Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
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 25 November 2025 to Question 90706, how the Neighbourhood Health Service will improve access to care in rural areas and communities with poor digital connectivity or low digital confidence in the West Midlands; what safeguards are in place to ensure that neighbourhood health centres do not lead to the downgrading or closure of existing GP surgeries or community hospitals; what evaluation he has made of previous neighbourhood care pilots in the region; and what timetable he has set for expanding the programme beyond wave 1, including the inclusion of additional West Midlands areas.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Neighbourhood Health Service will make it easier for people to access care closer to where they live, including in neighbourhood health centres. Delivery will be locally led, with systems determining how neighbourhood health is designed to meet local population need. This will factor in how services may need to look different across rural and urban areas.
The Neighbourhood Health Service will also move us towards a fully digitally enabled health service. We are striving for digital services to improve access, experiences, and outcomes for the widest range of people, based on their preferences, as any digital healthcare benefits will be limited if people remain digitally excluded.
Neighbourhood health provides the unifying framework that brings together what is already underway across primary care, community services, urgent care, prevention, digital, estates, and population health, and will build on existing assets and services rather than replacing them. We are intending to publish further guidance that will set-out how areas should work together to design neighbourhood health services around local needs and different population cohorts.
In September 2025, we launched the National Neighbourhood Health Implementation Programme (NNHIP) in 43 places across England, including in East Birmingham. Collection of metrics is currently being piloted across all NNHIP sites. Systems are also encouraged to participate in the monthly Community of Practice, that aims to share learning and strengthen collective delivery.
Work is underway to consider the future direction of the NNHIP, and we will share an update on this as soon as we can.
Asked by: Simon Hoare (Conservative - North Dorset)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he plans to take with Cabinet colleagues to help increase access to NHS dentistry in rural areas in (a) the next 12 months and (b) during this Parliament.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Dental Statistics - England 2024/25, published by NHS Business Services Authority on 28 August 2025, is available at the following link:
https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/statistical-collections/dental-england/dental-statistics-england-202425
The data for the Dorset Integrated Care Board (ICB), which includes the North Dorset constituency, shows that 34% of adults were seen by a National Health Service dentist in the previous 24 months up to June 2025, compared to 40% in England, and that 53% of children were seen by an NHS dentist in the previous 12 months up to June 2025, compared to 57% in England.
We are aware of the challenges faced in accessing a dentist, particularly in more rural areas.
We have asked ICBs to commission extra urgent dental appointments to make sure that patients with urgent dental needs can get the treatment they require. ICBs have been making extra appointments available since April 2025.
ICBs are recruiting dentists through the Golden Hello scheme. This recruitment incentive will see dentists receiving payments of £20,000 to work in those areas that need them most for three years.
We are committed to delivering fundamental reform of the dental contract before the end of this Parliament. As a first step, on 16 December we published the Government’s response to the public consultation on quality and payment reforms to the NHS dental contract. The changes will be introduced from April 2026. These reforms will put patients with the greatest need first, incentivising urgent care and complex treatments. Further information is available at the following website:
Asked by: Simon Hoare (Conservative - North Dorset)
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 provision of NHS dentistry in North Dorset constituency compared to the national average.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Dental Statistics - England 2024/25, published by NHS Business Services Authority on 28 August 2025, is available at the following link:
https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/statistical-collections/dental-england/dental-statistics-england-202425
The data for the Dorset Integrated Care Board (ICB), which includes the North Dorset constituency, shows that 34% of adults were seen by a National Health Service dentist in the previous 24 months up to June 2025, compared to 40% in England, and that 53% of children were seen by an NHS dentist in the previous 12 months up to June 2025, compared to 57% in England.
We are aware of the challenges faced in accessing a dentist, particularly in more rural areas.
We have asked ICBs to commission extra urgent dental appointments to make sure that patients with urgent dental needs can get the treatment they require. ICBs have been making extra appointments available since April 2025.
ICBs are recruiting dentists through the Golden Hello scheme. This recruitment incentive will see dentists receiving payments of £20,000 to work in those areas that need them most for three years.
We are committed to delivering fundamental reform of the dental contract before the end of this Parliament. As a first step, on 16 December we published the Government’s response to the public consultation on quality and payment reforms to the NHS dental contract. The changes will be introduced from April 2026. These reforms will put patients with the greatest need first, incentivising urgent care and complex treatments. Further information is available at the following website:
Asked by: Simon Hoare (Conservative - North Dorset)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what percentage of people have an NHS dentist in (a) urban (b) suburban and (c) rural areas in the latest period for which data is available.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Patients in England are not registered with a National Health Service dental practice, although many NHS dental practices do tend to see patients regularly. There is no geographical restriction on which practice a patient may attend. Some dental practices may operate local waiting list arrangements.
Data is not held on the percentage of people who have an NHS dentist and data is not available by urban, suburban, and rural areas. Dental Statistics - England 2024/25, published by NHS Business Services Authority on 28 August 2025, is available at the following link:
https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/statistical-collections/dental-england/dental-statistics-england-202425
In the 24 months to June 2025, 40% of adults in England saw an NHS dentist, and in the 12 months to June 2025, 57% of children in England saw an NHS dentist. In 2024/25, there were 50 dentists per 100,000 population on average across all ICBs in England.
Asked by: Victoria Atkins (Conservative - Louth and Horncastle)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department has assessed the potential impact of the Heather and Grass etc. Burning (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2025 on the number of wildfires, including their incidence, scale, and severity.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Burning is damaging to peatlands and can increase their long-term vulnerability to wildfires, while wetter, healthy-functioning peatlands are more resilient to the impacts of wildfire. In developing the Amendments to The Heather and Grass etc. Burning (England) Regulations 2021, the Department considered the potential impacts of burning practices on wildfire risk, drawing on published evidence, responses to the public consultation and engagement with the National Fire Chiefs Council, and Fire and Rescue Services.
The Regulations enhance protection of upland peatlands by expanding restrictions on burning practices, with the aim of reducing long‑term wildfire risk and improving landscape resilience.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what plans he has to review the Post Office banking framework to ensure that essential services such as cheque deposits remain available to local communities.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Government recognises the important role the Post Office plays in providing essential banking services, particularly in rural areas. We welcome Banking Framework 4, which allows personal and business customers to withdraw and deposit cash, check their balance and pay bills at thousands of Post Office branches across the UK.
On 21 January, the Government held joint discussions between the Post Office and the banking sector to explore where continued collaboration, on a commercial and voluntary basis, would allow all parties to better meet the needs of individuals and businesses.
Government does not, however, have a role in the Banking Framework negotiations. The Framework, and decisions about what services are available at the Post Office, such as cheque deposits, are made by the banks as part of their commercial arrangements.
Customers continue to have other options for paying in cheques, whether at local bank branches, by post, or digitally via mobile apps using cheque imaging technology.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the withdrawal of cheque deposit services from Post Office branches on rural businesses.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Government recognises the important role the Post Office plays in providing essential banking services, particularly in rural areas. We welcome Banking Framework 4, which allows personal and business customers to withdraw and deposit cash, check their balance and pay bills at thousands of Post Office branches across the UK.
On 21 January, the Government held joint discussions between the Post Office and the banking sector to explore where continued collaboration, on a commercial and voluntary basis, would allow all parties to better meet the needs of individuals and businesses.
Government does not, however, have a role in the Banking Framework negotiations. The Framework, and decisions about what services are available at the Post Office, such as cheque deposits, are made by the banks as part of their commercial arrangements.
Customers continue to have other options for paying in cheques, whether at local bank branches, by post, or digitally via mobile apps using cheque imaging technology.
Asked by: Al Pinkerton (Liberal Democrat - Surrey Heath)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department has plans to improve public awareness and participation in recycling schemes.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Over the Christmas period, and continuing over the run up to April, Defra have been utilising a range of social media channels to promote new food waste recycling services. This has included location targeted campaigns alongside the use of influencers popular with our targeted audiences. Examples can be found at:
(1835) Food Waste Recycling: Big Wins From Little Bins - YouTube
Vox Pop on food waste recycling
Minister Creagh Food waste Instagram
Discover the Magic of Food Waste Recycling Techniques | TikTok
Shef Phoenix (@shef_phoenix) | TikTok
Defra is also working with WRAP (Waste and Resources Action Programme) to provide guidance on best practice to help local authorities deliver services to all households. WRAP recently published communications guidance for local authority household food waste collections: https://www.wrap.ngo/taking-action/citizen-behaviour-change/recycle-now/campaign-assets/household-food-waste-collections-communications
To support local authorities, we have provided transitional resource funding for food waste communications to support citizens in understanding how to make full use of the new services.
In addition, PackUK will issue communications and explore behaviour change initiatives to promote the correct recycling and disposal of packaging waste. pEPR fees that producers pay will include a contribution to the costs of this work.
Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what support is being provided to (a) Torbay and (b) Exeter NHS Trusts to recruit and retain specialist cancer nurses and the cancer workforce.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
NHS England has made good progress in growing and developing the cancer and diagnostics workforce.
In 2024/25, approximately 8,000 people received training to either enter the cancer and diagnostics workforce or develop in their roles. As part of this, over 1,600 people were on apprenticeship courses, with over 270 additional medical specialty training places funded. Over 1,000 clinical nurse specialist (CNS) grants were made available to new and aspiring CNSs across England, including Devon.
We are working to end the postcode lottery for cancer services. NHS England is working with NHS regions and the royal colleges to increase the number of clinical and medical oncology staff overall. In addition, we aim to fill vacancies and expand workforces in trusts that most need more staff, including in rural and coastal areas, to help boost performance.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what discussions she has had with broadband providers on the adequacy of broadband (a) coverage and (b) speed in rural areas.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
We recognise that reliable broadband underpins all aspects of modern life, including access to and modernisation of essential services.
The government, in consultation with industry set targets for broadband coverage in the UK. The government is committed to achieving 99% gigabit coverage by 2032, ensuring fast, reliable and future-proofed connectivity will be available to support consumer and business needs, including in rural communities.
Most gigabit-capable connections will be delivered commercially, so we are focusing government funds on the remaining areas of the country where commercial deployment is unlikely. Between 1 April 2024 and 31 March 2025, 89% of premises benefiting from Building Digital UK (BDUK) subsidies were rural.