Written questions by Robertson.

What objectives his Department has identified for its public engagement roadshow on the future of the NHS; and if he will make an assessment of the value for money provided by the programme.

The promise that the National Health Service will be there for you when you need it has been broken for too many people. That is why we have launched the biggest ever national conversation on the future of the NHS.Despite consensus from health experts and charities that we need to make three shifts, from hospital to community, analogue to digital, and sickness to prevention, to ensure that the NHS is fit for the future, this hasn't happened. We need to do things differently, and that is why instead of writing a plan in London and asking people what they think of it, we're starting by asking the public and staff what is most important to them. We want their fingerprints to be all over the 10-Year Health Plan, as we want them to feel the positive impact in their lives.To do this, we are running a series of regional deliberative events with the public and staff. Deliberative engagement is a widely respected methodology that involves communities in decision-making, to understand their needs and hopes for the services which affect their lives. The approach ensures we hear from a variety of perspectives and encourages free, fair, and open discussion.The events are being delivered within the Department's budget as part of its responsibility to promote the health and wellbeing of everyone in England. We are determined to do this in a way that gives everyone the chance to get involved, while also ensuring value for money. At this point in time, we are not able to provide accurate costs for the deliberative events, because they are still ongoing.Our engagement exercise will help us to develop the 10-Year Health Plan. We will work closely with charities and national organisations, health and care providers, local government, and others to help us do this. All the insight we receive, whether at an organisational or individual level, will be considered alongside a wide range of data points to shape the development of the plan.To support this work, we have also established 11 policy working groups which will consider the future vision for the NHS, and the areas of the NHS that will need to change to achieve this.

If she will launch a public consultation on the proposed changes to business property relief.

The Government published information about the reforms to business property relief at www.gov.uk/government/publications/agricultural-property-relief-and-business-property-relief-reforms. The Government will publish a technical consultation in early 2025. This will focus on the detailed application of the allowance to lifetime transfers into trusts and charges on trust property. This will inform the legislation to be included in a future Finance Bill.

What information his Department holds on the number of people employed by private ambulance services that have provided services to the NHS in the last 12 months.

The Department does not hold information on the number of people employed by private ambulance services.

What information his Department holds on the number of people employed by private ambulance services.

The Department does not hold information on the number of people employed by private ambulance services.

If he will take steps to ensure that medical treatment is only provided in appropriate medical settings.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is the independent regulator of health and social care provision in England.Providers carrying on regulated activities must provide information about the locations from which these regulated activities will be managed from or delivered at, when registering with the CQC. If agreed, these locations are subsequently listed on the providers certificate of registration as conditions of their registration. The CQC can act on any breach of information relating to a provider's registration.Any services, care or treatment being offered outside of the regulated activities would be beyond the CQC’s remit.

Whether his Department has had discussions with the Department for Education on (a) the impact of university debt on nursing degree graduates and (b) a student loan forgiveness model for those graduates.

The Department of Health and Social Care works closely with the Department for Education on a wide range of matters to ensure the education system is supporting healthcare students, while delivering value for money for taxpayers. Student funding arrangements are reviewed annually ahead of the start of each academic year. The Government currently has no plans to introduce a student loan forgiveness model for nursing degree graduates.

With reference to paragraph 2.40 of the Autumn Budget 2024, published on 30 October, whether he has made an estimate of the overall cost to GP practices of the proposed increase to employer National Insurance contributions.

We have taken necessary decisions to fix the foundations in the public finances at the Autumn Budget 2024, which enabled the Spending Review settlement of a £22.6 billion increase in resource spending for the Department from 2023/24 outturn to 2025/26. The employer National Insurance rise will be implemented in April 2025, and the Department will set out further details on the allocation of funding for next year at the earliest opportunity.Primary care providers, including general practice, dentistry, pharmacy, and eye care, are valued independent contractors who provide nearly £20 billion worth of services in the National Health Service. Every year we consult with each sector both about what services they provide, and the money providers are entitled to in return under their contract. As in previous years, this issue will be dealt with as part of that process.

Whether he has had recent discussions with (a) NHS England, (b) the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence and (c) the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency on access for patients to licensed treatments for Alzheimer's disease.

Ministers have had a number of recent discussions with the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), and NHS England, about patient access to new, licensed treatments for Alzheimer’s disease.Recommendations on whether new licensed medicines should be routinely funded by the National Health Service are made independently by the NICE on the basis of an assessment of their costs and benefits. The methods and processes that the NICE uses are internationally respected and have been developed through extensive engagement with academics, industry, patients, and clinicians, to ensure that they reflect best practice and societal preferences. The NHS in England is legally required to fund medicines recommended in a NICE appraisal, usually within three months of final guidance.The Dame Barbara Windsor Dementia Goals programme aims to speed up the development of new treatments for dementia and neurodegenerative conditions, and is working with the relevant partners to develop solutions around access for patients to licensed treatments for Alzheimer’s disease.

If he will hold discussions with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence on the potential merits of considering the potential impact of new treatments on caregivers when determining the cost-effectiveness of those treatments.

We have no plans to hold such discussions. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) develops its guidance independently and in line with its established methods and processes, which have been developed through extensive engagement with interested parties to ensure that they reflect best practice and societal preferences.In its evaluations of new medicines, the NICE considers National Health Service and publicly funded personal social services (PSS) costs and, when relevant, the health impact of treatments on carers. Any changes to the NICE’s methods to include a wider economic perspective to, for example, account for productivity benefits to carers, would be methodologically and ethically challenging and could have unintended consequences. There is a risk that such a change could result in fewer treatments being recommended for populations that are disproportionately older, economically inactive, or have greater care needs. It is crucial that the NICE’s methods remain fair, consistent, and provide the most health benefit for society.

If he will make an assessment of the potential merits of increasing the tidal stream ring-fence to £30m in Allocation Round 7 of the upcoming Contracts for Difference auction.

Six tidal stream projects were successful in Allocation Round 6, meaning that just over half of the world's tidal stream deployment is in UK waters. The Secretary of State is working with industry to accelerate ways the Contracts for Difference scheme can be expanded to deliver our 2030 clean power mission, and we will publish further information about the next Allocation Round in due course.

What discussions he has had with the tidal stream energy industry on how GB Energy can support that sector.

Six tidal stream projects were successful in Allocation Round 6, meaning that just over half of the world's tidal stream deployment is in UK waters. As Great British Energy will be operationally independent, it would not be for Ministers to engage specifically on what support may be provided to specific sectors. The Government believes that tidal stream power has a role to play as we work towards our Clean Power by 2030 Mission. Tidal energy projects continue to be eligible for a suite of research funding programmes, operated both by DESNZ centrally, and, by UK Research and Innovation.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of the removal of funding for children’s hospices.

We want a society where every person receives high-quality, compassionate care from diagnosis through to the end of life. Palliative care services are included in the list of services an integrated care board (ICB) must commission. NHS England has published statutory guidance and service specifications to support ICBs in this duty.2023/24 was the final year of the Children’s Hospice Grant. In 2024/25, however, NHS England provided an additional £25 million of funding for children and young people’s hospices, maintaining the level of grant funding from 2023/24. This funding was distributed, for the first time, via ICBs, in line with National Health Service devolution.We understand that, financially, times are difficult for many voluntary and charitable organisations, including children’s hospices, due to the increased cost of living. We want a society where these costs are manageable for both voluntary organisations, like hospices, and the people whom they serve.I recently met NHS England, Together for Short Lives, and one of the chairs of the Children Who Need Palliative Care All Party Parliamentary Group to discuss children’s palliative and end of life care, and this funding stream was discussed at length at that meeting.  NHS England is currently considering the future of this important funding stream beyond 2024/25.

If his Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of increasing funding for children’s hospices in line with (a) inflationary pressures and (b) operational costs in future financial years.

We want a society where every person receives high-quality, compassionate care from diagnosis through to the end of life. Palliative care services are included in the list of services an integrated care board (ICB) must commission. NHS England has published statutory guidance and service specifications to support ICBs in this duty.2023/24 was the final year of the Children’s Hospice Grant. In 2024/25, however, NHS England provided an additional £25 million of funding for children and young people’s hospices, maintaining the level of grant funding from 2023/24. This funding was distributed, for the first time, via ICBs, in line with National Health Service devolution.We understand that, financially, times are difficult for many voluntary and charitable organisations, including children’s hospices, due to the increased cost of living. We want a society where these costs are manageable for both voluntary organisations, like hospices, and the people whom they serve.I recently met NHS England, Together for Short Lives, and one of the chairs of the Children Who Need Palliative Care All Party Parliamentary Group to discuss children’s palliative and end of life care, and this funding stream was discussed at length at that meeting.  NHS England is currently considering the future of this important funding stream beyond 2024/25.

How many Integrated Care Systems do not have an open Women's Health Hub.

The Department has invested £25 million over 2023/24 and 2024/25 to support the establishment of at least one pilot women’s health hub in every integrated care system. The National Health Services’ Priorities and operational planning guidance 2024/25 asks integrated care boards (ICBs) to establish and develop at least one women’s health hub in every ICB by December 2024, working in partnership with local authorities.NHS England has asked the ICBs to report regularly on their progress in implementing the funding. As of September 2024, six of the 42 ICBs had not provided a recent update or had reported to NHS England that their women’s health hub was not yet open.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of extending eligibility for Pupil Premium Plus to (a) children who have not been looked after and (b) other children in kinship care.

The department is providing over £2.9 billion of pupil premium funding in 2024/25 to improve the educational outcomes of disadvantaged pupils in England.The criteria for pupil premium eligibility are:Pupils who are recorded as eligible for free school meals or who have been eligible in the past six years.Pupils who have been adopted from care or have left care.Children who are looked after by the local authority.The portion of funding for looked-after children and previously looked-after children is often referred to as pupil premium plus.Pupil premium is not a personal budget for individual pupils and schools do not have to spend this funding so that it solely benefits pupils who meet the funding criteria. Schools can direct spending where the need is greatest, including to pupils with other identified needs, such as children in kinship care. Schools can also use pupil premium on whole class approaches that will benefit all pupils such as, for example, on high quality teaching.The department will continue to keep eligibility under review to ensure that support is targeted at those who most need it.