Written questions by Stafford.

What steps he is taking to provide clarity on levels of funding for (a) children’s and (b) adult hospices.

Most hospices are charitable, independent organisations which receive some statutory funding for providing services within the National Health Service. The amount of funding each charitable hospice receives varies both within and between integrated care board (ICB) areas. This will vary depending on demand in that ICB area but will also be dependent on the totality and type of palliative and end of life care provision from both NHS and non-NHS services, including charitable hospices, within each ICB area.We are, however, at a national level, also supporting the hospice sector with a £100 million capital funding boost for adult and children’s hospices in England to ensure they have the best physical environment for care. The Government has released the first £25 million tranche of the £100 million capital funding, with Hospice UK kindly allocating and distributing the money to hospices throughout England. An additional £75 million will be allocated in the coming weeks for use in 2025/26.Additionally, we are providing £26 million revenue funding to support children and young people’s hospices for 2025/26. This is a continuation of the funding which until recently was known as the children and young people’s hospice grant. NHS England has now communicated the details of the 2025/26 funding allocation and dissemination to individual hospices.In February 2025, I met with key palliative and end of life care and hospice stakeholders, and long-term sector sustainability, within the context of our 10-Year Health Plan, was discussed at length.

What discussions his Department has had with Integrated Care Boards and hospital trusts to prevent falls inside hospitals.

We are informed by NHS England that there have been no recent discussions or directives to hospitals or integrated care boards on the prevention of falls inside hospitals, although we are aware of wider work to support fall prevention, including NHS England’s public health initiative, Harnessing the benefits of physical activity, and the ongoing National Audit of Inpatient Falls that NHS England commissions via the Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership. Further information on Harnessing the benefits of physical activity and the National Audit of Inpatient Falls is available, respectively, at the following two links:https://www.england.nhs.uk/ourwork/public-health/harnessing-the-benefits-of-physical-activity/https://www.rcp.ac.uk/improving-care/national-clinical-audits/falls-and-fragility-fracture-audit-programme-fffap/national-audit-of-inpatient-falls-naif/

Whether he plans to take steps with the Secretary of State for Education to promote (a) CPR training and (b) defibrillator use in schools.

There are no plans to take steps with my Rt Hon. Friend, Secretary of State for Education to promote cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training and defibrillator use in schools. The Department for Education published guidance in January 2025 on the provision and use of automated external defibrillators in schools, as well as training in CPR. This guidance is available at the following link:https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/67936b102de28ea2d392f35b/Automated_External_Defibrillators__AEDs__guidance_for_schools.pdfThe Department for Education, working with NHS Supply Chain, has negotiated an arrangement for schools to purchase defibrillators at a reduced cost. As part of its work to help people survive an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, the British Heart Foundation is offering CPR training packs free to all secondary schools in the United Kingdom.

Whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of classifying severe chronic anorexia as a disability rather than solely a mental health condition.

The Department has made no such assessment. Under the Equality Act 2010, a disability is defined as a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on an individual’s ability to do normal day to day activities.The Equality Act 2010’s guidance on matters to be taken into account in determining questions relating to the definition of disability, refers to a range of impairments from which a disability can arise, including eating disorders. Further information is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/equality-act-guidance/disability-equality-act-2010-guidance-on-matters-to-be-taken-into-account-in-determining-questions-relating-to-the-definition-of-disability-htmlWe recognise the devastating impact an eating disorder can have on someone’s life, and that the earlier treatment is provided, the greater the chance of recovery. NHS England is continuing to expand community-based eating disorder service capacity, including crisis care and intensive home treatment. By improving care in the community, the National Health Service can improve outcomes and recovery, reduce rates of relapse, prevent eating disorders continuing into adulthood and, if admission is required as a very last resort, reduce lengths of stay in urgent and emergency care.

What steps he is taking to decrease waiting times for (a) urgent and (b) routine cardiology appointments in Surrey and Hampshire.

Too many people have been left in limbo waiting for National Health Service appointments. The Government has committed to returning to the constitutional standard that 92% of patients wait no longer than 18 weeks from referral to treatment. Performance is currently at 58.9% for cardiology services in the Surrey Heartlands Integrated Care Board (ICB), and 59.3% for cardiology services in the Hampshire and Isle of Wight ICB. As a first step, we have already delivered on our pledge of an additional two million operations, scans, and appointments across elective services, nationally, between July and November 2024, compared to the same period in 2023, seven months ahead of schedule.Cardiology has been identified as one of five national priority specialties which will undergo clinically driven pathway transformation in the Elective Reform Plan, published in January 2025. Planned reforms to cardiology care will include increasing specialist input earlier in care pathways, in turn reducing the number of unnecessary diagnostics undertaken, by developing standard pathways for common outpatient presentations, such as palpitations, and increasing timely access to cardiac diagnostic tests.In addition to national efforts, the Department and NHS England are supporting a range of local actions in the South East region to reduce the time patients spend waiting for specialist cardiology care, both for urgent and routine appointments. For example, delays for echocardiography (ECG) are a key challenge in the Hampshire and Isle of Wight ICB. Local action is focussed on improving ECG access by standardising pathways, to remove unwarranted variation for patients, and rolling out wider direct access to diagnostic tests through community diagnostic centre provision, rather than in hospitals. We are also supporting local general practices and trusts, through their ICBs, to increase volumes of Advice and Guidance for cardiology, which significantly reduces the time patients spend waiting for care.

What the total cost to the public purse was of prescribing Ozempic to NHS patients without a diagnosis of diabetes, heart disease or kidney disease in 2024-25.

Information is not collected on the clinical condition a medicine is prescribed for. Ozempic is only licenced for the treatment of type 2 diabetes and guidance is clear that medications licensed to treat type 2 diabetes should not be prescribed for weight loss. The General Pharmaceutical Council, General Medical Council, Health and Care Professions Council, Nursing and Midwifery Council and Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland have issued a joint statement stressing the importance of health and care professionals meeting regulatory standards in relation to these medicines.

Whether his Department has considered raising the alcohol-free threshold from 0.05% ABV to 0.5% ABV.

Under our Health Mission, the government is committed to prioritising preventative public health measures to support people to live longer, healthier lives.While the Government has not made a specific assessment of changing the alcohol-free threshold, the Department will continue to work across Government to better understand how we can best reduce alcohol-related harms, including exploring the potential opportunities presented by alcohol-free and low-alcohol drinks.

Whether health professionals in Farnham and Bordon constituency are currently receiving training on Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood.

We recognise the devastating impact of sudden unexplained death in childhood (SUDC) on affected families and communities, and the importance of raising awareness of SUDC amongst relevant professionals, communities and parents.Information on SUDC is available at the following link, which also signposts to SUDC.UK:https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/sudden-infant-death-syndrome-sids/Additional information for parents on SUDC is available in the form of the booklet "When a Child Dies".Health visitors in particular play a key role in supporting child health, wellbeing, and parenting confidence. We are committed to strengthening health visiting services, ensuring we have the staff needed so parents and families receive appropriate care from the right professional.Overall, local authorities determine what public health services they fund, to ensure these are tailored to their local needs. The Department of Health and Social Care does not hold the health workforce data for individual local authorities or the training they receive.In schools, the Department for Education is funding mental health and wellbeing support for school and college leaders. This includes professional supervision and counselling for those who need it. Support continues to be available and can be accessed by visiting the Education Support website, which is available at the following link:https://www.educationsupport.org.uk/

Whether local authorities in Farnham and Bordon have access to a dedicated key worker for families affected by Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood; and whether there is a formal referral process to SUDC UK for additional support.

We recognise the devastating impact of sudden unexplained death in childhood (SUDC) on affected families and communities, and the importance of raising awareness of SUDC amongst relevant professionals, communities and parents.Information on SUDC is available at the following link, which also signposts to SUDC.UK:https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/sudden-infant-death-syndrome-sids/Additional information for parents on SUDC is available in the form of the booklet "When a Child Dies".Health visitors in particular play a key role in supporting child health, wellbeing, and parenting confidence. We are committed to strengthening health visiting services, ensuring we have the staff needed so parents and families receive appropriate care from the right professional.Overall, local authorities determine what public health services they fund, to ensure these are tailored to their local needs. The Department of Health and Social Care does not hold the health workforce data for individual local authorities or the training they receive.In schools, the Department for Education is funding mental health and wellbeing support for school and college leaders. This includes professional supervision and counselling for those who need it. Support continues to be available and can be accessed by visiting the Education Support website, which is available at the following link:https://www.educationsupport.org.uk/

What steps he plans to take to (a) raise awareness of Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood within schools and local communities and (b) provide educational materials for parents and professionals on this subject.

We recognise the devastating impact of sudden unexplained death in childhood (SUDC) on affected families and communities, and the importance of raising awareness of SUDC amongst relevant professionals, communities and parents.Information on SUDC is available at the following link, which also signposts to SUDC.UK:https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/sudden-infant-death-syndrome-sids/Additional information for parents on SUDC is available in the form of the booklet "When a Child Dies".Health visitors in particular play a key role in supporting child health, wellbeing, and parenting confidence. We are committed to strengthening health visiting services, ensuring we have the staff needed so parents and families receive appropriate care from the right professional.Overall, local authorities determine what public health services they fund, to ensure these are tailored to their local needs. The Department of Health and Social Care does not hold the health workforce data for individual local authorities or the training they receive.In schools, the Department for Education is funding mental health and wellbeing support for school and college leaders. This includes professional supervision and counselling for those who need it. Support continues to be available and can be accessed by visiting the Education Support website, which is available at the following link:https://www.educationsupport.org.uk/

What steps his Department is taking to support people on low incomes to access ADHD treatment that is not available through the NHS.

As set out in the NHS Constitution, access to services in the National Health Service is based on clinical need, not an individual’s ability to pay. It is the responsibility of integrated care boards (ICBs) in England to make available appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population, including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) services, in line with relevant National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines.NHS England has established an ADHD taskforce which is working to bring together those with lived experience with experts from the NHS, education, charity, and justice sectors. The taskforce is working to get a better understanding of the challenges affecting those with ADHD, including timely and equitable access to services and support, with the final report expected in the summer.In conjunction with the taskforce, NHS England has carried out detailed work to develop an ADHD data improvement plan to inform future service planning. NHS England has also conducted detailed work to understand the provider and commissioning landscape, capturing examples from ICBs who are trialling innovative ways of delivering ADHD services. NHS England is using this information to support systems to tackle ADHD waiting lists and provide support to address people’s needs.

What steps his Department is taking to increase access to ADHD (a) diagnosis, (b) medication and (c) other treatment in (i) areas where waiting times are long and (ii) other areas.

It is the responsibility of integrated care boards (ICBs) in England to make available appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population, including assessments and treatment for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), in line with relevant National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines.NHS England has established the ADHD taskforce which is working to bring together those with lived experience with experts from the National Health Service, education, charity, and justice sectors. The taskforce is working to get a better understanding of the challenges affecting those with ADHD, including timely and equitable access to services and support, with the final report expected to make recommendations in the summer.In conjunction with the taskforce, NHS England has carried out detailed work to develop an ADHD data improvement plan to inform future service planning. NHS England has also conducted detailed work to understand the provider and commissioning landscape, capturing examples from ICBs who are trialling innovative ways of delivering ADHD services. NHS England is using this information to support systems to tackle ADHD waiting lists and provide support to address people’s needs.

What steps his Department is taking to increase funding for research into Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood; and what plans are in place to develop predictive methods or preventive measures for this condition.

The Department funds health and care research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The NIHR funds clinical, public health and social care research and works in partnership with the National Health Service, universities, local government, other research funders, patients and the public. The NIHR welcomes proposals for research into a range of conditions, including Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood, with more information available at the following link:https://www.nihr.ac.uk/get-involved/suggest-a-research-topicThe Government has committed to raising the healthiest generation of children ever. This includes ensuring that children receive the right care and support when they need it. The Government’s 10-Year Health Plan, which will be published later this year, will set out broader actions for how we shift health and care systems in England towards preventing ill-health.

Whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of conducting a review of the UK National Screening Committee's decision-making process regarding screening for sudden cardiac death.

The UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) is an independent scientific advisory committee which advises ministers and the National Health Service in all four countries on all aspects of population and targeted screening, and supports implementation.Using research evidence, pilot programmes, economic evaluation, expert stakeholders, and consultation, the UK NSC assesses the evidence for national screening programmes against a set of internationally recognised criteria covering the condition, the test, the treatment options, and the effectiveness, ethics, and acceptability of the screening programme.The committee is open about their procedures and how evidence and expertise has been considered in formulating their recommendations. They engage with a broad range of stakeholders across the United Kingdom to ensure their advice reflects societal perspectives and is balanced. Further information on the UK NSC’s approach to evidence review criteria is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/evidence-review-criteria-national-screening-programmesIn addition, further information about the processes and principles used by the UK NSC is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/uk-nsc-processes-and-principles

Whether he has considered making the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority a surrogacy regulator.

The Law Commissions of England, Wales, and Scotland published a review of surrogacy in March 2023. One of the recommendations in the report was for the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority to have a new regulatory role for surrogacy organisations.The Government is considering the Law Commissions’ report and will publish a response as time allows.

What funding her Department has provided to the Lobular Moonshot Project.

The Department invests £1.5 billion each year on research through its research delivery arm, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). NIHR research expenditure for all cancers was £133 million in 2023/24, reflecting its high priority.We are proud to have invested £29 million into the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) and the Royal Marsden NIHR Biological Research Centre in 2022, supporting their efforts to strengthen research into cancer, including lobular breast cancer. Wider investments into breast cancer research include a £1.3 million project to determine whether an abbreviated form of breast magnetic resonance imaging can detect breast cancers missed by screening through mammography, including lobular breast cancer.On 4 February 2025, the Department announced that almost 700,000 women across the country will take part in a world-leading trial to test how cutting-edge artificial intelligence tools can be used to catch breast cancer cases earlier. The Early Detection using Information Technology in Health trial, also known as EDITH, is backed by £11 million of Government support via the NIHR.The NIHR continues to encourage and welcome funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including lobular breast cancer.

Whether he has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on the inclusion of bed bugs within the remit of Environmental Health England.

There have been no discussions between the Department of Health and Social Care and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on the inclusion of bedbugs within the remit of Environmental Health England.The Department of Health and Social Care does not have responsibility for reducing the spread of bedbugs. Further information on bedbugs is available at the following link:https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/bedbugs/

Whether he has had discussions with (a) Cabinet colleagues, (b) Genomics England, (c) UK Biobank and (d) NIHR BioResource on (i) BGI Group, (ii) MGI Tech and (iii) other state-linked genomics compa

Through the delivery of the UK Biological Security Strategy, the Government is committed to ensuring the United Kingdom is resilient to a spectrum of biological threats, as well as being a world leader in innovation. As part of this strategy, the Governme...

If he will exclude (a) BGI Group, (b) MGI Tech and (c) other state-linked genomics companies blacklisted by the United States from public sector health bodies.

The Government continues to review the evolving national security risks in the life sciences sector, including engaging with partners and allies, while ensuring that the United Kingdom is at the forefront of innovation.The Procurement Act will come into f...

Pursuant to the Answer of 31 October 2024 to Question 10931 on Audiology: Paediatrics, what recent assessment his Department has made of whether all providers of audiology services for children wil

NHS England issued a letter to all integrated care boards (ICBs) in August 2023 which included the recommendation that all trusts should be working towards the United Kingdom Accreditation Service’s (UKAS) Improving Quality in Physiological Services (IQIP...