Written questions by Moon.

What steps his Department is taking to increase the numbers of walk-in consultation services at pharmacies.

Community pharmacies already provide a range of walk-in consultation services, including blood pressure checks, contraception consultations, and Pharmacy First. They also provide health advice and sell over the counter medicines for minor illnesses.The Government is committed to expanding the role of pharmacies and better utilising the skills of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians. For example, on 29 October the Pharmacy Contraception Service was expanded so that pharmacies can supply emergency contraception free of charge, to ensure women have access to a consistent offer across England.

What steps his Department is taking to improve outcomes for patients with coronary heart disease in Camborne and Redruth constituency.

To improve outcomes for patients with coronary heart disease, including those in the Camborne and Redruth constituency, the Government will publish a cardiovascular disease modern service framework. This will identify and set standards for the best evidenced interventions, drive innovation in cardiovascular disease prevention and management, and reduce unwarranted variation in healthcare.

Whether his Department is taking steps to help support pharmacies to increase their productivity.

The Department has recently implemented several reforms to help pharmacy contractors to improve dispensing efficiencies and productivity. Since January 2025, pharmacies have been allowed to dispense medicines in the original manufacturers package if the quantity in the package is 10% higher or lower than the quantity ordered on prescription. This removes the need to open and split the package in a pharmacy and increases the number of orders that can be processed through automated dispensing facilities. From 1 October 2025, pharmacies can make arrangements with a pharmacy owned by a different legal entity to undertake routine assembly of medicines on their behalf. This is known as hub and spoke arrangements and enables smaller pharmacies to utilise automated dispensing hubs to free up time for the pharmacist in the spoke pharmacy to focus on patient facing tasks.On 17 July, draft regulations were laid with the aim to modernise the rules concerning who must supervise the dispensing of medicines in pharmacies. The Government is working to make the National Patient Prescription Tracking Service available in each pharmacy to help patients track their prescriptions online through the NHS App. This will reduce the burden on busy general practitioners and pharmacy teams and will avoid patients queuing at a pharmacy only to find that their prescription is not ready. The Government has also launched a public consultation on giving pharmacists increased flexibilities to supply an alternative product against a prescription, if the prescribed item is not available.

What steps his Department is taking to improve outcomes for patients with (a) strokes and (b) transient ischaemic attacks in Camborne and Redruth constituency.

The National Health Service operates an Integrated Community Stroke Service at Camborne Redruth Community Hospital. This service provides specialist therapy, advice, and support for people, their families, and carers following stroke and transient ischaemic attack or mini stroke. To improve outcomes for patients with stroke and transient ischaemic attacks, the Government will publish a cardiovascular disease modern service framework. This will identify and set standards for the best evidenced interventions, drive innovation in stroke prevention and management, and reduce unwarranted variation in healthcare.

What steps his Department is taking to improve outcomes for patients with peripheral arterial disease in Camborne and Redruth constituency.

To improve outcomes for patients with coronary heart disease, including those in the Camborne and Redruth constituency, the Government will publish a cardiovascular disease modern service framework. This will identify and set standards for the best evidenced interventions, drive innovation in cardiovascular disease prevention and management, and reduce unwarranted variation in healthcare.

What steps his Department is taking to establish (a) accountability and (b) oversight mechanisms for the (i) storage and (ii) use of personal data under future digital identity card policies.

Inclusion, usefulness, and security are the principles guiding the new digital ID. The digital ID will draw on the best practice of cyber security from around the world and we have begun engagement with the UK’s leading security experts—including the National Cyber Security Centre. The digital ID programme will respect all existing UK laws, including GDPR, so that any data sharing is necessary for the purposes of the activity and only the minimum amount of data is shared. We will launch a full public consultation on all these proposals in the new year.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure that (a) consent for data sharing and (b) other privacy rights are upheld in the implementation of future digital identity card systems.

Inclusion, usefulness, and security are the principles guiding the new digital ID. The digital ID will draw on the best practice of cyber security from around the world and we have begun engagement with the UK’s leading security experts—including the National Cyber Security Centre. The digital ID programme will respect all existing UK laws, including GDPR, so that any data sharing is necessary for the purposes of the activity and only the minimum amount of data is shared. We will launch a full public consultation on all these proposals in the new year.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure that pay awards for NHS staff are reflected in general practice settings.

The Government looks to the independent pay review bodies for a pay recommendation for NHS staff, including both contractor and salaried general practitioners (GPs). They consider a range of evidence from organisations, including the Government, the National Health Service and trade unions to reach their recommendations.The independent review body on Doctors’ and Dentists’ Remuneration (DDRB) has recommended an uplift of 4% to the pay ranges for salaried GPs, and to GP contractor pay. As with last year, we accepted the DDRB’s pay recommendation. We have provided an increase to core funding for practices to allow this 4% pay uplift, on top of the provisional 2.8% uplift already provided, to be passed on to salaried and contractor GPs. The additional funding will also allow for pay uplifts for other salaried general practice staff. Information on the funding increase was communicated to practices on 31 July 2025. Further information is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/implementing-the-2025-26-gp-contract/The Government has written to GP Committee England to set out its expectations regarding the extra funding being used to fund uplifts for all staff and a letter to ICBs was published on 31 July, available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/financial-implications-and-actions-for-integrated-care-boards-icbs-following-the-mid-year-updates-to-the-2025-26-gp-contract/We expect GP contractors to implement pay rises to other practice staff in line with the uplift in funding they have received. As self-employed contractors to the NHS, it is up to general practices how they distribute pay and benefits to their staff.

What steps his Department is taking to improve managerial support for GPs.

Regarding the oversight of general practices (GPs), GPs are independent businesses, providing primary care services based on a National Health Service GP Contract to their local populations. Most commonly, GPs are run by GP partners who, alongside other GPs and healthcare staff, are responsible for running their own practice.NHS England has delegated its responsibilities for the direct commissioning of primary care services, for instance primary medical, dental, ophthalmic, and community pharmacy services, to integrated care boards (ICBs).The responsibilities delegated are set out in the standard delegation agreement between NHS England and each ICB. This includes contractual management and supporting the improvement and transformation of services. Further information on the delegation agreement is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/commissioning/publication/delegation-of-primary-medical-dental-ophthalmic-and-pharmaceutical-functions/#heading-1We are investing an additional £1.1 billion in general practice to reinforce the front door of the NHS, bringing total spend on the GP Contract to £13.4 billion in 2025/26. This 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 and reflects this government’s commitment to improve support for general practice and ease pressure on general practitioners.

Whether he plans to bring forward legislative proposals to allow pharmacies to independently proscribe medication.

There are no legislative barriers for pharmacists who are appropriately trained to independently prescribe. The 10-Year Health Plan set out how we will transition community pharmacy from being focused largely on dispensing medicines to becoming integral to the Neighbourhood Health Service, which will include making prescribing part of the National Health Services delivered by community pharmacists.Earlier this year, we laid legislation to modernise legislation governing the supervision of activities by a pharmacist in a pharmacy. This legislation, which will come into effect following a transition period, is intended to make greater use of the wider pharmacy workforce, such as registered pharmacy technicians, in dispensing therefore freeing up pharmacists to deliver more clinical services.

What steps his Department is taking to improve outcomes for patients with atrial fibrillation in Camborne and Redruth constituency.

The National Health Service in Cornwall has a comprehensive cardiovascular training programme in place for primary care staff. This is a key initiative to increase awareness of prevention, cause and management of stroke, atrial fibrillation, acute coronary syndromes and heart failure.The NHS locally report over nine in ten patients with atrial fibrillation in Camborne and Redruth are treated with anti-coagulants, with treatment rates having increased across Cornwall over the last three years with biggest increases in areas with highest deprivation.The NHS in Cornwall is also working to prevent, identify and treat linked conditions such as diabetes, alcohol dependency and high blood pressure and to support lifestyle changes that can improve atrial fibrillation symptoms, coronary heart disease, strokes and transient ischemic attacks as well as other cardiovascular conditions such as peripheral arterial disease.

With reference to the Engineering Recommendation G100: Technical Requirements for Customers’ Export and Import Limitation Schemes, published in July 2016, what steps she is taking to encourage District Network Operators to accept new EV charging technologies.

The Government is committed to enabling innovative electric vehicle (EV) charging technologies, including smart charging and vehicle-to-grid (V2G), to reduce energy bills and support the decarbonisation of our energy system. Engineering Recommendation G100 is the responsibility of the Distribution Network Operators (DNOs). It is regularly updated to facilitate connections, while ensuring they do not adversely impact on customers or the local electricity network. As set out in the Clean Flexibility Roadmap published in July 2025, Ofgem and DESNZ are considering with industry how to improve grid connection processes and technical interoperability for V2G to ensure they are fit for purpose. This includes working with DNOs in relation to the grid codes which set out the technical requirements for connecting V2G systems. More widely, Ofgem is working to improve the connections experience for all customers in its end to end review of connections.

If she will review the adequacy of fire safety guidance on installing EV chargers in car parks beneath blocks of flats.

The safety of electric vehicles (EV) and their charging is of paramount importance to the Government and is kept under regular review.All EV chargepoint installations are subject to regulations and electrical standards. In July 2023, the department published fire safety guidance for covered car parks, to support car park operators, designers, and owners when installing EV chargepoint infrastructure.

What proportion of the EV Infrastructure Grant has been (a) spent on and (b) allocated to external parking bays.

In 2025, £2.1 million has been spent on grants for parking bays to date. This represents 37 per cent of total spend on the Electric Vehicle Chargepoint Grant (EVCG) in 2025. These are estimated figures based on the proportion of parking bays and sockets funded.

What steps is he taking to ensure that charging meters in residential blocks that have been incorrectly classified as commercial are reclassified.

Electricity meters serving a premises used wholly or mainly as a private dwelling should be classified as domestic. If a person believes a meter has been incorrectly classified as commercial, they should raise it with the electricity supplier serving the premises, via the landlord if the contract with the supplier is with the landlord. Suppliers are obligated by Ofgem’s supply licence conditions to maintain accurate meter classifications.

What assessment she has made of the potential merits of improving access to low-interest loans for councils delivering affordable homes via the Public Works Loan Board.

The government recognises the vital role that local authorities play in delivering affordable homes. The Public Works Loan Board provides councils with cost-effective loans for investment and service delivery, including affordable housing. We will continue to ensure the PWLB continues to meet local authorities’ financial needs and long-term strategies.

Whether he plans to increase the number of defibrillators at (a) care homes, (b) sheltered housing and (c) warden controlled properties.

The provision of defibrillators is a matter for local communities, working in partnership with local organisations and charities.Decisions as to whether automated external defibrillators should be fitted is a matter for the owners of those properties, with regard to any legal requirements on the operation of those premises.

What steps his Department is taking to formalise alternative routes to smart export guarantee eligibility for renewable energy installations that are not certified under the microgeneration certification scheme.

The Smart Export Guarantee eligibility criteria are set out in legislation. This requires that an installation and installer are certified through the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) or a scheme accredited as equivalent. There are no plans to review this requirement. While such certification is required to access the SEG, suppliers may choose to and, in many cases, do offer export tariffs outside the SEG arrangements.

What plans he has to monitor the potential impact of the April 2025 Statutory Sick Pay reforms on low-paid workers.

There were no reforms to Statutory Sick Pay in April 2025 other than annual uprating. From April 2026, we will be removing the Lower Earnings Limit as an entitlement criterion for Statutory Sick Pay and removing the waiting period. This means Statutory Sick Pay will be payable to all employees regardless of their earnings from their first full working day of sickness absence. The Government is committed to conducting a post implementation review of the Statutory Sick Pay measures within five years of implementation, including the impact on those in low paid employment.

Whether the Government will consider introducing VAT relief on construction costs for sub-market housing developments.

VAT is a broad-based tax on consumption and the 20 per cent standard rate applies to most goods and services; this includes most construction works. Exceptions to the standard rate have always been limited and balanced against affordability considerations. To stimulate the construction of new homes, the Government currently maintains a zero rate of VAT on new-build residential buildings. Additionally, residential renovations are subject to a reduced rate of VAT of five per cent if they meet certain conditions. These include conversions of buildings from one residential use to another, conversions from commercial to residential use, and the renovation of properties that have been empty for two or more years. These reliefs apply to all residential buildings, including sub-market housing. To support the delivery of 1.5 million new homes over the course of this parliament, the Government has confirmed a new 10-year £39 billion Social and Affordable Homes Programme to kickstart social and affordable housebuilding at scale across the country. This is the biggest long-term investment in social and affordable housing in recent memory.