and conditions of service currently provide employees with entitlements above the statutory minimum requirements, reflecting the sector’s commitment to supporting its workforce and maintaining high standards of employment practice.

The changes to the Employment Rights Bill are designed to enhance protections for employees, proving greater job security and clarity around employment terms. The Government’s commitment to deliver reforms to improve working conditions and promote fair treatment in the workplace is set out by the Plan to Make Work Pay. Good, well paid work will mean a healthier and happier workforce which in turn eases pressure on the NHS.

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Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the annual NHS total workforce growth (a) was annually from 2022/23 onwards and (b) is projected to be over the next three years.

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

NHS England publishes monthly Hospital and Community Health Services (HCHS) workforce statistics for England. These include staff employed by hospital trusts and integrated care boards but excludes staff working for other providers such as in primary care or social care. This data is drawn from the Electronic Staff Record, the human resources system for the National Health Service, and is available at the following link:

https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/nhs-workforce-statistics

The most recent published workforce data can be found within the July 2025, which includes selected preliminary statistics for August 2025, section of the publication, within the file Preliminary - NHS HCHS Workforce Statistics, Trusts and core organisations – data tables, August 2025. Within this file, a time series of the total full time equivalent (FTE) and headcount staffing levels for NHS trusts and organisations across England can be found in worksheet 1.

In the new year, we will publish a 10 Year Workforce plan, which will ensure the NHS has the right people in the right places, with the right skills to care for patients, when they need it.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what current unbudgeted pressures his Department is aware of within its spending plans.

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

The 2025 Spending Review was published on 11 June by HM Treasury and sets out departmental budgets for day‑to‑day spending until 2028/29, and until 2029/30 for capital investment. The 2025 Spending Review is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/spending-review-2025-document

The Department is now underway with a financial planning exercise to allocate budgets within those financial years. Spending plans will be set out in the Main Supply Estimates when published in due course by HM Treasury.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many patients have waited longer than 24 hours for treatment in A&E in the last 12 months.

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

NHS England publishes monthly data on accident and emergency (A&E) performance. This includes information on those A&E attendances that are 12 hours or longer for type 1 and 2 A&E providers. The data is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/ae-waiting-times-and-activity/

Found: TFC_Ensuring-economic-growth-DIGITALv3.pdf viii Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, & The Rt Hon Steve Barclay

Found: new developments. 227 Letter from the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee to Rt Hon Steve Barclay

Found: In May 2024, Baroness Kate Rock and Julian Glover were appointed by Steve Barclay MP as Non-Executive