Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how does he intend to address the revenue shortfall in palliative care.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for commissioning palliative care services to meet the reasonable needs of their population, which can include hospice services available within the ICB catchment. To support ICBs in this duty, NHS England has published statutory guidance and a service specification.
Whilst the majority of palliative care and end of life care is provided by National Health Service staff and services, the Government has confirmed multi-year revenue support for children and young people’s hospices, totalling £26 million in 2025/26 and approximately £80 million across the three years 2026/27 to 2028/29, adjusted for inflation, which will, once again, be allocated via ICBs on behalf of NHS England, providing greater certainty for planning.
We are developing a Palliative Care and End of Life Care Modern Service Framework (MSF) for England later this year. The MSF will drive improvements in the services that patients and their families receive at the end of life and will enable ICBs to address challenges in access, quality, and sustainability through the delivery of high-quality, personalised care. This will be aligned with the ambitions set out in the recently published 10-Year Health Plan.
Through our MSF, we will closely monitor the shift towards the strategic commissioning of palliative care and end of life care services to ensure that services reduce variation in access and quality.
The recently published Medium-Term Planning Framework also states that, from April 2026, ICBs and relevant NHS providers should ensure an understanding of current and projected total service utilisation and costs for those at the end of life.
Asked by: Roz Savage (Liberal Democrat - South Cotswolds)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will review the adequacy of the GP contract at funding increases in levels of demand, inflationary pressures, and additional responsibilities.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
General practices (GPs) are valued independent contractors who provide over £13 billion worth of National Health Services. Every year we consult with the sector both about what services they provide, and the money providers are entitled to in return under their contract, taking into account the cost of delivering services.
We are investing an additional £1.1 billion in GPs to reinforce the front door of the NHS, bringing total spend on the GP Contract to £13.4 billion in 2025/26, which is the biggest cash increase in over a decade. The 8.9% boost to the GP Contract in 2025/26 is greater than the 5.8% growth to the NHS budget as a whole.
We have started the 2026/27 GP Contract consultation, and we look forward to listening to a range of stakeholders to help strengthen policy making, ensuring that GPs work for staff and patients. Further details will be announced in due course.
Asked by: Al Pinkerton (Liberal Democrat - Surrey Heath)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what oversight arrangements are in place to safeguard people with learning disabilities in local care settings in Surrey Heath constituency.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
In the statutory guidance of the Care Act 2014, it states that local authorities must ensure that the services they commission are safe, effective, and of high quality.
Each integrated care board must have an executive lead for learning disability and autism who will support the board in addressing health inequalities, thereby supporting equal access to care across all health services and improving overall health outcomes.
Under the Health and Care Act 2022, Care Quality Commission registered providers are required to ensure their staff receive specific training on learning disability and autism appropriate to their role, to provide safe and informed care.
A Reasonable Adjustment Digital Flag is being rolled out across health and care services to ensure that disabled people’s reasonable adjustments are recorded and shared, to enable tailoring of appropriate support. This is aided by e-learning for health and social care staff.
Asked by: Chris Bloore (Labour - Redditch)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will publish a national strategy for palliative and end of life care.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is developing a Palliative Care and End of Life Care Modern Service Framework (MSF) for England, for publication later this year.
The MSF will drive improvements in the services that patients and their families receive at the end of life and will enable integrated care boards to address challenges in access, quality, and sustainability through the delivery of high-quality, personalised care. This will be aligned with the ambitions set out in the recently published 10-Year Health Plan.
For further information on the MSF I refer the Hon. Member to the Written Statement HCWS1087 I made to the House on 24 November 2025.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the ability of vulnerable groups to participate in consultations on the Morgan and Morecambe offshore windfarm cabling route.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The applicant must carry out a consultation in compliance with the Planning Act 2008 as part of the pre-application procedure for any nationally significant infrastructure project such as this. Applicants, the Planning Inspectorate and the Secretary of State must also ensure compliance with the relevant secondary legislation made under the Planning Act 2008, and have regard to the requirements in the Equality Act 2010 (such as Section 149 ‘Public sector equality duty’), providing accessible engagement opportunities for potentially affected parties, including those in vulnerable groups.
Asked by: Charlie Dewhirst (Conservative - Bridlington and The Wolds)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, further to the Commissioner for Public Appointment’s annual report 2024-25, published December 2025, Appendix: direct appointments, what the business case was for appointing Climate Change Committee members for three years without open and fair competition; and if he will publish relevant correspondence to and from the Public Appointments Commissioner.
Answered by Katie White - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Professor Swenja Surminski was appointed to the CCC's Adaptation Committee in 2022 following a fair and open competition. She was subsequently appointed as a member of the Climate Change Committee to enhance collaboration between the two Committees, as allowed for under the Climate Change Act 2008. The Commissioner for Public Appointments was consulted, in line with the Governance Code on Public Appointments.
Asked by: Al Pinkerton (Liberal Democrat - Surrey Heath)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what modelling his Department conducted on the potential economic benefits of accessing the European Union's SAFE programme.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
The Ministry of Defence, working with officials across His Majesty's Government, thoroughly assessed the possible economic benefit from participation in the SAFE initiative across a range of market outcomes.
This Government has been clear that we will only enter into agreements that serve the national interest and provide value for money for the taxpayer. In this case, the negotiations did not yield an agreement that met this standard.
We will continue to prioritise engagement and cooperation with the EU on the issues that are most important in helping to safeguard European security and prosperity – all in support of this Government’s NATO First defence policy.
Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Declaration of Intent between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, The French Republic and Ukraine relating to the deployment of multinational forces in support of the defence, reconstruction and strategic sustainability of Ukraine, what steps he will take to promote the participation of other nations in the Multinational Force.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
As stated in the Declaration of Intent, signatories will promote the participation of other nations in the Multinational Force Ukraine, including through the means of accession provided for in the international agreement and such other arrangements as are necessary.
The Secretary of State for Defence has regular engagement with Ukraine, France and other partners on Ukraine-related security in the event of a cessation of hostilities, including ongoing discussions on national contributions to the Multinational Force.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what is the full scope of Project Octopus.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
Project OCTOPUS is the first joint UK-Ukraine defence industrial project initiated under Project LYRA and was announced on 10 September 2025 by the Prime Minister. Under Project OCTOPUS, the UK and Ukraine will work together to rapidly optimise an Ukrainian designed air defence interceptor for mass production, with the first units anticipated to start being produced in the UK in the coming weeks, before being sent to Ukraine for testing and operational deployment. The project aims to enable production at scale, with a target of being able to produce thousands of drones per month to support Ukraine's defence needs.
Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Declaration of Intent between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, The French Republic and Ukraine relating to the deployment of multinational forces in support of the defence, reconstruction and strategic sustainability of Ukraine, if he will publish the members of the new negotiating group.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
As stated in the Declaration of Intent, a negotiating group will be established to ensure the development and conclusion of an international agreement to the Multinational Force on the territory of Ukraine. With Ukraine, this will include the UK, France and where appropriate other contributing nations to the Multinational Force.