Written questions by Maguire.

What assessment his Department has made of (a) the prevalence of respiratory disease and (b) the number of emergency hospital admissions for respiratory conditions in North Cornwall constituency compared with national averages.

Data is available for emergency finished admission episodes (FAEs) where there was a primary diagnosis of 'respiratory conditions’. The following table shows the number of FAEs where there was a primary diagnosis of 'respiratory conditions’ for North Cornwall and England, for activity in English National Health Service hospitals and English NHS-commissioned activity in the independent sector, for 2024/25 and provisionally for 2025/26:Westminster Parliamentary Constituency of Residence2024/25 (August 2024 to March 2025)2025/26 (April 2025 to February 2026)North Cornwall810945England612,876676,170Source: Hospital Episode Statistics, NHS England. Available data on trends in respiratory conditions can be found on the Department’s Fingertips dataset. Data is not available by parliamentary constituency. Data is available at regional, county, unitary authority, and integrated care board level. Information for Cornwall is available at the following link:https://fingertips.phe.org.uk/search/Respiratory#page/1/gid/1/pat/15/ati/502/are/E06000052/iid/90933/age/314/sex/4/cat/-1/ctp/-1/yrr/1/cid/4/tbm/1

Whether the Government is working with regulators and professional bodies to strengthen endometriosis education.

The Government acknowledges the importance of ensuring healthcare professionals are adequately trained and educated on women’s health conditions, including endometriosis, and we have taken action to address this.The standard of undergraduate medical training is the responsibility of the General Medical Council (GMC), the independent regulator of the medical profession, which set the outcomes and standards expected at undergraduate level. Medical schools are responsible for their curricula. The delivery of these undergraduate curricula must meet the standards set by the GMC, who then monitor and check to make sure that these standards are maintained.The curriculum for specialty training is set by individual royal colleges and faculties. The GMC approves curricula and assessment systems for each training programme. Curricula emphasise the skills and approaches that a doctor must develop to ensure accurate and timely diagnoses and treatment plans for their patients.The Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) is responsible for publishing the postgraduate curriculum for general practitioners (GPs) and ensuring it remains up to date. The RCGP curriculum covers endometriosis as part of its gynaecology and breast health module.GPs are responsible for ensuring their own clinical knowledge remains up-to-date and for identifying learning needs as part of their continuing professional development. The RCGP has worked with partners, including Endometriosis UK, to develop educational resources relating to endometriosis to support GPs and other healthcare professionals to deliver the best possible care for women, based on the latest evidence.

What steps his Department has taken to ensure that endometriosis is consistently and adequately covered in the education and training of healthcare practitioners.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

What steps his Department will take to address gaps in endometriosis training in order to reduce delays in diagnosis and improve outcomes.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

What steps his Department is taking to tackle increases in the level of kidney disease.

NHS England is delivering a comprehensive programme to improve the diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes of people with kidney disease. Eight commissioned regional renal clinical networks are implementing the renal service transformation toolkit in collaboration with providers, with a clear focus on improving early diagnosis, slowing disease progression, and reducing the number of patients reaching advanced stages of kidney disease. This work is supported nationally by the Renal Clinical Reference Group.Chronic kidney disease (CKD) and cardiovascular disease are closely linked, with shared risk factors, as well as being risk factors for each other. As set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, we will publish a new cardiovascular disease Modern Service Framework. As part of its development, officials are also considering opportunities for earlier identification and diagnosis of CKD and are engaging widely to identify the best evidenced interventions.

If he will list the integrated care boards that returned money for unfulfilled NHS dental care.

The Government wants to ensure that every penny we allocate for dentistry is spent on dentistry, and that the ringfenced dental budget is spent on the patients who need it most.Changes to the contract already mean that commissioners can more easily redistribute ringfenced dentistry funding to ensure delivery of dental care, in scenarios where contractors are persistently unable to deliver their National Health Service commitments.We have reduced the NHS dentistry underspend from £392 million in 2023/24 to £36 million in 2024/25. The following table shows the integrated care boards (ICBs) that returned dental allocation to NHS England in 2024/25:RegionICBEast of EnglandBedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes ICBEast of EnglandNorfolk And Waveney ICBEast of EnglandCambridgeshire And Peterborough ICBMidlandsHerefordshire And Worcestershire ICBMidlandsLincolnshire ICBMidlandsShropshire, Telford and Wrekin ICBMidlandsNorthamptonshire ICBNorth East and YorkshireNorth East and North Cumbria ICBNorth WestCheshire And Merseyside ICBSouth EastKent And Medway ICBSouth EastFrimley Integrated Care ICBSouth EastSussex ICBSouth EastSurrey Heartlands ICBSouth WestSomerset ICBSouth WestCornwall and the Isles of Scilly ICB

Pursuant to the Answer of 23 July 2024 to Question 244 on Dental Services: North Cornwall, what discussions he has had with the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly ICB on the proposed innovative access pilot project in Cornwall to support the most vulnerable to see an NHS dentist.

Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for assessing the needs of their population and ensuring that the relevant dental services are available. The ICB has confirmed a range of measures to increase appointment availability for local residents, including a dental van launched in 2025 that is providing treatment to vulnerable patients, those in rural communities, and those who have been waiting a long time to see a National Health Service dentist.

What assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the resilience of NHS services to disruptions within the commercial laundry sector.

The NHS England estates, commercial, and emergency preparedness, resilience, and response teams are undertaking an assessment of the provision of laundry services, in-house and out-sourced, in the National Health Service. This includes the NHS requirements for laundry services, available capacity, and the most efficient approach to their provision.

If his Department will make an assessment of the adequacy of the availability of (a) speech and (b) language therapists in North Cornwall constituency.

Community health services, including speech and language therapy, are locally commissioned to enable systems to best meet the needs of their communities.North Cornwall Speech and Language therapist services are commissioned through the National Health Service, local authorities, educational institutions, independent providers, and the non-profit sector across multiple settings within geographical areas.Speech and Language Therapy (SLT) workforce for Cornwall and Isles of Scilly includes:A (adult SLT) team of 10.95 whole time equivalent registered Speech and Language Therapy staff which support adults countywide, which include those referred from North Cornwall. The teams work across the county to give resilience, with 3.80 whole time equivalent of these registered Speech and Language Therapy staff designated to the North and East Teams.A (Children SLT) team of 37.60 whole time equivalent registered Speech and Language Therapy staff and one apprentice which support children countywide, the registered staff designated to the North and East of Cornwall 13.64 whole time equivalent. We recognise the impact that long waits to access speech and language therapy can have on the individual, their families, and carers and we are working closely with NHS England to improve timely access to community health services and on actions to reduce long waits. We have also published for the first time an overview of the core community health services, in Standardising Community Health Services, which includes speech and language therapy, and that integrated care boards should consider when planning for their local populations to support improved commissioning and delivery of community health services.

Whether NHS pension forfeiture provisions apply in cases where a former NHS employee has been convicted of serious criminal offences.

My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has the power to forfeit some or all NHS Pension Scheme benefits where an individual is convicted of certain offences. This includes individuals who have left National Health Service employment or are retired, provided the offences were committed before pension benefits became payable. The offences are:- an offence in connection with employment that entitled them to be a member of the scheme, which is certified by my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care either to have been gravely injurious to the State or to be liable to lead to serious loss of confidence in the public service;- an offence of treason; and/or- one or more offences under the Official Secrets Acts 1911 to 1989 for which the member has been sentenced on the same occasion to a term of imprisonment of, or to two or more consecutive terms amounting in the aggregate to, at least 10 years.NHS pension benefits payable to a surviving partner and/or dependants may be subject to forfeiture if the survivor or dependant has been convicted of the murder, manslaughter, or of any other offence of which unlawful killing of the scheme member is an element.

What guidance he has issued to ICBs on the level of expenditure per capita for dental services.

There is no guidance issued to integrated care boards (ICBs) on the level of expenditure per capita for dental services.ICBs are responsible for commissioning primary care dentistry and receive an annual allocation of funding to secure services to meet the needs of their population.The Government invests approximately £3 billion on primary care dentistry every year. We want to ensure that every penny we allocate for dentistry is spent on dentistry, and that the ringfenced dental budget is spent on the patients who need it most.

How much funding per capita her Department provided for NHS dentistry in the last financial year.

NHS England is responsible for determining allocations of financial resources to integrated care boards. The dental ringfenced budget is set net of patient charge revenue. It is the total spend for dental, with less expected revenue from patients, and includes primary, secondary, and community dentistry.In 2024/25, the National Health Service dental ringfenced budget was £3.97 billion, and the population of England was assumed to be 62.1 million as per published NHS Technical Guidance. Therefore, the spend per capita was £63.93.In 2025/26, the NHS dental ringfenced budget increased to £4.13 billion. The population of England is assumed to be 63.8 million, as per published NHS Technical Guidance. Therefore, the spend per capita is £64.78.

How much funding per capita her Department provided for NHS dentistry in the 2025-26 financial year.

NHS England is responsible for determining allocations of financial resources to integrated care boards. The dental ringfenced budget is set net of patient charge revenue. It is the total spend for dental, with less expected revenue from patients, and includes primary, secondary, and community dentistry.In 2024/25, the National Health Service dental ringfenced budget was £3.97 billion, and the population of England was assumed to be 62.1 million as per published NHS Technical Guidance. Therefore, the spend per capita was £63.93.In 2025/26, the NHS dental ringfenced budget increased to £4.13 billion. The population of England is assumed to be 63.8 million, as per published NHS Technical Guidance. Therefore, the spend per capita is £64.78.

What assessment he has made of the potential merits of communities in rural areas providing (a) subsidised premises and (b) other local incentives to support the establishment of new NHS dental practices in areas of extremely low NHS dentist availability.

We are aware of the challenges faced in accessing a dentist particularly in more rural areas such as North Cornwall.The NHS contracts with independent dental providers to deliver NHS dental treatment in primary care settings. Dental practices are businesses and can decide how they operate, providing they remain compliant with the appropriate regulations. Providers are able to make choices about how they operate within the terms of the contract, including choice over the dental laboratory suppliers and premises they use providing they remain compliant.It is the responsibility of integrated care boards (ICBs) to commission primary care services, including NHS dentistry, to meet the needs of the local populations and to determine the priorities for investment including local incentives. NHS England has published guidance to support commissioners to take advantage of the opportunities offered to commission further and additional services through flexible commissioning which enables the responsible commissioner to tailor services to meet local population oral health needs. Further information can be found at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/opportunities-for-flexible-commissioning-in-primary-care-dentistry-a-framework-for-commissioners/ICBs are recruiting posts through the Golden Hello scheme. This recruitment incentive will see dentists receiving payments of £20,000 to work in those areas that need them most for three years.

If he will publish guidance for (a) town and (b) parish councils on the steps they can take to encourage NHS dental providers to open new practices in areas with (i) limited and (ii) no access to NHS dentistry.

We are aware of the challenges faced in accessing a dentist particularly in more rural areas such as North Cornwall.The NHS contracts with independent dental providers to deliver NHS dental treatment in primary care settings. Dental practices are businesses and can decide how they operate, providing they remain compliant with the appropriate regulations. Providers are able to make choices about how they operate within the terms of the contract, including choice over the dental laboratory suppliers and premises they use providing they remain compliant.It is the responsibility of integrated care boards (ICBs) to commission primary care services, including NHS dentistry, to meet the needs of the local populations and to determine the priorities for investment including local incentives. NHS England has published guidance to support commissioners to take advantage of the opportunities offered to commission further and additional services through flexible commissioning which enables the responsible commissioner to tailor services to meet local population oral health needs. Further information can be found at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/opportunities-for-flexible-commissioning-in-primary-care-dentistry-a-framework-for-commissioners/ICBs are recruiting posts through the Golden Hello scheme. This recruitment incentive will see dentists receiving payments of £20,000 to work in those areas that need them most for three years.

If his Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of ensuring that NHS bank staff are offered the same discounted parking arrangements as other hospital employees.

Decisions on the provision of car parking are made locally by National Health Service organisations, including considering how they affect local recruitment and the retention of their staff. These decisions will need to reflect the local geography and environment, including travel distances.All NHS staff, regardless of their type of employment, are expected to be similarly treated by their employing NHS organisation. This includes where free parking is provided to staff working nights shifts.All NHS trusts are expected to follow the published NHS Car Parking Guidance. This states that car parking charges, where they exist, should be reasonable for the local area. Further information is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nhs-patient-visitor-and-staff-car-parking-principles/nhs-patient-visitor-and-staff-car-parking-principles

What support his Department has provided to Hospital Trusts that reach Opel 4.

The National Health Service’s operational pressures escalation levels (OPEL) framework provides a standardised approach to support an effective, integrated, and coordinated response to acute trust operational pressures. This includes the actions locally, regionally, and nationally that support the depressurising of services and ensure patient safety. Further information about the OPEL framework is published by NHS England at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/integrated-opel-framework-2024-to-2026/ NHS England’s national operations team actively monitors escalations and maintains oversight of organisations at OPEL Escalation Level 4. Where specific support is required, NHS England can enact collaboration with national subject matter experts, regional teams, and external agencies to adapt national policy or provide targeted intervention.

If he will make an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of the costs of hospital parking for NHS bank staff working shifts at NHS Trusts.

Decisions on the provision of car parking are made locally by National Health Service organisations, including considering how they affect local recruitment and the retention of their staff. These decisions will need to reflect the local geography and environment, including travel distances.All NHS staff, regardless of their type of employment, are expected to be similarly treated by their employing NHS organisation. This includes where free parking is provided to staff working nights shifts.All NHS trusts are expected to follow the published NHS Car Parking Guidance. This states that car parking charges, where they exist, should be reasonable for the local area. Further information is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nhs-patient-visitor-and-staff-car-parking-principles/nhs-patient-visitor-and-staff-car-parking-principles

How his Department guarantee safe services for patients when a Hospital Trust is regularly at OPEL 4.

The National Health Service’s operational pressures escalation levels (OPEL) framework provides a standardised approach to support an effective, integrated, and coordinated response to acute trust operational pressures. This includes the actions locally, regionally, and nationally that support the depressurising of services and ensure patient safety. Further information about the OPEL framework is published by NHS England at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/integrated-opel-framework-2024-to-2026/ NHS England’s national operations team actively monitors escalations and maintains oversight of organisations at OPEL Escalation Level 4. Where specific support is required, NHS England can enact collaboration with national subject matter experts, regional teams, and external agencies to adapt national policy or provide targeted intervention.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of hospital parking costs on (a) recruitment and (b) retention of NHS staff who commute long distances in (a) North Cornwall constituency and (b) other rural areas.

Decisions on the provision of car parking are made locally by National Health Service organisations, including considering how they affect local recruitment and the retention of their staff. These decisions will need to reflect the local geography and environment, including travel distances.All NHS staff, regardless of their type of employment, are expected to be similarly treated by their employing NHS organisation. This includes where free parking is provided to staff working nights shifts.All NHS trusts are expected to follow the published NHS Car Parking Guidance. This states that car parking charges, where they exist, should be reasonable for the local area. Further information is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nhs-patient-visitor-and-staff-car-parking-principles/nhs-patient-visitor-and-staff-car-parking-principles