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: 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: James MacCleary (Liberal Democrat - Lewes)
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 his department’s contribution to the Fair Pay Agreement in adult social care will be passed on to independent adult social care employers.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We are introducing the first ever Fair Pay Agreement in 2028, backed by £500 million of funding to improve pay and conditions for the adult social care workforce.
This £500 million of funding will be given to local authorities to support providers to improve pay, and terms and conditions through the Fair Pay Agreement. It represents the most significant investment in improving pay and conditions for adult social care staff to date.
Negotiations between employee and employer representatives, including those from all types of providers, such as independent providers, will shape how this funding will be used to enhance pay, terms and conditions. The Government is committed to supporting commissioners to enable the successful delivery of the Fair Pay Agreement and we are exploring options for engagement to best inform our understanding of this.
We also recognise that, in preparation for the first Fair Pay Agreement, commissioners and providers, will need time, support and guidance. We are committed to publishing guidance to support these groups, and our consultation seeks views from all providers, including independent providers, to ensure their perspectives are fully considered.
Asked by: Anneliese Dodds (Labour (Co-op) - Oxford East)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment his Department has made of the implications for energy independence of a) current and b) predicted future levels of gas use in new build homes.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government’s policy on new build regulation is driving down the use of gas in new build homes, contributing to our energy independence. MHCLG has developed statistics on energy efficiency characteristics of new dwellings and will publish them shortly. Under the Future Homes Standard, to be published in early 2026, we expect new homes to be built with low carbon heating, such as heat pumps and heat networks, as well as solar panels by default. This, along with increased wider renewable generation, will boost our energy security with clean, homegrown power and increase our energy independence.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
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 11 September 2025 to Written Question 73770, how many neighbourhoods he expects each ICB to designate.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Neighbourhoods are natural communities that are recognisable by local residents. Typically, neighbourhoods will have populations of approximately 50,000 people, but coherent geography is more important for defining neighbourhoods than the population size. The numbers of neighbourhoods designated in each integrated care board (ICB) geography will be defined locally by ICBs and their system partners. We will share further guidance to provide greater clarity and consistency for systems in developing and scaling neighbourhood health.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an estimate of the proportion of routine blood tests in England administered in a GP surgery.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department does not hold data regarding the proportion of routine blood tests administered in England in a general practice.
Local enhanced services, such as blood tests, are negotiated and agreed locally, and are commissioned by integrated care boards to fit the needs of the local population. General practices can choose whether or not they would like to participate in directly providing these services. These services can vary in scope and funding across the country.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
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 16 October 2025 to written question 79819, what estimate he has made of the cost of establishing a new Neighbourhood Health Centre.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
At the Autumn Budget, we announced our commitment to deliver 250 neighbourhood health centres (NHCs) through the NHS Neighbourhood Rebuild Programme. This will deliver NHCs through a mixture of refurbishments, to expand and improve sites over the next three years, and new-build sites opening in the medium term.
The first 120 NHCs are due to be operational by 2030 and will be delivered through public private partnerships and public capital. This includes refurbishments to the Alfred Barrow Health Centre in Barrow-in-Furness, the Stockland Green and Summerfield Primary Care Centres in Birmingham, the Jubilee Gardens Centre in Ealing.
Nationwide coverage will take time, but we will start in the areas of greatest need where healthy life expectancy is lowest, including rural towns and communities with higher deprivation levels, targeting places where healthy life expectancy is lowest and delivering healthcare closer to home for those that need it the most.
Integrated care boards and local health systems will be responsible for determining the most appropriate locations for the 250 NHCs to be delivered through the NHS Neighbourhood Rebuild Programme. They have been commissioned to produce five-year strategy and delivery plans, including plans for neighbourhood health.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the locations are of the NHS Neighbourhood Health Centres announced at the Autumn Budget 2025.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
At the Autumn Budget, we announced our commitment to deliver 250 neighbourhood health centres (NHCs) through the NHS Neighbourhood Rebuild Programme. This will deliver NHCs through a mixture of refurbishments, to expand and improve sites over the next three years, and new-build sites opening in the medium term.
The first 120 NHCs are due to be operational by 2030 and will be delivered through public private partnerships and public capital. This includes refurbishments to the Alfred Barrow Health Centre in Barrow-in-Furness, the Stockland Green and Summerfield Primary Care Centres in Birmingham, the Jubilee Gardens Centre in Ealing.
Nationwide coverage will take time, but we will start in the areas of greatest need where healthy life expectancy is lowest, including rural towns and communities with higher deprivation levels, targeting places where healthy life expectancy is lowest and delivering healthcare closer to home for those that need it the most.
Integrated care boards and local health systems will be responsible for determining the most appropriate locations for the 250 NHCs to be delivered through the NHS Neighbourhood Rebuild Programme. They have been commissioned to produce five-year strategy and delivery plans, including plans for neighbourhood health.
Asked by: Anneliese Dodds (Labour (Co-op) - Oxford East)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment his Department has made of the implications for energy independence of a) current and b) predicted future levels of gas use in new build homes.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government’s policy on new build regulation is driving down the use of gas in new build homes, contributing to our energy independence. MHCLG has developed statistics on energy efficiency characteristics of new dwellings and will publish them shortly. Under the Future Homes Standard, to be published in early 2026, we expect new homes to be built with low carbon heating, such as heat pumps and heat networks, as well as solar panels by default. This, along with increased wider renewable generation, will boost our energy security with clean, homegrown power and increase our energy independence.
Asked by: Angus MacDonald (Liberal Democrat - Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of energy suppliers requesting increases to Direct Debit payments from customers who are already in credit on those customers.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The level of customer credit balances held by energy suppliers is a matter for Ofgem, as the independent regulator.
Energy suppliers use credit balances as a way to smooth customer direct debit payments over a year, accounting for seasonal variations in usage. If a customer has concerns about their direct debit or the level of credit balance they should contact their energy supplier.
Under the terms of Ofgem’s Standard Licence Conditions, customers may challenge increased direct debit payment amounts with their supplier and ask the supplier to justify how amounts have been calculated. Suppliers must explain clearly how they reached the figure they want to charge and give the meter readings used.
Customers can ask their supplier to lower monthly direct debit payments to reflect the energy use more accurately and if a customer is concerned about the size of a credit balance on their energy account, they can ask their supplier to refund it.