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 the provision of contraceptive services.

The Government provides funding for contraception, both as an essential service which general practices (GPs) must either provide or arrange for the provision of to their patients through the GP Contract, and through the Public Health Grant to local authorities.

Local authorities across England are responsible for commissioning comprehensive, open access sexual and reproductive health services, including contraception, to meet local demand, and it is for them to decide on commissioning arrangements based on an assessment of local need.

To offer greater choice in how people can access contraception services, the NHS Pharmacy Contraception Service has been introduced. This enables pharmacists to issue ongoing supplies of contraception initiated in GP surgeries and sexual health services and to initiate oral contraception. Since October 2025, Emergency Hormonal Contraception forms part of the Pharmacy Contraception Service, which means women have access to the morning-after pill free of charge from pharmacies.

However, there is more to do. In the Renewed Women’s Health Strategy, published on 15 April 2026, we have set out our commitment to improve access to contraception through seamless contraception pathways, with closer working between National Health Services and local authorities to reduce fragmentation. The renewed strategy also commits to simpler, faster access to the full range of contraception, including through community, pharmacy, and digital routes.

In addition, we will include contraception in the upcoming sexual and reproductive health framework to clarify current commissioning arrangements and share opportunities and best practice for closer working and improved pathways.