Written questions by Fox.

Pursuant to the answer of 11 September 2025 to Question 74930 on Midwives: Recruitment and Training, if he can outlines measures his Department is taking to increase the number of jobs available for newly qualified midwives.

On 11 August 2025, the Government announced the Graduate Guarantee for nurses and midwives. The Graduate Guarantee will ensure that there are enough positions this year for every newly qualified midwife in England. Vacant maternity support worker posts will be temporarily converted to Band 5 midwifery roles, backed by £8 million to create new opportunities specifically for newly qualified midwives and to further ease the recruitment strain.Furthermore, the Government is committed to publishing a 10 Year Workforce Plan to set out action to create a workforce ready to deliver the transformed service set out in the 10-Year Health Plan.The 10 Year Workforce Plan will ensure the National Health Service has the right people in the right places, with the right skills to care for patients, when they need it.

If his Department has carried out an assessment of the potential merits of providing childcare support for midwives in training.

The Department for Education provides the primary funding support package for English domiciled students in higher education through the student loans system. Eligible students can also apply for the Childcare Grant and Parents’ Learning Allowance.The Department of Health and Social Care provides eligible healthcare students, including midwifery students, with supplementary, non-repayable support via the NHS Learning Support Fund. This includes a non-repayable grant of £5,000 per academic year and, for eligible students with childcare responsibilities, an additional £2,000 per academic year for parental support. These funding arrangements are reviewed ahead of the start of each academic year.Midwifery apprentices can access childcare support schemes available to working parents, subject to meeting the eligibility criteria.

What discussions he has had on the future role of Nursing Associates within the NHS.

The Secretary of State has not had any discussions on the future role of Nursing Associates specifically. The Government is committed to publishing a 10-Year Workforce Plan which will create a workforce ready to deliver the transformed service set out in the 10-Year Health Plan. We are working through how the Plan will articulate the changes for different professional groups.

Pursuant to the Answer of 14 October 2024 to Question 6874 on Brain: Diseases, whether his Department plans to update the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance on the recognition and referral of suspected neurological conditions.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is an independent body and is responsible for making decisions on whether its published guidelines should be updated in light of new evidence or emerging issues not in the scope of the original guideline.NICE has no plans to review or update its guideline on Suspected neurological conditions: recognition and referral, code NG127, at this time.NICE maintains surveillance of new evidence that may affect its published guidance and would consult on any proposed changes with a wide range of stakeholders if significant new evidence was to emerge.

Whether his Department plans to continue funding for Nursing Associate Apprenticeships.

There are currently no plans to change NHS England's existing funding arrangements for nursing associate apprenticeships.The Apprenticeship Levy, which is managed by the Department for Work and Pensions, is also used to fund nursing associate apprenticeships in the National Health Service. Employers with an annual pay bill of over £3 million contribute 0.5% of their payroll to the Apprenticeship Levy to fund and expand apprenticeship opportunities across the country, including for nursing associates.

Pursuant to the Answer of 14 October 2024 to Question 6874 on Brain: Diseases, when the neurology transformation programme will come into effect for patients currently receiving neurological treatment in hospitals outside of their home region.

NHS England has established a Neurology Transformation Programme, a multi-year, clinically led programme, which has developed a new model of integrated care to support integrated care boards (ICBs) to deliver the right service, at the right time for all neurology patients. This programme is underway now and is due to conclude in March 2026.The Neurology Transformation Programme focuses on providing access equitably across the country, care as close to home as possible, and early intervention to prevent illness and deterioration in patients with long-term neurological conditions. A toolkit is being developed to support ICBs to understand and implement this new model, which will include components on delivering acute neurology services, improving health equity in neurology, and improving community neurology services.NHS England Specialised Commissioning published a revised National Neurology Service Specification in August 2025, which provides a detailed description of how patients can access specialised neurology care equitably wherever they are in England, particularly for specialised services that are not available in every part of the country.There are currently no plans to develop a neurology-specific implementation plan to support the 10-Year Health Plan, although potential conditions and topics for the new modern service frameworks will be kept under review following the development of the first tranche of three referenced in the 10-Year Health Plan.

What proportion of staff in his Department did not meet the minimum office attendance target in the latest period for which data is available; and what sanctions his Department issues to staff who do not meet this target.

On 24 October 2024, the Cabinet Office announced that 60% minimum office attendance for most staff continues to be the best balance of working for the Civil Service. Senior managers will continue to be expected to be in the office more than 60% of the time.If people do not meet that reasonable expectation, as with any management instruction, it will be dealt with via existing performance management processes and ultimately with disciplinary action should there be sustained failure to comply.Data on office attendance is published on the Government website and is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-hq-occupancy-data

What proportion of staff in his Department have flexible working arrangements; and how many of those work compressed hours.

The information is not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.The Department is committed to delivering its business effectively and sustainably, by creating workplaces that enable smart, flexible and hybrid working. Flexible working is a broad category which refers to any type of working arrangement that gives some degree of flexibility around how long, where or when an individual works.Individuals can request informal arrangements which, if implemented, would have no impact on an employee's pay or other terms and conditions, or as a formal request. Compressed hours, for example, may be an ad hoc arrangement that doesn’t involve a contractual change to the employee's daily working hours, or a formal arrangement. Both formal and informal arrangements are agreed between the employee and line manager, and therefore there is not a central record of all the arrangements that exist. There would be disproportionate cost involved in reviewing all employee files and collating information on all informal and formal flexible working arrangements, including compressed hours.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of acceptation of the recommendations of the Leng review on the number of (a) Physicians Associates and (b) Anaesthesia Associates.

The principal question of the Leng Review was to assess whether the roles of physician associates and anaesthesia associates, now to be known as physician assistants and physician assistants in anaesthesia, are safe and effective. The review’s findings were clear that, with changes in line with its recommendations, there remains a place for these roles to continue as supportive, complementary members of medical teams. While decisions about recruitment are a matter for individual National Health Service employers at a local level, physician assistants and physician assistants in anaesthesia will continue to play an important role in the NHS. Our forthcoming 10 Year Workforce Plan will look at how to get the right people, in the right places, with the right skills to deliver the best care, and we will consider the findings of the Leng Review when developing the plan.

Whether the future role of Physician Associates and Anaesthesia Associates has been within the scope of discussions (a) he and (b) his Department have had with the British Medical Association in relation to potential strike action.

My rt. Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, and Departmental officials regularly discuss a wide range of matters with the British Medical Association (BMA) in relation to the working conditions of doctors and specifically in relation to the current dispute with the Resident Doctors Committee. The BMA has raised the issue of the differential in starting salaries between some resident doctors and physician associates and anaesthesia associates both in discussions and publicly.

Whether his Department is taking steps to ensure that newly qualified nursing associates are (a) guaranteed appropriate Band 4 roles and (b) are not left without employment opportunities after completing their training.

Decisions on the availability of job opportunities for newly qualified nursing associates and other healthcare professionals trained in the United Kingdom are a matter for individual National Health Service trusts. NHS trusts manage their recruitment at a local level, ensuring they have the right number of staff in place, with the right skill mix, to deliver safe and effective care.We will publish a refreshed workforce plan to deliver the transformed health service we will build over the next decade, and treat patients on time again.

If he will make it his policy to introduce (a) clear and (b) nationally-recognised progression pathways for nursing associates for (i) leadership, (ii) specialist and (iii) educational roles beyond top-up registered nurse training.

The Government is committed to supporting flexible progression opportunities to ensure that nursing associates (NAs) can grow their careers across the National Health Service. NAs are trained to work across a range of health and care settings. Once qualified, NAs are supported to continue to build their skills and knowledge within their chosen specialist area. Besides the opportunity to complete a shortened nursing degree or nursing degree apprenticeship, NHS England funds a range of post-registration education programmes, including leadership development.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure that NHS nursing associates are (a) recognised for their work, (b) protected from role misuse and (c) supported within their defined scope of practice.

Employers across the National Health Service are best placed to identify, recognise, and reward staff for excellence in the delivery of healthcare. In October 2023, NHS England published their Staff Recognition Framework. This provides ideas and guidance for organisations to inform their own strategies and approaches to recognising the work of staff. The Staff Recognition Framework is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/staff-recognition-framework/The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) is the independent regulator of nurses and midwives in the United Kingdom, and nursing associates in England. The NMC has published standards of proficiency for nursing associates, which set out the knowledge and skills that nursing associates need to meet in order to be considered by the NMC as capable of safe and effective nursing associate practice. Further information on the standards of proficiency is available at the following link:https://www.nmc.org.uk/standards/standards-for-nursing-associates/standards-of-proficiency-for-nursing-associates/In addition, the NMC’s Code sets out the professional standards that all NMC registrants must uphold in order to be registered to practise in the United Kingdom.Nursing associates can expand their knowledge and skills with the right training and governance. This must be coupled with appropriate local governance arrangements to ensure healthcare professionals only carry out tasks that they have received the necessary training to perform.

Whether there are any requirements for civil servants to book a desk in advance in order to attend the office in person in each of (a) their Department's office workplaces and (b) the arm’s length bodies of their Department.

Desk booking is used at the Department’s offices but is not required for office attendance. There are workspaces which do not require booking.Desk booking is required at certain Arm’s Length Bodies’ workplaces. Employees are asked to book desks prior to attending the office at the UK Health Security Agency, the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority, the Human Tissue Authority, the Care Quality Commission, the NHS Counter Fraud Authority, and the Health Research Authority.Desk booking is not required at the offices of NHS England, NHS Resolution, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, and NHS Blood and Transplant. Desk booking at the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency and the NHS Business Services Authority is required at some of their offices.

Whether his Department is taking steps to decrease the amount of time it takes for a repurposed medicine to be granted an MHRA licence.

The Medicines and products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) reviews the efficacy, safety and quality of a repurposed medicine in a similar way to other medicinal applications. This review is part of the activities which MHRA contributes to under the Medicines Repurposing Programme. Once sufficient evidence is available, MHRA will consider the applications within the statutory timelines which can be expedited if company dossiers contain all required information. Timelines for assessment vary and depend on the nature of the application. MHRA continuously reviews processes for the assessment of applications to determine whether any efficiencies and improved timelines are feasible.

What the average length of time has been for a repurposed medicine to be granted an MHRA licence from the point of application in the last two years.

In the last two years, there has been one medicine to date, namely Anastrozole, coming through the Repurposed Medicines Programme, with more information available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/medicines-2/medicines-repurposing-programme/As only one medicine has been through the Repurposed Medicines programme so far, there is no meaningful 'average time' at this point, but the review times are being monitored.

How many repurposed medicines have successfully been granted MHRA licences in the last two years.

In the last two years, there has been one medicine to date, namely Anastrozole, coming through the Repurposed Medicines Programme, with more information available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/medicines-2/medicines-repurposing-programme/As only one medicine has been through the Repurposed Medicines programme so far, there is no meaningful 'average time' at this point, but the review times are being monitored.

If he will publish the minutes from the recent Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition horizon scan meeting of 9 October 2024 on ultra-processed foods.

United Kingdom dietary recommendations are based on independent advice from the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN). The SACN publishes minutes for all its meetings on its GOV.UK webpages.On 9 October 2024, the SACN held a horizon scan meeting, at which the committee discussed the topic of processed foods and health. Papers for these meetings are available on the SACN webpage, at the following link:https://app.box.com/s/yuxmdx4jfxmgxycjj08mc5hw51plu942Draft minutes of this meeting will be published on the SACN webpage early in 2025. The SACN webpage is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/scientific-advisory-committee-on-nutrition#sacn-meetingsThe SACN is planning to publish an update review on processed foods and health in 2025.

What discussions the recent UK Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition meeting had on (a) ultra-processed foods and (b) future policies to reduce consumption of those foods.

Dietary recommendations for the United Kingdom are based on independent advice from the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN).In July 2023, the SACN published a position statement on processed foods and health, summarising a scoping review of the evidence on food processing and health. The SACN concluded that observed associations between ultra-processed foods and health are concerning, but it is unclear whether these foods are inherently unhealthy due to processing or due to their nutritional content. Given the SACN’s concerns, the committee agreed to consider the issue again at its horizon scan in October 2024. At the meeting, the SACN considered a draft update review on this topic which considers more recently published evidence. It also considered the draft update review at its meeting in November 2024. Papers for these meetings are available on the SACN’s webpages. The SACN is planning to publish the update review on processed foods in 2025.The SACN has only a dietary risk assessment remit. The SACN is not involved in policy development, and therefore has not had discussions on policies to reduce consumption of processed foods.

Whether his Department has taken recent steps to reform the fixed recoverable costs for lower-value clinical negligence claims.

Currently, the Government is considering the way forward on a wide range of matters, including clinical negligence costs reform, and we will announce our position in due course.