Written questions by Coleman.

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 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.

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.

If he will list all the highly specialised services that are currently commissioned nationally by NHS England.

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

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.

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.

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.

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 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 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

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what diplomatic steps he is taking to (a) protect and (b) support the Druze minority in Syria.

We are deeply concerned by the recent violence in Suwayda and welcome the announcement of a ceasefire. In diplomatic engagement with the Syrian Government and other partners, and as I said in my statement on X on 17 July, we have been clear that we want to see civilians protected, the ceasefire upheld, and those responsible held to account. We will continue to engage and support the Syrian Government on the protection of human rights and an inclusive and representative political transition.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Business and Trade on the whether approved export licenses to Israel are being used for military purposes; and how often export licenses are reassessed.

We are clear there are no export licences currently being used for military operations in Gaza or the West Bank. This is subject to the specific measures taken to protect the global F-35 programme. All licences are kept under careful and continual review as standard. We are able to suspend, refuse or revoke licences as circumstances require.

If she will make an assessment of the potential impact of changes to business rates on the long-term viability of high streets in Chelsea and Fulham constituency.

The Government is committed to creating a fairer business rates system that supports small businesses and protects the high street. To deliver our manifesto pledge, we intend to introduce permanently lower tax rates for retail, hospitality, and leisure (RHL) properties, with rateable values below £500,000, from 2026-27, which will provide permanent support to the sector. When the new multipliers are set at Budget 2025, HM Treasury intends to publish overall analysis of the effects of the new multiplier arrangements. Ahead of these changes being made, the Government recognises that businesses will need support in 2025-26. As such, we have prevented the current RHL relief from ending in April 2025, extending it for one year at 40 per cent up to a cash cap of £110,000 per business, and we have frozen the small business multiplier.Currently, Small Business Rate Relief (SBRR) is available to businesses with a single property below a set rateable value. Eligible properties under £12,000 will receive 100 per cent relief, which means over a third of businesses in England (more than 700,000) pay no business rates at all. There is also tapered support available to properties valued between £12,000 and £15,000, which an additional c.60,000 businesses benefit from. At Autumn Budget 2024 the Government published a Discussion Paper setting out priority areas for reform, including SBRR. The Government is committed to retaining SBRR, which is a permanent relief set down in legislation. As highlighted in the Discussion Paper, the Government is interested in hearing stakeholders’ views on the extent to which the current system acts as a barrier to investment and specifically, whether the current eligibility criteria for SBRR impacts businesses' incentives to invest and expand into a second property. The Government has engaged extensively with stakeholders, both face-to-face at roundtables and through written representations. In summer, the Government will publish an interim report that sets out a clear direction of travel for the business rates system, with further policy detail to follow at Budget 2025.HM Treasury releases a quarterly record of Minister’s meetings with external individuals and organisations. This can be found online: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmt-ministers-meetings-hospitality-gifts-and-overseas-travel

What steps her Department is taking to support small businesses in (a) high-rent areas and (b) Chelsea and Fulham constituency, in the context of recent changes to business rates.

The Government is committed to creating a fairer business rates system that supports small businesses and protects the high street. To deliver our manifesto pledge, we intend to introduce permanently lower tax rates for retail, hospitality, and leisure (RHL) properties, with rateable values below £500,000, from 2026-27, which will provide permanent support to the sector. When the new multipliers are set at Budget 2025, HM Treasury intends to publish overall analysis of the effects of the new multiplier arrangements. Ahead of these changes being made, the Government recognises that businesses will need support in 2025-26. As such, we have prevented the current RHL relief from ending in April 2025, extending it for one year at 40 per cent up to a cash cap of £110,000 per business, and we have frozen the small business multiplier.Currently, Small Business Rate Relief (SBRR) is available to businesses with a single property below a set rateable value. Eligible properties under £12,000 will receive 100 per cent relief, which means over a third of businesses in England (more than 700,000) pay no business rates at all. There is also tapered support available to properties valued between £12,000 and £15,000, which an additional c.60,000 businesses benefit from. At Autumn Budget 2024 the Government published a Discussion Paper setting out priority areas for reform, including SBRR. The Government is committed to retaining SBRR, which is a permanent relief set down in legislation. As highlighted in the Discussion Paper, the Government is interested in hearing stakeholders’ views on the extent to which the current system acts as a barrier to investment and specifically, whether the current eligibility criteria for SBRR impacts businesses' incentives to invest and expand into a second property. The Government has engaged extensively with stakeholders, both face-to-face at roundtables and through written representations. In summer, the Government will publish an interim report that sets out a clear direction of travel for the business rates system, with further policy detail to follow at Budget 2025.HM Treasury releases a quarterly record of Minister’s meetings with external individuals and organisations. This can be found online: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmt-ministers-meetings-hospitality-gifts-and-overseas-travel

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of changes to business rates on small independent businesses in Chelsea and Fulham constituency.

The Government is committed to creating a fairer business rates system that supports small businesses and protects the high street. To deliver our manifesto pledge, we intend to introduce permanently lower tax rates for retail, hospitality, and leisure (RHL) properties, with rateable values below £500,000, from 2026-27, which will provide permanent support to the sector. When the new multipliers are set at Budget 2025, HM Treasury intends to publish overall analysis of the effects of the new multiplier arrangements. Ahead of these changes being made, the Government recognises that businesses will need support in 2025-26. As such, we have prevented the current RHL relief from ending in April 2025, extending it for one year at 40 per cent up to a cash cap of £110,000 per business, and we have frozen the small business multiplier.Currently, Small Business Rate Relief (SBRR) is available to businesses with a single property below a set rateable value. Eligible properties under £12,000 will receive 100 per cent relief, which means over a third of businesses in England (more than 700,000) pay no business rates at all. There is also tapered support available to properties valued between £12,000 and £15,000, which an additional c.60,000 businesses benefit from. At Autumn Budget 2024 the Government published a Discussion Paper setting out priority areas for reform, including SBRR. The Government is committed to retaining SBRR, which is a permanent relief set down in legislation. As highlighted in the Discussion Paper, the Government is interested in hearing stakeholders’ views on the extent to which the current system acts as a barrier to investment and specifically, whether the current eligibility criteria for SBRR impacts businesses' incentives to invest and expand into a second property. The Government has engaged extensively with stakeholders, both face-to-face at roundtables and through written representations. In summer, the Government will publish an interim report that sets out a clear direction of travel for the business rates system, with further policy detail to follow at Budget 2025.HM Treasury releases a quarterly record of Minister’s meetings with external individuals and organisations. This can be found online: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmt-ministers-meetings-hospitality-gifts-and-overseas-travel

Whether she plans to hold discussions with (a) the Mayor of London and (b) local authorities in London on the potential impact of changes to business rates on (i) small and (ii) independent retailers.

The Government is committed to creating a fairer business rates system that supports small businesses and protects the high street. To deliver our manifesto pledge, we intend to introduce permanently lower tax rates for retail, hospitality, and leisure (RHL) properties, with rateable values below £500,000, from 2026-27, which will provide permanent support to the sector. When the new multipliers are set at Budget 2025, HM Treasury intends to publish overall analysis of the effects of the new multiplier arrangements. Ahead of these changes being made, the Government recognises that businesses will need support in 2025-26. As such, we have prevented the current RHL relief from ending in April 2025, extending it for one year at 40 per cent up to a cash cap of £110,000 per business, and we have frozen the small business multiplier.Currently, Small Business Rate Relief (SBRR) is available to businesses with a single property below a set rateable value. Eligible properties under £12,000 will receive 100 per cent relief, which means over a third of businesses in England (more than 700,000) pay no business rates at all. There is also tapered support available to properties valued between £12,000 and £15,000, which an additional c.60,000 businesses benefit from. At Autumn Budget 2024 the Government published a Discussion Paper setting out priority areas for reform, including SBRR. The Government is committed to retaining SBRR, which is a permanent relief set down in legislation. As highlighted in the Discussion Paper, the Government is interested in hearing stakeholders’ views on the extent to which the current system acts as a barrier to investment and specifically, whether the current eligibility criteria for SBRR impacts businesses' incentives to invest and expand into a second property. The Government has engaged extensively with stakeholders, both face-to-face at roundtables and through written representations. In summer, the Government will publish an interim report that sets out a clear direction of travel for the business rates system, with further policy detail to follow at Budget 2025.HM Treasury releases a quarterly record of Minister’s meetings with external individuals and organisations. This can be found online: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmt-ministers-meetings-hospitality-gifts-and-overseas-travel

Whether her Department plans to introduce additional support measures for small businesses affected by increases in business rates in London boroughs.

The Government is committed to creating a fairer business rates system that supports small businesses and protects the high street. To deliver our manifesto pledge, we intend to introduce permanently lower tax rates for retail, hospitality, and leisure (RHL) properties, with rateable values below £500,000, from 2026-27, which will provide permanent support to the sector. When the new multipliers are set at Budget 2025, HM Treasury intends to publish overall analysis of the effects of the new multiplier arrangements. Ahead of these changes being made, the Government recognises that businesses will need support in 2025-26. As such, we have prevented the current RHL relief from ending in April 2025, extending it for one year at 40 per cent up to a cash cap of £110,000 per business, and we have frozen the small business multiplier.Currently, Small Business Rate Relief (SBRR) is available to businesses with a single property below a set rateable value. Eligible properties under £12,000 will receive 100 per cent relief, which means over a third of businesses in England (more than 700,000) pay no business rates at all. There is also tapered support available to properties valued between £12,000 and £15,000, which an additional c.60,000 businesses benefit from. At Autumn Budget 2024 the Government published a Discussion Paper setting out priority areas for reform, including SBRR. The Government is committed to retaining SBRR, which is a permanent relief set down in legislation. As highlighted in the Discussion Paper, the Government is interested in hearing stakeholders’ views on the extent to which the current system acts as a barrier to investment and specifically, whether the current eligibility criteria for SBRR impacts businesses' incentives to invest and expand into a second property. The Government has engaged extensively with stakeholders, both face-to-face at roundtables and through written representations. In summer, the Government will publish an interim report that sets out a clear direction of travel for the business rates system, with further policy detail to follow at Budget 2025.HM Treasury releases a quarterly record of Minister’s meetings with external individuals and organisations. This can be found online: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmt-ministers-meetings-hospitality-gifts-and-overseas-travel

What progress she has made on reforming the business rates system.

The Government is committed to creating a fairer business rates system that supports small businesses and protects the high street. To deliver our manifesto pledge, we intend to introduce permanently lower tax rates for retail, hospitality, and leisure (RHL) properties, with rateable values below £500,000, from 2026-27, which will provide permanent support to the sector. When the new multipliers are set at Budget 2025, HM Treasury intends to publish overall analysis of the effects of the new multiplier arrangements. Ahead of these changes being made, the Government recognises that businesses will need support in 2025-26. As such, we have prevented the current RHL relief from ending in April 2025, extending it for one year at 40 per cent up to a cash cap of £110,000 per business, and we have frozen the small business multiplier.Currently, Small Business Rate Relief (SBRR) is available to businesses with a single property below a set rateable value. Eligible properties under £12,000 will receive 100 per cent relief, which means over a third of businesses in England (more than 700,000) pay no business rates at all. There is also tapered support available to properties valued between £12,000 and £15,000, which an additional c.60,000 businesses benefit from. At Autumn Budget 2024 the Government published a Discussion Paper setting out priority areas for reform, including SBRR. The Government is committed to retaining SBRR, which is a permanent relief set down in legislation. As highlighted in the Discussion Paper, the Government is interested in hearing stakeholders’ views on the extent to which the current system acts as a barrier to investment and specifically, whether the current eligibility criteria for SBRR impacts businesses' incentives to invest and expand into a second property. The Government has engaged extensively with stakeholders, both face-to-face at roundtables and through written representations. In summer, the Government will publish an interim report that sets out a clear direction of travel for the business rates system, with further policy detail to follow at Budget 2025.HM Treasury releases a quarterly record of Minister’s meetings with external individuals and organisations. This can be found online: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmt-ministers-meetings-hospitality-gifts-and-overseas-travel

With reference to the Written Statement of 22 May 2025 on Childhood Obesity, HCWS652, what steps he is taking to ensure that the final non-statutory guidance issued by the Advertising Standards Authority protects children from unhealthy food and drink advertising.

The Government has committed to implementing advertising restrictions for less healthy food and drink on television and online as part of its ambition to raise the healthiest generation of children ever. These restrictions are expected to remove up to 7.2 billion calories from United Kingdom children’s diets per year and deliver £2 billion in health benefits.Ofcom was appointed as the statutory regulator for the advertising restrictions and this was set out in primary legislation via the Health and Care Act 2022. Following consultation, Ofcom appointed the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) as the frontline regulator.The ASA is developing non-statutory implementation guidance to set out how it will enforce the restrictions in practice. The ASA is required by law to consult my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on its implementation guidance ahead of publication.