Written questions by Stephenson.

Pursuant to the answer of 16 October 2025 to written question 79814, if he will publish minimum service expectations for rural communities.

As noted in the answer of 16 October 2025 to Question 79814, we expect neighbourhood teams and services to be designed in a way that reflects the specific needs of local populations. We will share further guidance to support systems, including those in rural areas, to shift to a Neighbourhood Health Service.

If he will provide a list of new GP surgeries which have opened in the last decade in England.

The data provided shows the number of general practices (GPs) that opened, at 74, and that closed, at 15, between 1 January 2016 and 1 January 2026 in England.If a practice ceases to be a main practice and becomes a branch practice of another, this will count as a “closure” in this data, while in reality GP provision at the site may well have continued under the new head practice.Practices close for a variety of reasons, including mergers or retirement, and so closure does not necessarily indicate a reduction in the provision of services. When a practice does close, patients are informed of the closure and advised to register at another local practice of their choice within their area. Commissioners are accountable for ensuring that patients have access to a GP. In the event of a closure, commissioners will assess the need for a replacement provider before transferring patients to alternative practices.The table attached shows a list of new GP surgeries which have opened in the last decade in England.

Communities and Local Government, whether he has considered the potential implications for his policies of the CCN report entitled Local Government Re-Organisation: Evaluating the financial impact of population thresholds.

In our invitation on 5 February 2025, we set out guidance to support councils as they develop reorganisation proposals that are in the best interests of their areas. This includes guidance on issues of size, sensible geographies, efficiencies and financial sustainability. The criteria we will assess proposals against includes the ability to achieve financial efficiencies. It is for councils to develop and submit robust and sustainable proposals that are in the best interests of their whole area. Once a proposal has been submitted it will be for the Government, whilst having due regard to the criteria and the available relevant evidence, to decide on which proposal, if any, to take forward.

If his Department will make additional funding available to open GP surgeries in areas designated for New Towns.

In May, we announced schemes which will benefit from the £102 million Utilisation and Modernisation Fund (UMF) to deliver upgrades to a thousand general practice (GP) surgeries across England this financial year. Building on this, the Government has committed £426 million of UMF funding over the next four years to continue upgrading the GP estate and to support refurbishing the existing estate to deliver neighbourhood health centres over this Parliament as part of the 10-Year Health Plan commitment.Integrated care boards are responsible for commissioning, including planning, securing, and monitoring GP services, within their health systems through delegated responsibility from NHS England. The National Health Service has a statutory duty to ensure there are sufficient medical services, including GPs, in each local area. It should take account of population growth and demographic changes.Whilst we have big ambitions to further boost house building, we recognise the challenges that significant housing and population growth can place on primary care infrastructure. The Department of Health and Social Care is working closely with the Ministry of Housing, Communities, and Local Government to determine how developer contributions from new housing developments can be better used towards local health services and infrastructure, including for new towns.

What steps his Department is taking to prevent the creation of fake Digital IDs.

The UK’s digital ID scheme will be built to the highest security standards, following National Cyber Security Centre guidance. To help guard against fake digital IDs, we propose that any checking of such IDs will be done via a robust digital process. For example, we do not think people should be able to ‘flash’ their digital ID on their phone screen. This will help ensure a digital ID has not been faked, tampered with or revoked.

Pursuant to the answer of 16 October 2025 to written question 79819, how many Neighbourhood Health Centres each ICB will be able to allocate.

At the Autumn Budget, we announced our commitment to deliver 250 neighbourhood health centres (NHCs) through the NHS Neighbourhood Rebuild Programme. This will deliver NHCs through a mixture of refurbishments, to expand and improve sites over the next three years, and new-build sites opening in the medium term.The first 120 NHCs are due to be operational by 2030 and will be delivered through public private partnerships and public capital. This includes refurbishments to the Alfred Barrow Health Centre in Barrow-in-Furness, the Stockland Green and Summerfield Primary Care Centres in Birmingham, the Jubilee Gardens Centre in Ealing.Nationwide coverage will take time, but we will start in the areas of greatest need where healthy life expectancy is lowest, including rural towns and communities with higher deprivation levels, targeting places where healthy life expectancy is lowest and delivering healthcare closer to home for those that need it the most.Integrated care boards and local health systems will be responsible for determining the most appropriate locations for the 250 NHCs to be delivered through the NHS Neighbourhood Rebuild Programme. They have been commissioned to produce five-year strategy and delivery plans, including plans for neighbourhood health.

Pursuant to the answer of 11 September 2025 to Written Question 73770, how many neighbourhoods he expects each ICB to designate.

Neighbourhoods are natural communities that are recognisable by local residents. Typically, neighbourhoods will have populations of approximately 50,000 people, but coherent geography is more important for defining neighbourhoods than the population size. The numbers of neighbourhoods designated in each integrated care board (ICB) geography will be defined locally by ICBs and their system partners. We will share further guidance to provide greater clarity and consistency for systems in developing and scaling neighbourhood health.

Pursuant to the answer of 16 October 2025 to written question 79819, what estimate he has made of the cost of establishing a new Neighbourhood Health Centre.

At the Autumn Budget, we announced our commitment to deliver 250 neighbourhood health centres (NHCs) through the NHS Neighbourhood Rebuild Programme. This will deliver NHCs through a mixture of refurbishments, to expand and improve sites over the next three years, and new-build sites opening in the medium term.The first 120 NHCs are due to be operational by 2030 and will be delivered through public private partnerships and public capital. This includes refurbishments to the Alfred Barrow Health Centre in Barrow-in-Furness, the Stockland Green and Summerfield Primary Care Centres in Birmingham, the Jubilee Gardens Centre in Ealing.Nationwide coverage will take time, but we will start in the areas of greatest need where healthy life expectancy is lowest, including rural towns and communities with higher deprivation levels, targeting places where healthy life expectancy is lowest and delivering healthcare closer to home for those that need it the most.Integrated care boards and local health systems will be responsible for determining the most appropriate locations for the 250 NHCs to be delivered through the NHS Neighbourhood Rebuild Programme. They have been commissioned to produce five-year strategy and delivery plans, including plans for neighbourhood health.

What discussions he has had with GPs on booking appointments online.

In February 2025, as part of the annual contract negotiations, the Department consulted with the General Practitioners Committee England, the representative body for general practitioners (GPs). During these discussions, the General Practitioners Committee England agreed to make online booking a contractual obligation for all practices.From 1 October 2025, all general practices have been contractually required to offer contact online with their GP during core hours, from 08:00 to 18:30, including to request appointments, bringing online access in line with walk-in and telephone services.In support of practices working to meet this requirement, NHS England and integrated care boards have provided assistance where required. The Department is committed to engaging with GPs and other stakeholders to make sure these targets are both achievable and reflective of local population needs, as well as to address any barriers to delivery We are reversing decades of plummeting patient satisfaction. Over 73% of patients now say that it is easy to contact their practice, which is up 13 percentage points since the election.

What the locations are of the NHS Neighbourhood Health Centres announced at the Autumn Budget 2025.

At the Autumn Budget, we announced our commitment to deliver 250 neighbourhood health centres (NHCs) through the NHS Neighbourhood Rebuild Programme. This will deliver NHCs through a mixture of refurbishments, to expand and improve sites over the next three years, and new-build sites opening in the medium term.The first 120 NHCs are due to be operational by 2030 and will be delivered through public private partnerships and public capital. This includes refurbishments to the Alfred Barrow Health Centre in Barrow-in-Furness, the Stockland Green and Summerfield Primary Care Centres in Birmingham, the Jubilee Gardens Centre in Ealing.Nationwide coverage will take time, but we will start in the areas of greatest need where healthy life expectancy is lowest, including rural towns and communities with higher deprivation levels, targeting places where healthy life expectancy is lowest and delivering healthcare closer to home for those that need it the most.Integrated care boards and local health systems will be responsible for determining the most appropriate locations for the 250 NHCs to be delivered through the NHS Neighbourhood Rebuild Programme. They have been commissioned to produce five-year strategy and delivery plans, including plans for neighbourhood health.

If he will make an estimate of the proportion of routine blood tests in England administered in a GP surgery.

The Department does not hold data regarding the proportion of routine blood tests administered in England in a general practice.Local enhanced services, such as blood tests, are negotiated and agreed locally, and are commissioned by integrated care boards to fit the needs of the local population. General practices can choose whether or not they would like to participate in directly providing these services. These services can vary in scope and funding across the country.

With reference to the press release entitled Patients in poorer areas to get better access to GPs, published on 9 October 2025, how funding will change in Bedfordshire.

It is vital that funding for core primary medical services is distributed equitably between general practices (GPs) across the country so that resources are targeted where they are most needed. In October 2025 we launched a review of the GP funding formula (The Carr-Hill Formula), with the objective of better matching funding with higher need from poorer health. Through our 10-Year Health Plan, it will be easier and faster to see a GP. We will end the 8:00am scramble for appointments, train more doctors, and guarantee consultations within 24 hours for those who need one. In October 2024, we invested £160 million into the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme to support the recruitment of 2,900 individual 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 create additional clinical space within over 1,000 GPs across England. This investment will deliver more appointments and improve patient care. There are 13 approved schemes across the NHS Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes ICB being supported by the fund.

Pursuant to the answer of 19 November 2025 to written question 89790, how much the annual cap is.

Funding for the eligible apprenticeships has been capped in line with 2023/24 start numbers, which is equivalent to £8.4 million per financial year for new apprenticeship starts. Funding will be allocated according to workforce need, training provider capacity and the priorities set out in the 10-Year Health Plan to ensure the National Health Service has the right people in the right places, with the right skills to deliver the best care for patients, when they need it.

How SEND costs in England will be funded over this Parliament.

Overall, core schools funding (including funding for mainstream schools and high needs funding for young people with complex special educational needs and disabilities (SEND)) is increasing by £1.7 billion in the 2026/27 financial year, and will total £67.0 billion, compared to £65.3 billion in 2025/26. High needs funding will be over £12 billion in England in the 2026/27 financial year, following a £1 billion increase in 2025/26. The additional funding announced at the 2025 Spending Review will deliver an above-real-terms per-pupil increase up to the 2028/29 financial year and enable us to transform the SEND system. Moreover, departmental budgets will increase above previously planned funding at Autumn Budget 2025 by £3.5 billion in 2028/29 to support investment in the SEND system.In our recent publication ’SEND reform: putting children and young people first’, we announced a £4 billion investment over the three years of the spending period to make every school inclusive and transform outcomes for children with SEND. This investment includes over £1.6 billion for the Inclusive Mainstream Fund, £1.8 billion for Experts at Hand, £200 million for Best Start Family Hubs and over £200 million for a national training package. More details can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/send-reform-putting-children-and-young-people-first.

If she will make an estimate of the average workforce size of businesses that are eligible to sponsor worker visas.

Any UK business can apply for a sponsor licence, provided they comply with relevant requirements. Of the businesses listed on the register of licenced sponsors, the vast majority are Small and Medium-sized enterprises.This Government will continue to reduce net migration, reduce our reliance on overseas recruitment and back British workers by investing in our resident workforce.

How many visas a) his Department, b) the Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency, c) the UK Health Security Agency, d) the Care Quality Commission, e) the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority, f) NHS England, g) the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, h) NHS Blood and Transplant, i) NHS Business Services Authority, and j) NHS Resolution have sponsored since 4 July 2024.

The requested data is not held centrally in a reportable format.

How many visas a) her Department, b) the Government Actuary's Department, c) the UK Debt Management Office, d) the National Wealth Fund, e) the Crown Estate, f) the Financial Conduct Authority, g) UK Government Investments, and h) HM Revenue & Customs have sponsored since 4 July 2024.

We do not disclose the exact number of visas sponsored due to GDPR, but can confirm that fewer than five visas have been sponsored since 4 July 2024. Information requested on arm’s length bodies is not held centrally.

How many visas a) his Department, b) the Pension Protection Fund, and c) the Office for Nuclear Regulation have sponsored since 4 July 2024.

The requested data is not held centrally in a reportable format.

How many visas a) her Department, b) the Vehicle Certification Agency, c) East-West Rail, d) National Highways, e) Network Rail, f) Trinity House, g) the Civil Aviation Authority and h) Crossrail International have sponsored since 4 July 2024.

Visa systems, outside of those specific to sponsored employment routes, do not capture the occupation or employer of an applicant and therefore it is not possible to give a comprehensive answer to this question. In addition, the department does not hold information sponsored employment routes for other employers.

Representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, how many visas the Electoral Commission have sponsored since 4 July 2024.

The Electoral Commission has not sponsored any visas since 4 July 2024.