Written questions by Bloore.

How many integrated care boards had strategies in place to meet the needs of local populations affected by dementia (a) as of 28 October 2024, (b) in 2023 and (c) in 2022.

NHS England is committed to improving diagnosis rates and recovering them to the national ambition for two thirds of people with dementia to have a formal diagnosis. This commitment is included in the operational planning guidance for 2024/25, giving clear direction for integrated care boards (ICBs) to prioritise dementia.Local authorities are required to provide or arrange services that meet the social care needs of the local population, including carers, under the Care Act 2014. It is the responsibility of ICBs to work with the third sector in their geographical area to offer services that meet the needs of their population. NHS England would expect ICBs to take account of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s guidelines when commissioning services for their local population.

Food and Rural Affairs, what his (a) plans and (b) priorities are for tackling animal cruelty (i) in the UK and (ii) abroad.

This Government was elected on a mandate to introduce the most ambitious plans to improve animal welfare in a generation. We will be outlining more detail in due course.

What steps his Department is taking to help improve the (a) information and (b) resources on menstrual health conditions provided to primary healthcare professionals to help (i) diagnosis and (ii) referrals to specialist treatment.

A range of information and resources are available to help primary care professionals to diagnose and treat menstrual health conditions, and where needed refer to secondary care.The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has published Women’s and reproductive health guidelines, which cover a range of menstrual health conditions including heavy menstrual bleeding, endometriosis, and menopause. The NICE has also published several clinical knowledge summaries focused on menstrual health conditions. The guidelines and clinical knowledge summaries are available, respectively, at the following two links:https://www.nice.org.uk/hub/indevelopment/gid-hub10001https://cks.nice.org.uk/specialities/womens-health/The Royal College of General Practitioners has developed a Women’s Health Library, drawing together educational resources and guidelines on women’s health so primary healthcare professionals have the most up-to-date information for their patients.NHS England has developed a shared decision tool to help women and general practitioners (GPs) make decisions about the best treatments for heavy menstrual bleeding, which is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/decision-support-tool-making-a-decision-about-managing-heavy-periods/NHS England is developing a set of responses to common questions asked by GPs to help manage menstrual health and other common women’s health conditions, which will soon be available.The Department has invested £25 million over 2023/24 and 2024/25 to support the establishment of at least one pilot women’s health hub in every integrated care system. These provide more specialist care for women in the community, and many of them also act as a point of training and support for their local GP community.

What steps he is taking to improve (a) diagnosis, (b) treatment and (c) ongoing care for (i) endometriosis, (ii) polycystic ovary syndrome and (iii) other menstrual health conditions in (A) Redditch and (B) England; and what steps he is taking to align these efforts with the Women's Health Strategy for England.

The Government is committed to prioritising women’s health and improving the diagnosis, treatment, and ongoing care for gynaecological conditions. We are considering how to take forward the Women’s Health Strategy for England.National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines support healthcare professionals to diagnose and treat conditions. The NICE has published Women’s and reproductive health guidelines, which are available at the following link:https://www.nice.org.uk/hub/indevelopment/gid-hub10001In April 2024, the NICE published updated recommendations on the treatment of endometriosis when fertility is a priority. The NICE is also updating the guidance on the diagnosis of endometriosis, and is planning the development of a guideline on the assessment and management of polycystic ovary syndrome. The NICE has also published a guideline on heavy menstrual bleeding assessment and management. Women's health is also embedded into the Royal College of General Practitioners curriculum for trainee general practitioners (GPs).Women’s health hubs also play a key role in improving care for gynaecological conditions. The Department has invested £25 million over 2023/24 and 2024/25 to support the establishment of at least one pilot women’s health hub in every integrated care system. NHS England has asked the integrated care boards (ICBs) to report regularly on their progress implementing the funding. The Herefordshire and Worcestershire ICB has reported to NHS England that it is using the funding to set up two pilot hubs, one within Herefordshire and one within Worcestershire. To date, the pathway redesign as part of the women’s health hubs has been priority for Herefordshire and Worcestershire, with initial focus on menopause. Following implementation of a menopause pilot, focus will be on the remaining core services, specifically menstrual health.Healthcare services in Herefordshire and Worcestershire offer advice, care, and treatment for menstrual conditions, including endometriosis and polycystic ovary syndrome. The integrated care system is focused on women’s health and hosts a monthly Gynaecology Forum which incorporates clinical and operational discussion on all elements of women’s health. The Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust qualifies as a Specialist Endometriosis Centre, with clinics and operations offered in Kidderminster, Redditch, and Worcester. GP referral pathways, specialist endometriosis and pain clinics, and multi-disciplinary meetings provide diagnosis and treatment of all stages of endometriosis. The Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust also employs a dedicated Endometriosis Specialist Nurse and hosts an Endometriosis Support Group for patients.

Whether his Department plans to update the NHS website to include up-to-date information on menstrual health conditions using (a) plain and (b) accessible English.

The Department worked with NHS England to introduce a new women’s health area on the National Health Service’s website in 2023. This brings together over 100 health topics including periods, gynaecological conditions, fertility, pregnancy, heart health, and cancers, and is designed to be a first port of call for women seeking health information. Further information is available at the following link:https://www.nhs.uk/womens-health/As part of this work, a number of pages were updated, including pages on heavy periods and endometriosis, and a new page on adenomyosis was created. One of the key goals of the NHS website is to provide users with clear and accurate health information. There are no current plans to further update the NHS website on menstrual conditions, subject to the standard review of all editorial content at least every three years.The NHS has also used its YouTube channel to provide up-to-date information on endometriosis and heavy menstrual bleeding, with further information on both topics available, respectively, at the following two links:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABi1ncHorBYhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Pgm30RYVIs&list=PLnhASgDToTkvLigKt1XBE-iwZVJxd7Lto

Whether his Department plans to implement the policies in the policy paper entitled Women’s Health Strategy for England, published on 20 July 2022.

This government is committed to prioritising women’s health as we build an NHS fit for the future, and women’s equality will be at the heart of our missions. We are considering how to take forward the Women’s Health Strategy for England, and work continues to improve health outcomes for women. For example, the Department is continuing to work with NHS England to support the establishment of at least one pilot women’s health hub in every integrated care system, following a £25 million investment. As of September 2024, 36 of the 42 ICBs reported to NHS England that their pilot women’s health hub was open. Additionally, on 9th October, during Baby Loss Awareness Week, the Department launched an extension to the Baby Loss Certificate Service, meaning the service is now available for all historic losses, with no backdate, as well as future losses.

What discussions he has had with industry representatives on the potential impact of the EU's revised Drinking Water Directive on (a) product standards and (b) market access.

This Government continues to follow EU regulatory developments with interest, engaging with the EU on key regulatory developments via TCA structures. The Drinking Water Directive has not been discussed or raised with my Department. UK businesses exporting to the EU must ensure that they comply with EU requirements for accessing the EU market. Guidance in respect of regulatory compliance with the revised Drinking Water Directive is the responsibility of the European Commission.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the divergence between (a) UK and (b) EU regulations on products in contact with drinking water; and whether he is taking steps to help with additional compliance costs for companies supplying the UK market.

Our drinking water regulations and approved regulator specifications are designed, in part, to protect human health by reducing the likelihood of contamination of drinking water supplies. Our current Regulations allow certain other national specifications to be accepted by water undertakers, if they can demonstrate an equivalent level of protection and performance with our drinking water standards.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the EU's revised Drinking Water Directive on UK manufacturers of water-related products; and what steps he is taking to support businesses to meet the new compliance requirements.

Our drinking water regulations and approved regulator specifications are designed, in part, to protect human health by reducing the likelihood of contamination of drinking water supplies. Our current Regulations allow certain other national specifications to be accepted by water undertakers, if they can demonstrate an equivalent level of protection and performance with our drinking water standards.

Communities and Local Government, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of reforming the residential conveyancing system to (a) speed up and (b) reduce costs to users.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer given to Question UIN 3887 on 10 September 2024.

Whether she plans to establish a public inquiry into the Birmingham pub bombings.

The attacks on the Mulberry Bush and Tavern in the Town public houses were horrific events.As we approach the 50th anniversary I offer my deepest sympathy and condolences to all those affected.The families of the victims of these attacks have long campaigned for justice to be done. The Home Secretary and I will consider requests for an inquiry as soon as possible.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to ensure that proposed increases to consumer water bills are used for infrastructure investment.

After writing to Ofwat, the Secretary of State has secured agreement that funding for vital infrastructure investment is ringfenced and can only be spent on upgrades benefiting customers and the environment. If that money is not spent, it will be refunded to customers – not diverted for bonuses, shareholder payouts or salary increases.