Written questions by Lowe.

What his Department's timetable is for the completion of the James Paget Hospital rebuild.

The pre-construction activity for the James Paget Hospital scheme, which includes business case development and critical enabling works, is ongoing, with construction of the main hospital build expected to commence in 2027/28 as part of Wave 1 of the New Hospital Programme (NHP).The expected completion dates for all schemes will be confirmed following the approval of a Full Business Case as set out in the HM Treasury Green Book and is usual for large infrastructure projects.We have made clear that we will expediate reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) schemes in the NHP, including James Paget Hospital. To support this approach, my Rt. Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, has commissioned an updated site by site report, due in summer 2025, to inform decisions on the delivery of the replacement hospitals. The site-by-site report on all seven RAAC hospitals will help inform individual development plans, which includes continued mitigation works as well as addressing the highest risk elements as early as possible through phasing of works. The report will be based on an up-to-date assessment of the safety of the hospital site now, and in future.

What the total cost for the storage of PPE related to Covid-19 was in 2024.

The cost of storing personal protective equipment (PPE) bought in response to the COVID-19 pandemic for the calendar year 2024 was approximately £60 million. The programme of work to reduce excess PPE stock has now concluded.

If he will publish the total cost to the public purse for the provision of diversity, equality and inclusion courses for staff in her Department in 2024.

In the 12 months from January 2024 to December 2024, the Department has not delivered any diversity, equality and inclusion (DEI) courses centrally. This refers to any courses where the training includes awareness of DEI as the main theme of the training.All Departmental staff are required to complete the ‘Civil Service Expectations’ mandatory learning that includes aspects of DEI and is delivered centrally through Civil Service Learning at no additional cost to the Department. Since May 2024, the department has aligned itself with the Civil Service Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Expenditure Guidance, which stipulates measures to enact greater control over DEI spend and activity across the Civil Service, providing assurance and alignment with Government priorities. The guidance is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-equality-diversity-and-inclusion-expenditure-guidance/civil-service-equality-diversity-and-inclusion-expenditure-guidance

Pursuant to the answer of 21 November 2024 to Question 14378 on NHS: Translation Services, what the (a) cost for translation of and (b) proportion of communications in each language was in e-Referral Service communication (i) calls and (ii) letters in 2024.

The information requested on spend on translation and interpretation services by National Health Service trusts is not held centrally, as data is held at integrated care board level.Across 2024, the Telephone Appointments Line team used third party translation services for 425 calls, or 0.04% of all answered calls. We are unable to provide a specific cost for this as it is delivered as part of the overall service specification for the provider. 101,431 letters, or 9.03% of all letters, were sent in a language other than English. There was no net cost for this as the translation had been paid for in previous years and the patients would have been sent a letter in English in the absence of a translated letter. The following table shows the total number of calls in a language other than English, what that language was, and the percentage it represents of all calls: TotalPercentage of total calls using language support in specified languageAlbanian30.71%Amharic10.24%Arabic6916.24%Bengali348.00%Bulgarian92.12%Cantonese51.18%Czech20.47%Dari30.71%Farsi204.71%French30.71%Gujarati20.47%Greek20.47%Hungarian61.41%Hindi81.88%Italian40.94%Kurmanji10.24%Lithuanian20.47%Mandarin51.18%Pashto102.35%Polish204.71%Portuguese153.53%Punjabi214.94%Portuguese Br.10.24%Romanian6014.12%Russian51.18%Somali51.18%Sorani266.12%Slovak51.18%Spanish112.59%Sylheti92.12%Tigrigna20.47%Turkish214.94%Ukrainian71.65%Urdu286.59%Total425 Total calls105,49420.04% of total calls used language support In addition, the following table shows the total number of letters in a language other than English, what that language was, and the percentage it represents of all letters: TotalPercentage of total letters sent in specified languageAlbanian1,7001.68%Arabian7,1897.09%Bengali9,0698.94%Chinese6520.64%French1,9171.89%Greek9350.92%Gujarati3,2073.16%Hindi1,9431.92%Hungarian9790.97%Italian1,9611.93%Kurdish2,2182.19%Lithuanian1,3471.33%Persian2,3802.35%Polish8,4138.29%Portuguese3,5383.49%Punjabi5,7605.68%Romanian5,4275.35%Russian1,7791.75%Slovak1,6801.66%Somali2,7872.75%Spanish3,4813.43%Tamil2,5432.51%Turkish3,9443.89%Urdu14,87614.67%Wolof260.03%Other languages11,68011.52%Total translated101,431 Total letters1,123,8299.03% of total letters sent were translatedSource: NHS England

How much was spent on (a) translation and (b) interpretation by (i) NHS Trusts, (ii) James Paget University Hospitals Trust and (iii) the Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust in 2024.

The information requested on spend on translation and interpretation services by National Health Service trusts is not held centrally, as data is held at integrated care board level.Across 2024, the Telephone Appointments Line team used third party translation services for 425 calls, or 0.04% of all answered calls. We are unable to provide a specific cost for this as it is delivered as part of the overall service specification for the provider. 101,431 letters, or 9.03% of all letters, were sent in a language other than English. There was no net cost for this as the translation had been paid for in previous years and the patients would have been sent a letter in English in the absence of a translated letter. The following table shows the total number of calls in a language other than English, what that language was, and the percentage it represents of all calls: TotalPercentage of total calls using language support in specified languageAlbanian30.71%Amharic10.24%Arabic6916.24%Bengali348.00%Bulgarian92.12%Cantonese51.18%Czech20.47%Dari30.71%Farsi204.71%French30.71%Gujarati20.47%Greek20.47%Hungarian61.41%Hindi81.88%Italian40.94%Kurmanji10.24%Lithuanian20.47%Mandarin51.18%Pashto102.35%Polish204.71%Portuguese153.53%Punjabi214.94%Portuguese Br.10.24%Romanian6014.12%Russian51.18%Somali51.18%Sorani266.12%Slovak51.18%Spanish112.59%Sylheti92.12%Tigrigna20.47%Turkish214.94%Ukrainian71.65%Urdu286.59%Total425 Total calls105,49420.04% of total calls used language support In addition, the following table shows the total number of letters in a language other than English, what that language was, and the percentage it represents of all letters: TotalPercentage of total letters sent in specified languageAlbanian1,7001.68%Arabian7,1897.09%Bengali9,0698.94%Chinese6520.64%French1,9171.89%Greek9350.92%Gujarati3,2073.16%Hindi1,9431.92%Hungarian9790.97%Italian1,9611.93%Kurdish2,2182.19%Lithuanian1,3471.33%Persian2,3802.35%Polish8,4138.29%Portuguese3,5383.49%Punjabi5,7605.68%Romanian5,4275.35%Russian1,7791.75%Slovak1,6801.66%Somali2,7872.75%Spanish3,4813.43%Tamil2,5432.51%Turkish3,9443.89%Urdu14,87614.67%Wolof260.03%Other languages11,68011.52%Total translated101,431 Total letters1,123,8299.03% of total letters sent were translatedSource: NHS England

How much was spent on (a) translation and (b) interpretation on the 111 NHS contact number in 2024.

The NHS 111 service is nationally specified and locally commissioned. Each NHS 111 provider is responsible for procuring language interpretation services. The only centrally procured interpreting service is British Sign Language, as this is a seperate video relay channel not linked to the NHS 111 voice numberNHS England does not hold information relating to the cost of locally procured language interpretation services.

How much his Department spent on (a) external tenders and (b) contracts for (i) translation and (ii) interpretation services in the NHS in 2024.

The Department’s expenditure with external suppliers of translation or interpretation services in the 2024 calendar year was £16,833. This was mainly for providing accessible, easy to understand versions of technical and legal documents for patients and the public.

How many posts there are in the NHS Muslim Network; what the job titles are of those posts; and what their cost to the public purse was in the last financial year.

The NHS Muslim Network is a voluntary staff network, so there are no paid roles. National Health Service staff networks can be an important mechanism of staff support, and help to shape organisational culture within the NHS, to create a fair and inclusive work environment.

What estimate he has made of the cost to his Department of the proposed increase in employer National Insurance contributions for financial year 2025-26.

We have taken necessary decisions to fix the foundations in the public finances at 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 from April 2025. The Government will provide support for departments and other public sector employers for additional Employer National Insurance Contributions costs only. This funding will be allocated to departments in the usual way, in line with the approach taken under the previous Government’s Health and Social Care Levy.

Whether his Department has allocated funding for victims of grooming gangs.

NHS England and the police and crime commissioners jointly commission 48 sexual assault referral centres (SARCs) for victims of sexual assault and abuse. SARCs provide crisis care, medical and forensic examinations, emergency contraception, and testing for sexually transmitted infections. They can also arrange access to an independent sexual assault advisor, as well as referrals to mental health support services.NHS England has established local pathfinder projects for enhanced trauma-informed mental health support for sexual abuse victims and survivors with the most complex needs. There is now dedicated enhanced mental health support in five of the seven commissioning regions. The final two regions are considering delivery model options.

What role NHS Trusts have in (a) identifying and (b) reporting suspected incidences of child grooming by organised gangs.

Every National Health Service trust has a contractual obligation to adhere to the NHS Safeguarding Accountability and Assurance Framework 2024, which includes the protection of children from abuse, harm, or violence.In addition, every registered health professional working across the NHS has a professional duty of care to protect children from abuse, harm, or violence.The data on reported grooming by gangs is not captured by NHS England but would be held confidentially between each NHS trust and the local police.

If he will make an assessment of the potential merits of conducting a study of the impact of rape gang grooming on the long-term (a) physical and (b) mental health of victims.

We know that children who experience violence or abuse can suffer from a range of physical and mental health issues over the course of their lifetime, and some may go on to become perpetrators themselves.The Department funds research on health and social care through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). It funds a range of research related to the health and social care needs of survivors of sexual violence and abuse. It also funds the infrastructure of the James Lind Alliance. The alliance works with survivors of sexual abuse as well as health and social care professionals to identify urgent research priorities in the area. The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of health and care, including the impact of grooming and sexual exploitation.

How many and what proportion of officials in his Department were hired via positive action schemes in the last financial year.

All Civil Service departments work within the Recruitment Principles, as regulated by the Civil Service Commission, to recruit using a fair and open process and appoint on merit. Departments will only limit a campaign to a specific group as a form of posi...

If will make an assessment of the potential merits of conducting a review into the funding of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency.

There is currently no planned review of the funding of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).The MHRA is funded predominately by charging fees to industry, for the services it delivers, with additional funding being provided by th...

What the cost to the public purse is of Change NHS.

The public and staff must be at the centre of the development of the plan to make the National Health Service fit for the future, so it makes a positive impact on their day-to-day lives. That is why we are running a series of in-depth deliberative events ...

If he will make an estimate of the costs to the NHS of treating birth defects resulting from cousin marriage in each of the past ten years.

The Government has not carried out an assessment of the costs to the National Health Service of treating birth defects resulting from cousin marriage.We will continue to work with the NHS as it delivers its three-year maternity and neonatal plan to grow o...

How many under 18 year olds have undergone gender reassignment surgery in each of the last ten years.

No individual under 18 years of age has received surgical intervention for gender dysphoria through commissioning arrangements put in place by the National Health Service in England.

If he will make an assessment of the cost effectiveness of the covid-19 vaccine booster programme, in the context of the findings on the impact of vaccination take-up in care homes on resident mort

The Government is committed to protecting those most vulnerable to COVID-19 through vaccination, as guided by the independent Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI). The JCVI considers the cost effectiveness of immunisation strategies, alo...

If he will make an assessment of the benefits of a review of the cost effectiveness of the care home vaccine mandate during COVID.

There are no plans to carry out such an assessment.

Which external companies are contracted by the NHS to provide training for staff.

This information is not held centrally by the Department or NHS England. Each National Health Service organisation, including NHS trusts and NHS foundation trusts, appoint their own suppliers for staff training purposes as required. There are several publ...