Every parliamentary written question tabled by Rupert Lowe this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 141–160 of 276 · Department of Health and Social Care
What proportion of his Department's procurement contracts were awarded to British companies in the last financial year.
In the last financial year, 2024/25, 95.7% of procurement contracts were awarded to suppliers which reported to the Department that their legal entity is registered in the United Kingdom, in the UK Companies House Register.
Whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of sourcing British food for hospitals on levels of (a) hospital food quality and (b) patient recovery.
All National Health Service trusts are expected to follow NHS England’s guidance, National standards for healthcare food and drink, which is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/national-standards-for-healthcare-food-and-drink/The guidance promotes the use of healthier, seasonal, and locally sourced food that can cut emissions and the wider environmental impact related to agriculture, transport, storage, and waste across the supply chain and on the NHS estate, while also supporting the local economy.
What proportion of food served in NHS hospitals was sourced from British farms in the latest period for which data is available; and what steps he is taking to encourage NHS hospitals to buy food sourced from British farms.
All National Health Service trusts are expected to follow NHS England’s guidance, National standards for healthcare food and drink, which is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/national-standards-for-healthcare-food-and-drink/The guidance promotes the use of healthier, seasonal, and locally sourced food that can cut emissions and the wider environmental impact related to agriculture, transport, storage, and waste across the supply chain and on the NHS estate, while also supporting the local economy.
What discussions he has had with the NHS on increasing procurement from British food producers in its supply chain.
All National Health Service trusts are expected to follow NHS England’s guidance, National standards for healthcare food and drink, which is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/national-standards-for-healthcare-food-and-drink/The guidance promotes the use of healthier, seasonal, and locally sourced food that can cut emissions and the wider environmental impact related to agriculture, transport, storage, and waste across the supply chain and on the NHS estate, while also supporting the local economy.
Whether planned updates to hospital food standards will include a requirement to prioritise British sourcing.
All National Health Service trusts are expected to follow NHS England’s guidance, National standards for healthcare food and drink, which is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/national-standards-for-healthcare-food-and-drink/The guidance promotes the use of healthier, seasonal, and locally sourced food that can cut emissions and the wider environmental impact related to agriculture, transport, storage, and waste across the supply chain and on the NHS estate, while also supporting the local economy.
How many staff in his Department have permission to work remotely outside the UK; and in which countries those staff are based.
The Department approves temporary international remote working for staff to work remotely overseas for short defined periods of time where there is critical business need or unforeseen personal circumstances that require immediate attention outside of the United Kingdom. The Department approved 73 cases of international remote working for Department staff between 4 July 2024 and 4 July 2025. The destinations that we have approved for international remote working cases are as follows Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, India, Italy, Jamaica, Jordan, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Portugal, Republic of Ireland, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Trinidad and USA. The Department has no approved permanent postings outside of the UK.
How much his Department has spent on (a) social media promotions, (b) influencer marketing and (c) online advertising in the last 12 months.
Commercial sensitivities exist around aspects of this spend which could prejudice commercial interests. All spend in these areas are subject to the standard value for money assessments.
What the total value was of fraud detected across NHS procurement systems in each year since 2020.
The following table shows the value of the procurement fraud detected in the National Health Service in England for each of the last five years:YearProcurement fraud detected2020/21£9,100,0002021/22£9,300,0002022/23£3,200,0002023/24£5,800,0002024/25£3,000,000Source: the data is derived from the NHS related Consolidated Data Return. Notes:the table details the financial value of fraud detected in each financial year where the fraud area matches Cabinet Office fraud taxonomy where procurement is referenced; andfigures shown in this table are gross losses that do not include monies subsequently recovered as a result of loss recovery activity.
What the total value is of (a) unused and (b) expired PPE stock held by the NHS.
Data on personal protective equipment (PPE) items held in storage within individual National Health Service trusts is not held centrally. As of 16 June 2025, PPE items with a value of £24,496,465 are being held in storage by NHS Supply Chain for sale to NHS trusts. This stock is all in date. The programme to dispose of excess COVID-19 related PPE concluded in January 2025. Some excess stock was used to replenish the Department’s pandemic PPE stockpile, where possible and appropriate, based on anticipated PPE requirements during a pandemic. The value of in-date PPE held in the Department’s Pandemic Preparedness stockpile by NHS Supply Chain as of 16 June 2025 is £172,923,563. The value of expired PPE held in the Pandemic Preparedness stockpile is £12,514,945, pending replacement and disposal. Dynamic stockpiling will be the default for any new PPE we buy for the pandemic stockpile. Stockpiled PPE is being sold for use in the NHS wherever possible, before it expires. This represents better value for money by reducing costs for storage, procurement of new products, and disposal of expired products, as well as reducing waste.
How much their Department has spent on (a) translation and (b) interpretation for languages other than (i) British Sign Language and (ii) languages native to the UK for people contacting (A) their Department and (B) its agencies in 2025.
The Department’s expenditure with external suppliers of translation or interpretation services for the 2025 calendar year to date was £7,196, excluding British Sign Language expenditure. In addition, there was no expenditure for languages native to the United Kingdom. This was expenditure mainly for providing accessible, easy to understand versions of technical and legal documents for patients and the public, commissioned by different directorates within the Department.
What the cost to the NHS was of missed appointments in 2024.
The Department does not hold data on the overall cost to the National Health Service of missed appointments.
How many NHS appointments were missed in the last 12-months.
The Department does not hold data on the number of missed appointments across the whole National Health Service. In the year from April 2024 to March 2025, the latest provisional data indicates that there were 8.1 million outpatient appointments not attended by the patient, representing 5.6% of all appointments.
What proportion of NHS Trusts provide free parking to patients.
National Health Service trusts decide locally on whether they charge for parking on their sites. The published Estates Return Information Collection gives a breakdown of NHS trusts charging for hospital parking for patients and visitors combined.The latest figures from 2023/24 show that 34% of NHS trusts do not charge hospital car parking for patients and visitors. The data on this is collected in the Estates Return Information Collection (ERIC) and available at the following link:https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/estates-returns-information-collection/summary-page-and-dataset-for-eric-2023-24More widely, some patients already receive free hospital car parking as this is provided to those in ‘most need’. This is defined as frequent outpatient attenders, parents of children staying overnight, disabled blue badge holders and NHS staff working overnight. All NHS Trusts that charge for hospital car parking have implemented this commitment.
What steps he is taking to bring retired NHS staff back into service.
NHS England operates Return to Practice for Nurses, Midwives and Health and Care Professions Council professionals, which is for those wanting to return after their professional registration has lapsed. This includes retired National Health Service staff going back into service.NHS Pension Scheme rules have been changed over recent years to make returning to service and contributing extra hours more attractive.
What information his Department holds on the number and proportion of GP registrations made by people not born in the UK in the last five years, broken down by region.
The Department does not hold data regarding the number and proportion of National Health Service general practice registrations that were for people not born in the United Kingdom.
What information his Department holds on the number of births in NHS hospitals to mothers not born in the UK in 2023, broken down by the (a) region of the hospital and (b) mother's country of birth.
The Department does not hold data on the number of births in National Health Service hospitals to mothers not born in the United Kingdom.However, the Office for National Statistics publishes statistics on live births in England and Wales in 2023 by parent’s country of birth and area of usual residence. These statistics include live births to the 2.2% of women who did not give birth in an NHS hospital and instead gave birth at home, in a non-NHS establishment, or elsewhere, and are available at the following link:https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/livebirths/bulletins/parentscountryofbirthenglandandwales/2023
What estimate his Department has made of the number of individuals accessing NHS services who do not have lawful residency status in the UK; and whether such data is used to inform other estimates of immigration.
The Department does not hold or collect the information requested.
If they will make it their policy to not provide (a) translation and (b) interpretation for speakers of non-UK languages for services provided by their Department.
General Medical Council guidance states that all possible efforts must be made to ensure effective communication with patients. This includes arrangements to meet patients’ communication needs in languages other than English.Where language is a problem in discussing health matters, NHS England’s guidance stipulates that a professional interpreter should always be offered, rather than using family or friends to interpret. NHS England’s guidance for interpreting and translation services in primary care is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/guidance-for-commissioners-interpreting-and-translation-services-in-primary-care/Working with professional interpreters will:Ensure the accuracy and impartiality of the interpreting;minimise the legal risk of the misinterpretation of important clinical information, for example informed consent to undergo clinical treatments and procedures;minimise the safeguarding risk, for example for victims of human trafficking, where the trafficker may introduce themselves as a family member or friend, and speak on behalf of the patient;allow family members and friends to attend appointments and support the patient, emotionally and with decision-making, without the added pressure of needing to interpret; andfoster trust with the patient.
How many cases of communicable diseases were recorded in new arrivals to the UK in the last five years by visa status.
The UK Health Security Agency does not collect or hold data on communicable disease by visa status for new arrivals to the United Kingdom.Advice on communicable disease screening and vaccinations for new arrivals to the UK is available in the Migrant Health Guidance, published on the GOV.UK website, and available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/guidance/assessing-new-patients-from-overseas-migrant-health-guide
What proportion of new GP registrations were made by non-UK nationals in each of the last five years.
The Department does not hold data regarding the number and proportion of National Health Service general practitioner registrations that were for non-United Kingdom nationals.