Written questions by Coleman.

What proportion of food purchased through the NHS Supply Chain is classified as Nova Group 4; and what plans he has to incentivise NHS Trusts to move toward minimally processed alternatives.

Data is currently not collected centrally on National Health Service food purchases which would identify NOVA Group four foods.The United Kingdom’s national food model is the Eatwell Guide. The principles of the Eatwell Guide underpin the Government’s Buying Standards for Food and Catering Services (GBSF), which help to ensure public sector food is procured to higher sustainability and nutritional standards. The GBSF include mandatory nutrition standards intended to reduce the intake of salt, sugar, and saturated fat, and to increase consumption of fruit, vegetables, fish, and fibre. They also include standards that limit the availability and portion size of soft drinks, confectionery, and savoury snacks.Hospitals, the Government, and their agencies are required to apply the GBSF, with other public sector settings also encouraged to follow.NHS England’s National Standards for Healthcare Food and Drink (2022) state that all NHS trusts are expected to follow the published NHS National Standards for Healthcare Food and Drink. This document makes clear that organisations must implement the GBSF minimum mandatory standards for healthier and more sustainable retail, staff, and visitor food and drink.The document recommends that NHS trusts should prioritise healthier, seasonal, and locally sourced food and adopt more environmentally sustainable menus that use:- fewer processed foods high in sugar, salt, and fats;- a wide variety of protein sources including beans, pulses, nuts, and soya; and- a choice of seasonal, locally sourced fruits and vegetables. The standards can be found at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/national-standards-for-healthcare-food-and-drink/

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of mandating extended online consultation use at GP surgeries on the availability of face-to-face appointments.

The changes to the 2025/26 GP Contract that came into force on 1 October requires practices to make all routes for contacting the practice, including online consultations, available throughout core hours, 8:00am to 6.30pm. This is intended to provide more consistent access for patients and help manage the 8:00am scramble.In 2024/25, 85% of primary care networks reported that all their practices already provided online consultations during core hours and did not raise concerns about an impact on the availability of face-to-face appointments. Online consultation systems support triage so patients can be directed to the most appropriate response, including face-to-face appointments where clinically necessary In July 2024, only 61% of patients found it easy to access their GP. Today, it’s nearly 77%.

When his Department will notify children’s hospices of allocations from the £80 million in funding announced on 16 October 2025.

Children and young people’s hospices and integrated care boards will be informed of their children and young people’s hospice grant allocations for 2026/27 imminently. Communication regarding future allocations, for 2027/28 and 2028/29, will be sent once the 2026/27 process is complete.

What assessment has been made of the impact that mandating extended online consultation use at GP surgeries will have on the availability of face-to-face appointments.

No formal assessment has been undertaken of the impact that mandating extended use of online consultations will have on the availability of face‑to‑face appointments.Between November and December 2025, the number of online consultations fell by approximately 175,000, despite contract changes introduced in October 2025 to align online consultation hours with telephone and reception access. Over the same period, the proportion of appointments delivered face‑to‑face has remained stable. In December 2025, 61.5% of all appointments were conducted in person with a healthcare professional, a decrease of 2.5% compared with December 2024.Practices already using online systems have seen significant improvements. One London general practice surgery reduced waits from 14 days to just three, with 95% of patients seen within a week.

What assessment has been made of the potential impact of (a) the new online consultation system for GP surgeries and (b) as part of that, urgent clinical queries being included on forms meant for non-urgent business on levels of patient safety.

General practices (GPs) are independent businesses contracted by the National Health Service to deliver essential services, and as part of these contracts they are required to provide modern telephony systems and online consultation tools. In the 2025 contract negotiations with the General Practitioners Committee England, agreement was reached to ensure online, telephone, and reception access is available throughout core hours. To support safe implementation, this was deferred to 1 October 2025, with support available from NHS England and the integrated care boards for practices that need help meeting the requirement. These changes build on several years of work to modernise GPs and improve access.Online consultation systems already require practices to triage clinical need, so extending access to core hours does not change how urgent and non‑urgent queries are managed, it simply gives patients more choice in how they contact their practice and helps ensure urgent issues are identified quickly while non‑urgent requests are handled appropriately.Practices already using online systems have seen significant improvements. One London GP surgery reduced waits from 14 days to just three, with 95% of patients seen within a week.

What provision has been made to help increase the number of appointments available within NHS primary care services in response to increases in online consultation use at GP surgeries.

We have invested £160 million into the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme to support the recruitment of over 2,000 individual general practitioners (GPs) into primary care networks across England, helping to increase appointment availability and improve care for thousands of patients. The new £102 million Primary Care Utilisation and Modernisation Fund will also create additional clinical space within over 1,000 practices across England. This investment will deliver more appointments and improve patient care.Last year, we invested an additional £1.1 billion in GPs to reinforce the front door of the National Health Service, bringing total spend on the GP Contract to £13.4 billion in 2025/26. This is the biggest increase in over a decade.As a result, we have successfully delivered an additional 6.8 million GP appointments for patients compared to the same period last year, meaning more patients are getting the support they need, when they need it. Between November and December 2025, the number of online consultations fell by approximately 175,000, despite contract changes introduced in October 2025 to align online consultation hours with telephone and reception access.

What assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of healthcare provision in prisons for inmates with diabetes; and what steps he is taking to ensure that diabetic prisoners have timely access to appropriate medical treatment.

NHS England commissions prison health care services into every prison in England. Every prison has onsite health care services including, primary care, mental health, dentistry, and substance misuse teams. This includes the care and management of those with long term conditions such as diabetes. All prisons offer a range of appointments to meet the needs of patients, and this includes routine appointments and urgent appointments.NHS England commissions health care in prison that is the equivalence of community health care. The National Service Specification for primary care defines what this means for patients who require support. Access to health provision is available to every person in prison at any stage of their sentence, and this begins at the point of entry. NHS England also commissions health needs assessments across prisons to determine the needs and requirements of the prison population.NHS England is reviewing the National Primary Care Service Specification to ensure it continues to meet the needs of the prison population.

What assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of healthcare provision in prisons; and what steps he is taking to ensure that prisoners have timely access to appropriate medical treatment.

NHS England commissions prison health care services into every prison in England. Every prison has onsite health care services including, primary care, mental health, dentistry, and substance misuse teams. This includes the care and management of those with long term conditions such as diabetes. All prisons offer a range of appointments to meet the needs of patients, and this includes routine appointments and urgent appointments.NHS England commissions health care in prison that is the equivalence of community health care. The National Service Specification for primary care defines what this means for patients who require support. Access to health provision is available to every person in prison at any stage of their sentence, and this begins at the point of entry. NHS England also commissions health needs assessments across prisons to determine the needs and requirements of the prison population.NHS England is reviewing the National Primary Care Service Specification to ensure it continues to meet the needs of the prison population.

What discussions his Department has had with NHS Trusts and clinical directors on ensuring surgical trainees have adequate access to operating theatres.

The Department has held no discussions with National Health Service trusts and clinical directors on surgical trainees’ access to operating theatres.It is the responsibility of individual employers to ensure their staff have appropriate access to ongoing training and professional development to provide safe and effective care.

What data his Department holds on the number of children living with DIPG each year; and what resources has the Government allocated to research into the causes of and treatment of DIPG.

The Department is committed to furthering investment in research into the causes and treatment of brain tumours. Between 2018/19 and 2023/24, the Department’s research delivery arm, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), invested £11.8 million, and United Kingdom Research and Innovation invested £46.8 million in this area. In September 2024, the NIHR launched a package of support to deliver a step-change in brain cancer research through:establishing a national NIHR Brain Tumour Research Consortium to bring together researchers from different disciplines to drive scientific advancements in how to prevent, detect, manage and treat brain tumours;a dedicated funding call for research into care, support and rehabilitation for people living with brain tumours; andthe Allied Health Professionals Brain Tumour Research Fellowship programme, a partnership with the Tessa Jowell Brain Cancer Mission. The Department does not hold specific data on the number of children living with diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) each year. The National Disease Registration Service (NDRS) collects diagnosis, treatment and outcome data on cancer patients in England. The most recent published data on registrations of cancer including cancer incidence and mortality in the Accredited Official Statistics on Cancer Registrations covering 2023 is available at the following link:https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/cancer-registration-statistics DIPG is not currently one of the cancer groups routinely published against, however work will be undertaken by the NDRS to understand whether there are any improvements needed in registration to accurately identify DIPG moving forwards.

What steps he is taking to help protect the (a) National Centre for Pancreas Transplantation and (b) the national service for inherited DNA repair disorders from local budgetary pressures.

Pancreas transplantation in England is nationally commissioned by NHS England as a highly specialised service from six National Health Service trusts. It is a retained service and continues to be commissioned directly by NHS England rather than delegated to integrated care boards due to its complexity, low patient numbers, and the need for consistent national standards. As such, pancreas transplantation is funded directly by NHS England through national specialised commissioning arrangements, with funding managed through NHS England’s regional teams, with national oversight. This helps to ensure that highly specialised services are not impacted by variations in local funding decisions.The national service for DNA Repair Disorders at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust is commissioned by NHS England as a highly specialised service. It is also a retained service due to its complexity, low patient numbers, and the need for consistent national standards. As such, the DNA Repair Disorders Service is also funded directly by NHS England through national specialised commissioning arrangements, with funding managed through NHS England’s regional team, with national oversight, to help ensure that highly specialised services are not impacted by variations in local funding decisions.

If he will list all the highly specialised services that are currently commissioned (a) regionally and (b) locally by NHS England.

Highly specialised services are commissioned by NHS England as part of its responsibilities for prescribed specialised services. This function is undertaken by NHS England’s national highly specialised services team which is supported by regional commissioners covering each area of the country. The responsibility for highly specialised services has not been delegated to integrated care boards as part of the programme of delegation of specialised services.

How highly specialised services will be commissioned nationally following the abolition of NHS England.

Work is progressing at pace to develop the design and operating model for the new integrated organisation, and to plan for the smooth transfer of people, functions, and responsibilities, including specialised commissioning.It is only right that with such significant reform, we commit to carefully assessing and understanding the potential impacts, as is due process. These ongoing assessments will inform our programme as appropriate, and associated announcements will be made at the earliest opportunity.

What steps he is taking to ensure national-level (a) strategic planning and 9b) quality assurance for highly specialised services following the abolition of NHS England.

Work is progressing at pace to develop the design and operating model for the new integrated organisation, and to plan for the smooth transfer of people, functions, and responsibilities, including specialised commissioning.It is only right that with such significant reform, we commit to carefully assessing and understanding the potential impacts, as is due process. These ongoing assessments will inform our programme as appropriate, and associated announcements will be made at the earliest opportunity.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure that highly specialised national services for patients with (a) rare diseases and (b) complex surgical needs will continue to be (i) commissioned and (ii) managed at a national level following the abolition of NHS England.

Working under the ‘UK Rare Diseases Framework’, the Government is committed to improving the lives of those living with rare diseases.Ministers and senior DHSC officials are working with the new executive team at the top of NHS England, led by Sir Jim Mackey, to lead the formation of a new joint centre. Whilst this transformation takes place, we will ensure that we continue to evaluate impacts of all kinds and will work collaboratively to put plans in place to ensure continuity of care and that there are no risks to patient safety.

If he will publish a list of which highly specialised services will no longer be commissioned nationally after the abolition of NHS England and will instead be commissioned (a) regionally and (b) locally.

Work is progressing at pace to develop the design and operating model for the new integrated organisation, and to plan for the smooth transfer of people, functions, and responsibilities, including specialised commissioning.It is only right that with such significant reform, we commit to carefully assessing and understanding the potential impacts, as is due process. These ongoing assessments will inform our programme as appropriate, and associated announcements will be made at the earliest opportunity.

What assessment he has made of the merits of highly specialised services being commissioned directly by individual hospital trusts.

In preparation for the merger of the Department and NHS England and the integration of their functions under one organisation, and alongside the 10 Year Plan's ambitions to establish integrated care boards as strategic commissioners of local health services that are responsible for all but the most specialised commissioning, the NHS England Executive is undertaking a review of all of its commissioning functions to make recommendations on the most appropriate future arrangements. This work is ongoing and includes consideration of highly specialised services and the need to commission these services at the most appropriate scale in the future, in accordance with the Government’s ambitions in this area.

If he will publish a list of those specialised services that are classified as highly specialised.

All highly specialised services are commissioned nationally by NHS England. The list of specialised services currently commissioned by NHS England is available on the NHS England website, in the worksheet entitled Service Code, with column F indicating whether the service is classified as a highly specialised, at the following link: https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/nhs-england-service-codes/Further information on each of the services is available on the NHS England website via the Prescribed Specialised Services Manual, at the following link: https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/PRN00115-prescribed-specialised-services-manual-v6.pdf

If he will publish a full list of specialised services currently commissioned by NHS England.

The list of specialised services currently commissioned by NHS England is available on the NHS England website, in the worksheet entitled Service Code, with column M indicating whether the service is commissioned by NHS England or an integrated care board (ICB), with the word GREEN indicating an ICB and RED indicating NHS England, at the following link: https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/nhs-england-service-codes/ Further information on each of the services is available on the NHS England website via the Prescribed Specialised Services Manual, at the following link: https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/PRN00115-prescribed-specialised-services-manual-v6.pdf

If he will list which highly specialised services will continue to be commissioned nationally after the abolition of NHS England.

Work is progressing at pace to develop the design and operating model for the new integrated organisation, and to plan for the smooth transfer of people, functions, and responsibilities, including specialised commissioning.It is only right that with such significant reform, we commit to carefully assessing and understanding the potential impacts, as is due process. These ongoing assessments will inform our programme as appropriate, and associated announcements will be made at the earliest opportunity.