Written questions by Hinds.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of awarding Dental Schools status to the University of Portsmouth Dental Academy.

All United Kingdom dental education providers must have Dental Authority Status (DAS) before they can award degrees in dentistry. DAS is a legal status described in the Dentists Act 1984 and awarded to organisations by the Privy Council.The Portsmouth Dental Academy has submitted an application to the Privy Council for DAS. This is currently going through the Privy Council’s approval process.

With reference to the Written Statement of 22 May 2025 on Childhood Obesity, HCWS652, what his distinction is between a product and a brand.

The Government is 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.Advertising restrictions for less healthy food or drink will be determined by whether a television channel or video-on-demand service is regulated by Ofcom. All Ofcom-regulated services, whether broadcast or delivered over the internet, will be subject to a 9:00pm watershed. All other internet-delivered television services will be subject to the 24-hour restriction. We announced in a Written Ministerial Statement to Parliament on 22 May that the Government will set out in legislation an explicit brand exemption from the advertising restrictions for brand advertising that does not identify a less healthy food or drink product. This will provide legal clarification on this aspect of the existing policy as it was understood and agreed by Parliament during the passage of the Health and Care Bill, following extensive consultation.

With reference to the Written Statement of 22 May 2025 on Childhood Obesity, HCWS652, whether the output of TV channels not viewed as live broadcast TV will count as (a) TV and (b) online.

The Government is 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.Advertising restrictions for less healthy food or drink will be determined by whether a television channel or video-on-demand service is regulated by Ofcom. All Ofcom-regulated services, whether broadcast or delivered over the internet, will be subject to a 9:00pm watershed. All other internet-delivered television services will be subject to the 24-hour restriction. We announced in a Written Ministerial Statement to Parliament on 22 May that the Government will set out in legislation an explicit brand exemption from the advertising restrictions for brand advertising that does not identify a less healthy food or drink product. This will provide legal clarification on this aspect of the existing policy as it was understood and agreed by Parliament during the passage of the Health and Care Bill, following extensive consultation.

Pursuant to his Answer of 19 May 2025 to Question 52225 on Hospitals: Basingstoke, what is the timescale for the short form business case for the purchase of land near Junction 7 of the M3.

The New Hospital Programme (NHP) has confirmed the budget allocation for Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust’s land purchase in this financial year. This does include a budget cap which is based on an estimate of what is expected to be required to complete the land acquisition. The actual funding amount will only be confirmed once the short form business case is approved as per the business case process set out in HM Treasury Green Book.The trust is currently in the process of developing their short form business case in relation to the purchase of land near Junction 7 of the M3 with support from the NHP.

Pursuant to the Answer of 19 May 2025 to Question 52225, whether there is a (a) budget cap, (b) indicative range and (c) best estimate of the money allocated in this financial year's capital budget for the purchase of land near Junction 7 of the M3.

The New Hospital Programme (NHP) has confirmed the budget allocation for Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust’s land purchase in this financial year. This does include a budget cap which is based on an estimate of what is expected to be required to complete the land acquisition. The actual funding amount will only be confirmed once the short form business case is approved as per the business case process set out in HM Treasury Green Book.The trust is currently in the process of developing their short form business case in relation to the purchase of land near Junction 7 of the M3 with support from the NHP.

With reference to his Department’s press release entitled Almost million more pupils get access to mental health support, published on 16 May 2025, whether the next phase of the implementation schedule for mental health support teams in schools differs from that of the previous Government.

Almost one million more young people will have access to mental health support in school this year. Previous plans to expand mental health support in schools were unfunded. By confirming this new investment, six in 10 pupils will have access to a mental health support team by March 2026. All pupils will have access to mental health support in school by 2029/30.

How much (a) capital funding and (b) revenue funding has been allocated for the purchase of land near Junction 7 of the M3 for development of a new hospital for Basingstoke and North Hampshire.

The New Hospital Programme confirmed to the Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust on 7 May that it has included provision for the purchase of land for their scheme in this financial year’s capital budget. Revenue budget is not expected to be needed.The funding amount will be confirmed once the short form business case is approved as per the business case process set out in HM Treasury’s Green Book.

Pursuant to the Answer of 10 December 2024 to Question 17083 on Mental Health Services: Schools, whether planned aspects of provision of access to a specialist mental health professional in every school go beyond the plan to introduce Mental Health Support Teams.

The Government has committed to expanding Mental Health Support Teams (MHSTs) in schools and colleges to reach 100% coverage by 2029/30. As the programme matures, the Department of Health and Social Care will work with the Department for Education to consider if there are ways the MHST offer can be improved to better support children and young people.We also continue to work with the Department for Education to deliver our commitment of providing access to a specialist mental health professional in every school in England. We are also working across Government and with NHS England to set up a network of community Young Futures hubs.We are currently developing the 10-Year Health Plan with the public, staff, and patients. We continue to listen to emerging insights on children and young people’s mental health and are taking participants' concerns seriously. The consultation process has provided invaluable feedback, and we are in the process of exploring how we best take this forward.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of changes to payroll costs from the Autumn Budget 2024 on self funders in social care.

Self-funder fee rates are set by providers of adult social care, the majority of which are in the independent sector. The Department does not have powers to set or recommend the level of self-funder fees that care homes charge. However, all businesses are required to comply with the Consumer Rights Act 2015 by ensuring that they use fair and clear terms in their standard agreements with customers.

What estimate he has made of spending on mental health services for children and young people in each year for which data are available.

The following table shows actual spend on children and young people’s mental health by clinical commissioning groups and integrated care boards: Financial yearAmount (£ million)2017/18687.22018/19753.32019/20841.42020/21938.32021/22994.82022/231,087.702023/241,180.40 Source: NHS Mental Health Dashboard, NHS England

With reference to NHS England's statistics entitled Mental Health of Children and Young People in England, 2023 - wave 4 follow up to the 2017 survey, published on 21 November 2023, whether he plans to publish further updates to those statistics.

Although no decisions have yet been made to commission further waves, the Government recognises the importance of the Mental Health of Children and Young People in England Report. We will publish plans in due course.

How many mental health professionals the previous Government planned to be placed in schools in each of the next three academic years; and how many he plans to place in schools in the same period.

Nationally, there are, on average, 8,400 pupils or learners and 17 schools or colleges per mental health support team (MHST), up to and including waves seven and eight. There are 109 MHSTs that will become part of the programme in waves nine and 10, with ...

Pursuant to the Answer of 29 Nov 2024 to Question 15640 on Mental Health Services: Schools, whether the plan to introduce access to a specialist mental health professional in every school differs f

The Department of Health and Social Care is working with the Department for Education to consider how to deliver our commitment of providing access to a specialist mental health professional in every school. We need to ensure that any support meets the ne...

With reference to the oral contribution of 20 November 2024 by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Public Health and Prevention, Official Report, columns 347 and 348, what his timetable

As part of our mission to build a National Health Service that is fit for the future and that is there when people need it, we will introduce access to a specialist mental health professional in every school, so that mental health conditions, such as anxi...

Further to the Answer of 31 July 2024 to Question 764, when he plans to make a further announcement on the Children's Hospice Grant.

While 2023/24 marked the final year of the Children’s Hospice Grant in its previous format, in 2024/25, NHS England provided £25 million of funding for children and young people’s hospices, maintaining the level of funding from 2023/24. For the first time...

If he will revert to central grant funding from NHS England for children's hospices.

While 2023/24 marked the final year of the Children’s Hospice Grant in its previous format, in 2024/25, NHS England provided £25 million of funding for children and young people’s hospices, maintaining the level of funding from 2023/24. For the first time...

How many and what proportions of schools at each stage of education are served by Mental Health Support Teams.

The Department for Education publishes an annual analysis, with the most recent analysis available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/transforming-children-and-young-peoples-mental-health-provision

How his plans for dedicated mental health professionals’ support for secondary schools relate to plans for mental health support teams for schools set out in the Green Paper for Transforming childr

The Department is working across the Government to deliver our commitment of a specialist mental health professional in every school. We need to ensure any support meets the needs of young people, teachers, parents, and carers which is why we are explorin...

With reference to the NHS England web page entitled Mental health support in schools and colleges, what his policy is on the (a) number and (b) types of regions that will be covered by the roll-out

The Department is working with the Department for Education and NHS England to deliver our commitment of a specialist mental health professional in every school.

With reference to the NHS England web page entitled Mental health support in schools and colleges, what the roll-out schedule is for mental health support teams.

The Department is working with the Department for Education and NHS England to deliver our commitment of a specialist mental health professional in every school.