Asked by: Neil Shastri-Hurst (Conservative - Solihull West and Shirley)
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 that NHS capacity constraints do not undermine the UK’s ability to sustain armed forces medical readiness in times of conflict.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department continues to work closely with the Ministry of Defence and the Defence Medical Services to ensure the health system is resilient and prepared to respond to a range of scenarios, including conflicts and mass casualty events.
The Department and the National Health Service have plans in place for the management of major incidents which would be drawn upon in the event of a potential conflict or mass casualty event, including those involving military personal. These plans are regularly reviewed to incorporate lessons from incidents, exercises, and ongoing conflicts.
Consideration has been given to the impacts on NHS staffing, capacity, and service provision, and the adaptions needed in the event of a conflict. Work is ongoing in line with NATO direction with the Ministry of Defence and the Defence Medical Services, to strengthen the resilience of the health system and support United Kingdom preparedness for the demands of any potential future warfighting scenario.
Asked by: Neil Shastri-Hurst (Conservative - Solihull West and Shirley)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what role NHS England is playing in joint planning with the Ministry of Defence for scenarios involving (a) mass casualty care, (b) pandemic response and (c) strategic national emergencies.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department continues to work closely with the Ministry of Defence and the Defence Medical Services to ensure the health system is resilient and prepared to respond to a range of scenarios, including conflicts and mass casualty events.
The Department and the National Health Service have plans in place for the management of major incidents which would be drawn upon in the event of a potential conflict or mass casualty event, including those involving military personal. These plans are regularly reviewed to incorporate lessons from incidents, exercises, and ongoing conflicts.
Consideration has been given to the impacts on NHS staffing, capacity, and service provision, and the adaptions needed in the event of a conflict. Work is ongoing in line with NATO direction with the Ministry of Defence and the Defence Medical Services, to strengthen the resilience of the health system and support United Kingdom preparedness for the demands of any potential future warfighting scenario.
Asked by: Neil Shastri-Hurst (Conservative - Solihull West and Shirley)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has developed a contingency framework to ensure NHS hospitals and clinical staff can respond to a surge in military casualties alongside civilian demand.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department continues to work closely with the Ministry of Defence and the Defence Medical Services to ensure the health system is resilient and prepared to respond to a range of scenarios, including conflicts and mass casualty events.
The Department and the National Health Service have plans in place for the management of major incidents which would be drawn upon in the event of a potential conflict or mass casualty event, including those involving military personal. These plans are regularly reviewed to incorporate lessons from incidents, exercises, and ongoing conflicts.
Consideration has been given to the impacts on NHS staffing, capacity, and service provision, and the adaptions needed in the event of a conflict. Work is ongoing in line with NATO direction with the Ministry of Defence and the Defence Medical Services, to strengthen the resilience of the health system and support United Kingdom preparedness for the demands of any potential future warfighting scenario.
Asked by: Neil Shastri-Hurst (Conservative - Solihull West and Shirley)
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 National Health Service’s readiness to support the Defence Medical Services in the event of a large-scale military conflict or mass casualty event.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department continues to work closely with the Ministry of Defence and the Defence Medical Services to ensure the health system is resilient and prepared to respond to a range of scenarios, including conflicts and mass casualty events.
The Department and the National Health Service have plans in place for the management of major incidents which would be drawn upon in the event of a potential conflict or mass casualty event, including those involving military personal. These plans are regularly reviewed to incorporate lessons from incidents, exercises, and ongoing conflicts.
Consideration has been given to the impacts on NHS staffing, capacity, and service provision, and the adaptions needed in the event of a conflict. Work is ongoing in line with NATO direction with the Ministry of Defence and the Defence Medical Services, to strengthen the resilience of the health system and support United Kingdom preparedness for the demands of any potential future warfighting scenario.
Asked by: Steff Aquarone (Liberal Democrat - North Norfolk)
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 support the establishment of a dental school at the University of East Anglia.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 30 April 2025 to Question 47125 of 22 April 2025 on Community Assets; Finance, what estimate she has made of the difference in funding availability; and what steps she is taking to ensure a smooth transition for communities relying on such support.
Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The government has now announced funding for up to 350 deprived communities, including the 75 places named in the Plan for Neighbourhoods in March 2025. 25 trailblazer neighbourhoods will receive up to £20 million over the next decade as part of a new fund announced at the Spending Review. Detailed guidance will be provided in due course; however, the programme will adopt a flexible approach offering areas a broad range of options to address the unique challenges in their local area. This could include funding for community assets such as youth clubs, libraries, and cultural venues.
Areas will receive investment over the next decade, with funding starting from April 2026. Further information will be published in due course.
Asked by: Anna Dixon (Labour - Shipley)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will make it her policy to extend the time limit on exceptions to council tax premiums for category G properties to cover the full period for which a property is being actively marketed for sale for (a) long-term empty homes, (b) second homes and (c) leasehold retirement properties.
Answered by Jim McMahon - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The government has published guidance on the implementation of council tax premiums and exceptions to those premiums. This is available gov.uk here. The government does not have any plans to change the exceptions to the council tax premiums.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many projects have benefitted from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund in Lancashire.
Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
We do not hold constituency level data, but Fylde Borough Council received a UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) allocation between 2022-25. For 2025-26, in line with new devolution deals, funding will be allocated to Lancashire Combined Authority for the area.
In Fylde Council, thirteen projects were supported by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) between 2022-25 and three new projects are forecasted to receive funding in 2025-26.
Across Lancashire Combined Authority, 380 projects were supported by UKSPF between 2022-25 and 57 new projects are forecasted to receive funding in 2025-26.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many projects have benefitted from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund in Fylde constituency.
Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
We do not hold constituency level data, but Fylde Borough Council received a UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) allocation between 2022-25. For 2025-26, in line with new devolution deals, funding will be allocated to Lancashire Combined Authority for the area.
In Fylde Council, thirteen projects were supported by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) between 2022-25 and three new projects are forecasted to receive funding in 2025-26.
Across Lancashire Combined Authority, 380 projects were supported by UKSPF between 2022-25 and 57 new projects are forecasted to receive funding in 2025-26.
Asked by: Ellie Chowns (Green Party - North Herefordshire)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make it her policy to reclassify housing as essential infrastructure.
Answered by Darren Jones - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
On 19 June, the government published UK Infrastructure: A 10 Year Strategy. This sets out a long-term vision to deliver the infrastructure needed to drive the government’s missions, backed by at least £725 billion in infrastructure investment over the next decade.
Social, economic and housing infrastructure underpin the government’s central missions and the Plan for Change. That is why this government’s strategy brings together housing, social and economic infrastructure, aligning planning and delivery over the next 10 years to support growth.
The government has made its commitment to housing clear, including through major reforms to the planning system, its 10 year £39 billion investment in the Affordable Homes Programme, and the establishment of a new National Housing Bank backed with £16 billion of financial capacity, on top of £6bn of existing finance to be allocated this Parliament.