Asked by: Rupert Lowe (Independent - Great Yarmouth)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that coastal hospitals such as the James Paget receive adequate NHS capital and revenue funding.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We remain committed to delivering all schemes within the New Hospital Programme, including James Paget, which will continue through the Spending Review 2025. The programme is funded for five-year waves of investment, averaging around £3 billion a year from 2030.
Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for commissioning and funding the care delivered by healthcare providers, including the James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. The amount of funding received by each provider is based on the NHS Payment Scheme, which is a set of rules, prices, and guidance that determine how the providers of National Health Service-funded healthcare are paid for the services they deliver.
NHS England is responsible for determining the allocation of financial resources to ICBs. The process of setting funding allocations is informed by the Advisory Committee on Resource Allocation, an independent committee that provides advice to NHS England on setting the target formula which impacts how allocations are distributed over time according to factors such as demography, morbidity, deprivation, and the unavoidable cost of providing services in different areas. There are a range of adjustments made in the core ICB allocations formula that account for the fact that the cost of providing health care may vary between rural and urban areas.
ICB allocations for 2025/26 were published on 30 January 2025 and allocations for 2026/27 to 2027/28 were published on 17 November. These are available at the following links respectively:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/allocation-of-resources-2025-26/
https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/allocation-of-resources-2026-27-to-2027-28/
The Norfolk and Waveney ICB, which currently covers the James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, received an uplift to its recurrent core services allocation of 3.85% in 2025/26.
Following announced mergers due to take effect from 1 April 2026, a new NHS Norfolk and Suffolk ICB will cover James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust from 2026/27. The new ICB will see its recurrent core services allocation uplifted by 3.05% in 2026/27 and 3.29% in 2027/28.
Budget 2025 confirmed a rise in the Department’s capital budgets to £15.2 billion by the end of the Spending Review period. This includes over £4 billion in operational capital in 2025/26, with a further £16.9 billion to be allocated to ICBs and providers over the following four years. James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has been allocated £46.8 million in operational funding for the period 2026/27 to 2029/30.
Asked by: Ian Sollom (Liberal Democrat - St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire)
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 healthcare professionals are provided with timely guidance on prescribing alternatives when products they routinely prescribe are subject to safety recalls.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Defective Medicines Report Centre (DMRC) is part of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). The role of the DMRC is to minimise the hazard to patients arising from the distribution of defective medicines by providing an emergency assessment and communication system between manufacturers, distributors, wholesalers, pharmacies, regulatory authorities, and users. It achieves this aim by:
Where a medicinal product recall is required, the decision is taken in consultation with the relevant Licence Holder. It is the Licence Holder’s responsibility to ensure that a recall is carried out effectively throughout the distribution chain to the appropriate level. If necessary, the DMRC will issue a Recall Notification to support action taken by the Licence Holder. Where possible, the DMRC will actively engage with the Department to inform us of upcoming recalls, especially where there may be limited marketed products available or critical medicines involved. The Department’s Medicines Supply Team have a range of well-established processes and tools to mitigate risks to patients, and in some circumstances, this can include the prescribing of an alternative medicine.
The Department follows a clear operating framework for managing medicines shortages and, working with National Health Service specialist clinicians, develops appropriate management plans, including comprehensive guidance for prescribers, which are ratified by the Medicines Shortage Response Group to ensure that the most appropriate communication route is used. We work collaboratively with the MHRA throughout the recall process to ensure that when prescribing an alternative medicine should be considered, that this can be communicated in the Recall Notification, or as close to the issue of the Recall Notification that could result in a supply issue.
Asked by: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to encourage the take-up of sport by people aged over 70.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Government is committed to ensuring that everyone, including older people, should have access to and benefit from quality sport and physical activity opportunities to stay fit and healthy.
The Government provides the majority of support for grassroots sport through DCMS’s Arm’s Length Body, Sport England, which annually invests over £250 million in Exchequer and Lottery funding. Their ten-year Uniting the Movement strategy reinforces their commitment to increasing participation in sport and physical activity for those from under-represented groups, including older people. Sport England has also ensured that each of its programmes impact directly on those with long-term health conditions, including older people, with initiatives like the 'We are Undefeatable' campaign.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to support educators, supervisors, mentors and trainers in the 10 Year Workforce Plan and work with employers to increase capacity for medical education and training.
Answered by Karin Smyth - 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: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate her Department has made of the level of carbon emissions caused by (a) prescribed burns of vegetation and (b) wildfires during 2025.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government remains committed to improving air quality to deliver benefits for public health, the environment, and the economy. This includes reducing carbon emissions.
Asked by: Max Wilkinson (Liberal Democrat - Cheltenham)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of the report by Kalaayan’s entitled 12 Years of Modern Slavery, published on 14 June 2024.
Answered by Jess Phillips - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The Home Office keeps all policies and immigration routes under review. Ministers regularly meet with internal and external stakeholders, including Kalaayan, to discuss a wide range of issues, including the Overseas Domestic Worker route.
The Overseas Domestic Worker visa only grants permission for up to six months and cannot be extended. The Home Office publishes statistics relating to individuals who extend their stay here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/immigration-system-statistics-data-tables. The number of people extending their stay on the Domestic Worker in a Private Household visa is available from Table Exe_D01 of the Extension data tables (listed as “Overseas Domestic Worker”).
Asked by: Mims Davies (Conservative - East Grinstead and Uckfield)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of Gatwick Runway expansion on levels of emissions in the East Grinstead and Uckfield constituency.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
On 21 September 2025 the Transport Secretary gave approval for Gatwick Airport’s application for a Development Consent Order to expand its operations through routine use of its existing northern runway.
The Transport Secretary’s consideration of the application for the development including impacts arising from it are set out in her decision letter of 21 September 2025 which is available on the Planning Inspectorate’s website.
Asked by: Mims Davies (Conservative - East Grinstead and Uckfield)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of Gatwick Runway expansion on noise levels in the East Grinstead and Uckfield constituency.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
On 21 September 2025 the Transport Secretary gave approval for Gatwick Airport’s application for a Development Consent Order to expand its operations through routine use of its existing northern runway.
The Transport Secretary’s consideration of the application for the development including impacts arising from it are set out in her decision letter of 21 September 2025 which is available on the Planning Inspectorate’s website.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the answer of 5th January 2026, to question 100522 on General Dynamics, when was a) he or b) the Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry, informed, formally or informally that all criteria for Ajax Initial Operating Capability (IOC) were met on 23 July 2025, and by whom.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
As previously confirmed, prior to Initial Operating Capability being announced on 5 November 2025, assurances and advice were provided to Ministers regarding the safety of the platform and confirming all criteria had been met.
Asked by: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of a third runway on communities close to Heathrow.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Airports National Policy Statement (ANPS) sets out the mitigations a promoter must provide to minimise the impact of the project on the environment and affected communities. The review of the ANPS will consider if any changes are required to the existing mitigations. We will consult on any proposed amendments to the ANPS in summer 2026, and communities will have the chance to express their views.