Written questions by Tice.

Whether her Department is taking steps to review the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death process to speed up that process in (a) Boston and Skegness constituency and (b) the UK.

The Government is monitoring the impact of the death certification reforms, which came into legal effect on 9 September 2024, through the Death Certification Strategic Board and a cross-Government data strategy group. Since the introduction of the reforms, the median time taken to register a death appears to have risen by two days, from seven days to nine days. This figure is for all deaths, as it includes those certified by a doctor and those investigated by a coroner. Working with the Office for National Statistics, weekly data is now published on the time taken to register a death by region and also by setting. This is supporting NHS England and the Welsh administration to offer support and challenges.The median time taken to register a death varies depending on the type of certification. Deaths certified by a doctor, that comprise approximately 80% of deaths registered each week, have typically had a median time to registration of seven days, though there can be variation at a local level. It’s important to note that the medical examiner system was active on a non-statutory basis before the introduction of the statutory system on 9 September 2024, and this makes direct ‘before’ and ‘after’ comparisons challenging to draw conclusions from.The introduction of medical examiners is in part about making sure deaths are properly described and improving practice, but the impact on the bereaved is also central. The reforms aim to put the bereaved at the centre of the process, and the medical examiner’s office must offer a conversation with representatives of the deceased, so they can ask any questions they have about the death or raise any concerns. Ensuring the system is appropriately resourced and works for all those who interact with it is crucial, and something we will continue to monitor with NHS England.

What assessment he has made of the reasons for delays in emergency service response times in Boston and Skegness constituency; and what steps are being taken to improve response times.

Ambulance services in Boston and Skegness are provided by the East Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust, with responsibility for commissioning the services a matter for the local Lincolnshire Integrated Care Board. Any assessment of the specific local actions needed to improve response times should be undertaken and agreed locally by National Health Service organisations in the best interests of the local population and patients.At a national level, the Government and NHS England are committed to improving ambulance response times. The NHS 2025/26 priorities and operational planning guidance sets national priorities, which include improving accident and emergency waiting times and ambulance response times compared to 2024/25.

How many staff in his Department are responsible for (a) processing and (b) responding to Freedom of Information Act requests; and if he will make an estimate of the annual cost to the public purse of this work.

The Department has a central team with a headcount of 13.8 full-time equivalent (FTE) staff who are responsible for managing Freedom of Information (FOI) requests and related appeals work. FOIs can be requested for any part of the Department's work. As such, various members of staff in the Department may at some point be involved with responding to an FOI request.Most of these staff will carry out such work as part of their overall responsibilities. As such it is not feasible to determine, for the purposes of answering this question, precisely how many staff are responsible for processing and responding to FOI requests across the entire Department, or to provide estimates of the resulting costs.Information on FOI volume and performance by department is published by the Cabinet Office, and is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/government-foi-statistics

What plans he has for the future of Torbay Hospital.

My rt. Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, set out a credible and deliverable plan for the new hospital schemes in the New Hospital Programme (NHP) on 20 January 2025, following the conclusion of the review of the NHP. The Plan for Implementation is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/new-hospital-programme-review-outcome/new-hospital-programme-plan-for-implementationAs confirmed in this publication, the scheme for Torbay Hospital is now part of Wave 2 of the NHP. Pre-construction activity, namely business case development and critical enabling works, is expected to continue from 2030, and construction of the main hospital build to commence between 2032 and 2034.

How much his Department has spent on measures to achieve net zero targets in the last five years.

In the last five years, the Department has not provided ringfenced capital for the National Health Service’s Net Zero targets.Direct investment in the decarbonisation of NHS buildings and operations is primarily supported by external grant funding. For example, NHS trusts have secured over £1.2 billion for heat-decarbonisation projects under the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero’s Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme since 2020.The Department works with NHS England to ensure that NHS national programmes and day-to-day capital budgets support decarbonisation objectives where appropriate.We have also previously provided capital to improve trusts’ energy efficiency, with associated benefits for carbon reduction. For instance, in 2023/24 we worked with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero to invest £40 million in NHS light emitting diode lighting and solar projects through the NHS National Energy Efficiency Fund. The substantial savings from such investments can be directed into frontline services.

How many birth defects were reported among children born to couples who are first cousins in each of the last three years, broken down by the nationality of the parents.

The Government does not hold this data. We continue to work with the National Health Service as it delivers its three-year maternity and neonatal plan to grow our maternity workforce, develop a culture of safety, and ensure that women and babies receive s...

What information his Department holds on (a) the total cost of recruitment fees for employing overseas workers and (b) the average recruitment cost for each overseas employee incurred by NHS trusts

The information requested on the cost of recruitment fees, the average recruitment cost, and the cost of training for National Health Service staff recruited from overseas is not collected centrally.

What the cost to the public purse was of training NHS staff recruited from abroad in the last 12 months.

The information requested on the cost of recruitment fees, the average recruitment cost, and the cost of training for National Health Service staff recruited from overseas is not collected centrally.

How much (a) United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust and (b) Lincolnshire Community Health Services spent on (i) translation and (ii) interpretation services in each of the last five years.

The following table shows the amount of money United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust spent on translation and interpretation services each of the last five financial years:YearTotal spend2019/20£158,395.002020/21£127,235.962021/22£162,501.322022/23£204,008.6...

How many and what proportion of NHS staff are (a) qualified healthcare professionals and (b) administrative staff.

The following table shows the number and proportion of full time equivalent (FTE) staff employed by National Health Service trusts and integrated care boards in England, by broad staff groups, as of July 2024: Number, FTEProportionProfessionally Qualified...

What the cost to the public purse was of (a) training and (b) otherwise integrating NHS staff recruited from abroad in the last 12 months.

The information requested on the cost to the public purse for the training and integration of National Health Service staff recruited from abroad is not collected centrally.

How much and what proportion of NHS funding was spent on (a) administration and (b) patient care in the latest period for which data is available.

Patient care is too broad a category and could encompass a wide range of spending. We are unable to break this down as it stands. However, the total administration spend for NHS England and the integrated care boards is available on page 177 of NHS Englan...

What information his Department holds on the potential thyroid cancer risk from Mounjaro; when his Department received this information; whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency’s (MHRA) role is to continually monitor the safety of medicines during their use. We have robust, safety monitoring and surveillance systems in place for all healthcare products. New medicines such a...

If he will (a) increase funding for community pharmacies in Boston and Skegness constituency and (b) provide additional support to encourage such pharmacies to take on more responsibilities in (i)

The Government is committed to expanding the role of pharmacies and better utilising the skills of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians. That includes making prescribing part of the services delivered by community pharmacists, as we shift care from hospit...

What steps his Department is taking to ensure that all patients have access to face-to-face appointments with their GP.

We know that patients are finding it harder than ever to see a general practitioner (GP). Patients can’t get through the front door of the National Health Service, so they aren’t getting the timely care they need.We have pledged to guarantee a face-to-fac...