Written questions by Ribeiro-Addy.

What discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on tackling racial disparities in maternity care in the UK.

Officials in the Office for Equality and Opportunity and the Department of Health and Social Care are working collaboratively to tackle this issue. The government is clear there is a need to reform maternity and neonatal care to tackle the systemic issues that entrench inequalities and contribute to poor care for women and babies. This is why a key area of focus for the National Maternity Investigation will be addressing the devastating inequalities that women from Black, Asian and deprived backgrounds face. On 28 August the Office for Equality and Opportunity published research into the drivers of confidence in maternal care services in England to gain evidence from ethnic minority women on their experiences of using maternal care services. This can be found on https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/confidence-in-maternity-care-services-engagement-with-ethnic-minority-women-and-maternity-staff

What steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to ensure that women's health is included in the Government's approach to prevention across the NHS.

The Ministers for Women and Equalities work closely with colleagues from DHSC on a number of areas to improve women’s health, as we put women’s equality at the heart of our missions. Through our 10 Year Health Plan, we are delivering our manifesto commitment that never again will women’s health be neglected, and we set out how the NHS will meet the health needs of women. This includes turning the commitments in the existing Women's Health Strategy into tangible action, such as taking urgent action to tackle gynaecology waiting lists through the Elective Reform Plan and setting out how we will eliminate cervical cancer by 2040 through the new cervical cancer plan.

What discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on reducing waiting times for gynaecology services.

The Ministers for Women and Equalities work closely with colleagues from DHSC on a number of areas to improve women’s health, as we put women’s equality at the heart of our missions. Through our 10 Year Health Plan, we are delivering our manifesto commitment that never again will women’s health be neglected, and we set out how the NHS will meet the health needs of women. This includes turning the commitments in the existing Women's Health Strategy into tangible action, such as taking urgent action to tackle gynaecology waiting lists through the Elective Reform Plan and setting out how we will eliminate cervical cancer by 2040 through the new cervical cancer plan.

What steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to ensure climate adaptation plans are in place across all sectors to prevent adverse impacts on (a) women’s health and (b) pregnancy outcomes.

Under the UK Climate Change Act 2008, the Government produces a UK Climate Change Risk Assessment every five years, followed by a National Adaptation Programme, setting out actions by relevant government departments to address the risks identified in the latest risk assessment. The third National Adaptation Programme, published in 2023, outlines the policies and actions that departments are taking to manage climate impacts on a range of sectors, including health outcomes. Amplifying the voices of those whose views are often most marginalised, empowering them as decision-makers, advocates and leaders, is critical for an effective climate and nature response. Climate change mitigation, adaptation and environmental protection also provide opportunities for equality and empowerment. To tackle climate change effectively, in the UK and around the world, it is vital to address gendered inequalities in the distribution of resources and to promote rapid gains in women’s economic empowerment.

Whether it is NHS policy to carry out an inquest if a patient dies within 48 hours of being admitted to hospital.

Inquests are not NHS policy but are instead a matter for coroners. All deaths in England (and Wales) that are not referred to a coroner are considered by an independent Medical Examiner. Where there are any concerns about healthcare provided to the deceased in the run up to the death, Medical Examiners can refer the case for further consideration via local clinical governance processes. The NHS’ approach to Learning from Deaths is set out in the National Guidance on Learning from Deaths. This is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/national-guidance-on-learning-from-deaths/.

Whether she plans to review the housing benefits earnings disregard threshold for individuals in supported accommodation.

The department does not routinely collect management information on reports of customers limiting working hours or turning down employment opportunities but we do have anecdotal evidence of this occurring. This is why it remains the department’s priority to ensure that those who can work are supported to enter the labour market and to sustain employment. The department acknowledges there is a challenge presented by the interaction between Universal Credit and Housing Benefit for those residing in Supported and Temporary Accommodation and receiving their housing support through Housing Benefit. The department is considering the issue carefully in partnership with stakeholders and other government departments. As funding is required to allow a change, any future decisions will take account of the current fiscal context.

What discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on aligning the Housing Benefit taper rate with the Universal Credit taper rate for young people in supported accommodation.

The department does not routinely collect management information on reports of customers limiting working hours or turning down employment opportunities but we do have anecdotal evidence of this occurring. This is why it remains the department’s priority to ensure that those who can work are supported to enter the labour market and to sustain employment. The department acknowledges there is a challenge presented by the interaction between Universal Credit and Housing Benefit for those residing in Supported and Temporary Accommodation and receiving their housing support through Housing Benefit. The department is considering the issue carefully in partnership with stakeholders and other government departments. As funding is required to allow a change, any future decisions will take account of the current fiscal context.

What steps she is taking to help ensure that children evacuated from Gaza for medical treatment are accompanied by appropriate family members.

The Prime Minister announced at the end of July that the UK will medically evacuate Gazan children for treatment in the UK. A cross-government taskforce is working urgently to get some of these sick and injured children out of Gaza, so that they can receive specialist treatment in NHS hospitals across the UK.At this time, we cannot comment on expected numbers as there is no set figure for the total number of children that will receive treatment over the lifetime of HMG Gaza Medevac.All children will be accompanied by their immediate family. This means parents, and any siblings under the age of 18, who will be subject to standard security screening before travel. Those brought to the UK will be granted leave to stay for up to two years with the ability to access public funds, including treatment and wraparound support in the UK, this is irrespective of how long their treatment lasts. If individuals wish to remain beyond the initial two years, they can apply for further permission to stay under existing routes within the Immigration Rules.

How many patients with (a) leukaemia and lymphoma, (b) myeloma, (c) other cancers, (d) myelodysplastic syndromes, (e) aplastic anemia, (f) thalassemia, (g) bleeding disorders and (h) other conditions which require regular blood transfusions have developed haemolysis due to receiving a blood transfusion with unmatched blood in the last 12 months.

Serious Hazards of Transfusion (SHOT) is the United Kingdom’s independent, professionally led haemovigilance scheme. SHOT collects and analyses information on adverse events and reactions in blood transfusion from all healthcare organisations that are involved in the transfusion of blood components and specific blood products in the United Kingdom. Further information on SHOT is available at the following link:https://www.shotuk.org/The latest data available on haemolytic transfusion reactions was published in the Annual SHOT Report 2024. The report reviews reactions reported to SHOT from January to December 2024, and is available at the following link:https://www.shotuk.org/shot-reports/annual-shot-report-2024/#annual-shotOver the year, based on the available data, a total of 51 haemolytic transfusion reactions were reported. No errors were reported during the provision of blood components, meaning in all cases blood was appropriately matched, including safe substitutions where necessary, according to the patient requirements and clinical situation, as per British Society for Haematology’s guidelines, which are available at the following link:https://b-s-h.org.uk/guidelines/guidelines

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of increasing the number of critically injured Palestinian children that are permitted into the UK for life-saving medical treatment.

The Prime Minister announced at the end of July that the UK will medically evacuate Gazan children for treatment in the UK. A cross-government taskforce is working urgently to get some of these sick and injured children out of Gaza, so that they can receive specialist treatment in NHS hospitals across the UK.At this time, we cannot comment on expected numbers as there is no set figure for the total number of children that will receive treatment over the lifetime of HMG Gaza Medevac.All children will be accompanied by their immediate family. This means parents, and any siblings under the age of 18, who will be subject to standard security screening before travel. Those brought to the UK will be granted leave to stay for up to two years with the ability to access public funds, including treatment and wraparound support in the UK, this is irrespective of how long their treatment lasts. If individuals wish to remain beyond the initial two years, they can apply for further permission to stay under existing routes within the Immigration Rules.

What recent estimate her Department has made of the number of young people in supported accommodation who have (a) reduced working hours and (b) turned down employment opportunities due to the tapering of housing benefit.

The department does not routinely collect management information on reports of customers limiting working hours or turning down employment opportunities but we do have anecdotal evidence of this occurring. This is why it remains the department’s priority to ensure that those who can work are supported to enter the labour market and to sustain employment. The department acknowledges there is a challenge presented by the interaction between Universal Credit and Housing Benefit for those residing in Supported and Temporary Accommodation and receiving their housing support through Housing Benefit. The department is considering the issue carefully in partnership with stakeholders and other government departments. As funding is required to allow a change, any future decisions will take account of the current fiscal context.

If she will take steps to help ensure that children medically evacuated from Gaza will not be subject to forced return to (a) Gaza or (b) an unsafe country following treatment in the UK.

The Prime Minister announced at the end of July that the UK will medically evacuate Gazan children for treatment in the UK. A cross-government taskforce is working urgently to get some of these sick and injured children out of Gaza, so that they can receive specialist treatment in NHS hospitals across the UK.At this time, we cannot comment on expected numbers as there is no set figure for the total number of children that will receive treatment over the lifetime of HMG Gaza Medevac.All children will be accompanied by their immediate family. This means parents, and any siblings under the age of 18, who will be subject to standard security screening before travel. Those brought to the UK will be granted leave to stay for up to two years with the ability to access public funds, including treatment and wraparound support in the UK, this is irrespective of how long their treatment lasts. If individuals wish to remain beyond the initial two years, they can apply for further permission to stay under existing routes within the Immigration Rules.

, how many sickle cell patients have developed haemolysis due to receiving a blood transfusion with unmatched blood during the last 12 months.

Serious Hazards of Transfusion (SHOT) is the United Kingdom’s independent, professionally led haemovigilance scheme. SHOT collects and analyses information on adverse events and reactions in blood transfusion from all healthcare organisations that are involved in the transfusion of blood components and specific blood products in the United Kingdom. Further information on SHOT is available at the following link:https://www.shotuk.org/The latest data available on haemolytic transfusion reactions was published in the Annual SHOT Report 2024. The report reviews reactions reported to SHOT from January to December 2024, and is available at the following link:https://www.shotuk.org/shot-reports/annual-shot-report-2024/#annual-shotOver the year, based on the available data, a total of 51 haemolytic transfusion reactions were reported. No errors were reported during the provision of blood components, meaning in all cases blood was appropriately matched, including safe substitutions where necessary, according to the patient requirements and clinical situation, as per British Society for Haematology’s guidelines, which are available at the following link:https://b-s-h.org.uk/guidelines/guidelines

If he will ensure that (a) prioritisation for medical evacuation and treatment of children from Gaza is based solely on clinical urgency and medical need and (b) it is not contingent on the availability of private funding or charitable sponsorship.

The Government is working urgently to get some of the critically ill and injured children medically evacuated from Gaza.The United Kingdom is partnering with the World Health Organization (WHO), which works on the ground and plays a critical role in supporting medical evacuations from Gaza. Clinical leaders in the NHS are working to match Gazan children to a priority list of those needing specialist medical care, provided by medical specialists in Gaza to the WHO, where there is capacity within the NHS to treat them.Children will only be transferred to the UK where it is clinically safe to do so and in the interests of each individual patient. As such, we will ensure medical assessments are undertaken before they travel.The UK Government will meet all the costs of those evacuated as part of this process.

If she will take steps to waive biometric requirements for children medically evacuated from Gaza to the UK.

Individuals who enter the UK as part of this cohort will be subject to robust security checks ahead of travel. Individuals will be required to submit their biometrics prior to travel to the UK, and we are doing everything we can to support their safe exit to a third country where their biometrics will be captured and applications processed. In cases where individuals are medically certified as too ill or unable to enrol, decisions on whether to defer biometric enrolment until arrival in the UK will be made on a case-by-case basis.Further guidance on providing biometric information can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/biometric-information.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the wholesale price increase of Mounjaro on patients managing (a) obesity and (b) type 2 diabetes.

As we shift the focus from treatment to prevention through our 10 Year Health Plan, we are determined to bring revolutionary modern treatments to everyone who needs them, not just those who can afford to pay.NHS England has worked with Eli Lilly to ensure that the list price increase will not affect National Health Service commissioning of tirzepatide in England as a treatment for eligible patients, and we remain committed to the rollout of this medicine as a weight loss treatment based on clinical priority. This will enable 220,000 eligible people to access the medication over the first three years. Not everyone who wants tirzepatide will be able to access it at first, and the initial eligibility criteria will be for people with a body mass index of 40 or more in addition to four or more qualifying comorbidities.Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland have also entered equivalent agreements to maintain their current commissioning approaches.Pricing in the private market is a matter for Eli Lilly and for private providers. Private patients who are impacted by price increases should discuss any concerns with their private provider. This includes their options regarding payment plans, alternative treatments, and/or stopping or tapering off their current medication. Eli Lilly is working with private providers to support continued patient access.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his Saudi Arabian counterparts on its use of capital punishment in (a) non-lethal criminal cases and (b) other criminal cases.

The UK strongly opposes the death penalty in all countries as a matter of principle, and in all circumstances. Saudi Arabia is well aware of the UK's opposition to the use of the death penalty. We regularly raise our concerns about the use of the death penalty with the Saudi authorities using a range diplomatic channels, at Ministerial level and through our Ambassador and our Embassy in Riyadh.

What recent discussions he has had with the NHS on its policy of informing Sickle Cell patients when they are not given Ro matched blood.

DHSC are working in partnership with NHS Blood and Transplant, NHS England and the National Blood Transfusion Committee to deliver on the recommendations detailed in the infected blood inquiry, which includes improving digital patient records and communications for patients receiving transfusions. A blood genotyping programme has also been introduced, enabling detection of previously undetectable antibodies that could cause complications. To meet the clinical need to provide better matched blood for patients with conditions like sickle cell disorder, NHS Blood and Transplant is actively recruiting donors from Black heritage backgrounds.

How many sickle cell patients have died due to complications due to sickle cell in the last 12 months.

The Department of Health and Social Care does not hold this information. NHS England does not hold or have access to data that would accurately represent the number of sickle cell patients that have died due to complications due to sickle cell disorder (SCD) in the last 12 monthsThe National Disease Registration Service, part of NHS England, is expanding its rare disease collection to include patients with SCD in England. This will form a comprehensive national dataset to enable improved understanding of patient pathways for SCD, support planning and commissioning of services and improve patient outcomes.

How many sickle cell patients who had complications due to sickle cell listed as their cause of death experienced haemolysis in the period before their death in the last 12 months.

The Department does not hold this information. NHS England does not hold or have access to data that would accurately represent the number of sickle cell patients that have died due to complications due to sickle cell in the last 12 months, or how many of those patients experienced haemolysis in the period before their death in the last 12 months.The National Disease Registration Service, part of NHS England, is expanding its rare disease collection to include patients with sickle cell disorder (SCD) in England. This will form a comprehensive national dataset to enable improved understanding of patient pathways for SCD, support planning and commissioning of services and improve patient outcomes.