Written questions by Beales.

Communities and Local Government, what measures her Department is taking to ensure people admitted to hospital while rough sleeping have somewhere secure to sleep upon discharge from hospital.

We have published A National Plan to End Homelessness, our cross-Government Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy. This commits to a target that no one eligible for homelessness assistance is discharged to the street after a hospital stay. To help achieve this we will work with the NHS and councils to implement the guidance published in 2024, 'Discharging people at risk of or experiencing homelessness', to help staff plan safe discharges and prevent homelessness after NHS care.

What assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of steps taken by Integrated Care Boards to address regional inequalities in access to eye care services.

No assessment has been made. Integrated care boards, as commissioners of primary and secondary eye care services, are required to work with local authorities to assess the current and future health, care, and wellbeing needs of their local populations. They will then set out, in joint local health and wellbeing strategies, how they will meet those needs, and this could include addressing any identified inequalities in accessing services. Understanding patient demographics is an essential step in identifying and tackling health inequalities. The Elective Reform Plan included a commitment to publish waiting list information broken down by demographics to allow greater visibility of potential health inequalities. The Elective Reform Plan is available at the following link: https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/reforming-elective-care-for-patients/ This enables local health services to understand the demographics of patients on their waiting list to better tailor services to their needs. Data on demographics of the elective waiting list can be found at the following link for the week ending 26 October 2025: https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/rtt-waiting-times/wlmds/ It shows referral to treatment waiting times from the Waiting List Minimum Data Set for Ophthalmology split by age, sex, deprivation, and ethnicity. The Public Health Outcomes Framework Eye Health Indicator also continues to track the rate of sight loss for age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma, and diabetic retinopathy. This information is available to commissioners and can be used to drive improved local outcomes and interventions.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of implementing the recommendations of the report by the Association of Optometrists entitled Key Interventions to Transform Eye Care and Eye Health, published in October 2024, relating to a national-roll out of (a) Community Urgent Eye Service and Minor Eye Conditions Service, (b) the Integrated Glaucoma Pathway, and (c) the Integrated Cataract Pathway for pre and post assessments on costs to the NHS.

Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for assessing the health needs of their local population and for commissioning primary and secondary eye care services to meet them. This can include the commissioning of enhanced eye care services from high street optical practices.NHS England accelerator pilots have demonstrated that improved IT connectivity and a single point of access can significantly speed up eye care referrals and support more patients to be managed in the community, in line with the ambitions in the 10-Year Health Plan.

What assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of the (a) Minor Eye Conditions Service and (b) Community Urgent Eyecare Service.

Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for assessing the health needs of their local population and for commissioning primary and secondary eye care services to meet them. This can include the commissioning of enhanced eye care services from high street optical practices.NHS England accelerator pilots have demonstrated that improved IT connectivity and a single point of access can significantly speed up eye care referrals and support more patients to be managed in the community, in line with the ambitions in the 10-Year Health Plan.

What measures his Department is taking to improve the access people experiencing homelessness have to health and social care services.

The Department recognises the importance of ensuring that people experiencing homelessness have access to appropriate health and social care services. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guideline 214, titled Integrated health and social care for people experiencing homelessness, sets out clear expectations for services to be accessible and tailored to individual needs, and is available at the following link:https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng214/chapter/Recommendations#intermediate-careWe are exploring how best to encourage integrated care boards to adopt and embed this guidance within their commissioning processes.People experiencing homelessness are considered as an inclusion health group. Inclusion health groups are a key cohort within the locally identified priority ‘PLUS’ populations in NHS England’s Core20PLUS5 framework to reduce healthcare inequalities. Further information on NHS England’s Core20PLUS5 framework is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/about/equality/equality-hub/national-healthcare-inequalities-improvement-programme/core20plus5/Integrated care boards are responsible for implementing this approach, aiming to reduce inequalities in health outcomes and improve equitable access to healthcare treatments and services.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the (a) Minor Eye Conditions Service and (b) Community Urgent Eyecare Service on (i) patient outcomes and (ii) unnecessary referrals to secondary care.

Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for assessing the health needs of their local population and for commissioning primary and secondary eye care services to meet them. This can include the commissioning of enhanced eye care services from high street optical practices.NHS England accelerator pilots have demonstrated that improved IT connectivity and a single point of access can significantly speed up eye care referrals and support more patients to be managed in the community, in line with the ambitions in the 10-Year Health Plan.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of Housing First interventions for people experiencing homelessness on (a) health outcomes and (b) costs to the NHS.

The Department is committed to improving health outcomes for people experiencing homelessness. We are working closely with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to support those experiencing homelessness with multiple and complex needs.The Government published an evaluation of the Housing First pilots, including their impact on health outcomes, a copy of which is attached. However, Housing First is not a Department of Health and Social Care policy, therefore the National Health Service has not undertaken analysis of its effectiveness and costs.

What assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the provision of a Minor Eye Conditions Service in every part of the country.

Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for assessing the health needs of their local population and for commissioning primary and secondary eye care services to meet them. This can include the commissioning of enhanced eye care services from high street optical practices.NHS England accelerator pilots have demonstrated that improved IT connectivity and a single point of access can significantly speed up eye care referrals and support more patients to be managed in the community, in line with the ambitions in the 10-Year Health Plan.

What steps his Department is taking to expand the use of community optometry services.

Integrated care boards are responsible for assessing the health needs of their local population and commissioning primary and secondary eye care services to meet them.This can already include the commissioning of enhanced eye care services from high street optical practices, including minor and urgent eye care services and glaucoma referral refinement services.NHS England accelerator pilots have demonstrated that improved IT connectivity and a single point of access can significantly speed up eye care referrals and support more patients to be managed in the community, in line with the ambitions in the 10-Year Health Plan.

What steps his Department is taking to expand the use of optometry-led diagnostic and treatment pathways.

Integrated care boards are responsible for assessing the health needs of their local population and commissioning primary and secondary eye care services to meet them.This can already include the commissioning of enhanced eye care services from high street optical practices, including minor and urgent eye care services and glaucoma referral refinement services.NHS England accelerator pilots have demonstrated that improved IT connectivity and a single point of access can significantly speed up eye care referrals and support more patients to be managed in the community, in line with the ambitions in the 10-Year Health Plan.

If he will introduce a ringfenced element for (a) furniture and (b) appliances through the Crisis and Resilience Fund.

My Department has actively engaged with stakeholders on the design of the Crisis and Resilience Fund through a structured co-design process involving a representative group of local authorities, third-party organisations and academics. We are considering all feedback received through this process, and we plan to publish guidance in due course.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of adopting a national exemption for domestic abuse survivors from housing-related debt rules in social housing allocation policies.

Local housing authorities can already take into account an applicant’s financial resources when considering their application, including debt and affordability checks.We would expect local authorities to show consideration for the circumstances in which the debt was accrued.Statutory guidance encourages local housing authorities to support victims of domestic abuse. The government is committed to keeping our statutory guidance under review, including how we support vulnerable groups such as victims of domestic abuse.My Department will publish its homelessness strategy before the end of the year.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of local authority housing-related debt rules on domestic abuse survivors who are placed in temporary accommodation and seeking social housing.

Local housing authorities can already take into account an applicant’s financial resources when considering their application, including debt and affordability checks.We would expect local authorities to show consideration for the circumstances in which the debt was accrued.Statutory guidance encourages local housing authorities to support victims of domestic abuse. The government is committed to keeping our statutory guidance under review, including how we support vulnerable groups such as victims of domestic abuse.My Department will publish its homelessness strategy before the end of the year.

Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to ensure landlords let accommodation is fit for human habitation as set out in the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018.

If rented houses or flats are not fit for human habitation, tenants can take their landlords to court under the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018. The court can make the landlord carry out repairs and put right health and safety problems. The court can also make the landlord pay compensation to the tenant. The government is committed to ensuring that rented homes are safe, decent, warm, and free from damp and mould. The Renters’ Rights Act 2025 will extend Awaab’s Law to the private rented sector and introduce a Decent Homes Standard for privately rented homes for the first time. The Decent Homes Standard already applies to social housing. Enforcement in the social sector is being strengthened through the Social Housing Regulation Act, including through the implementation of Awaab’s Law, the first phase of which has already come into force.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of children who have experienced homelessness being moved into properties with (a) unsafe or (b) no flooring; and if he will take steps to encourage the sector to provide properties with all required furnishings.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to question UIN 92799 on 28 November 2025.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the concerns of frontline homelessness staff who believe that moving homelessness survivors into unfurnished properties leads to tenancies failing; and what steps his department is taking to address these concerns.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to question UIN 92799 on 28 November 2025.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment his department has made of the impact of furniture poverty on homelessness prevention and recovery; and if he will explore possibilities to use furnished tenancies to reduce homelessness presentations.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to question UIN 92799 on 28 November 2025.

What assessment he made of the difference in uptake rates between maternal and infant RSV immunisations when developing the national immunisation programme.

The policy for the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) programme is based on the advice of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), an independent expert advisory committee. The JCVI considered RSV modelling that included different levels of uptake for maternal or infant immunisation. The JCVI advised that either antenatal maternal vaccination or infant monoclonal antibody immunisation strategies could be suitable for a universal United Kingdom programme and did not have a preference. Maternal vaccination became the UK programme from September 2024 following a competitive tender.The JCVI had noted that protection of preterm infants would need to be looked at if the UK adopted a maternal vaccination programme. At the October 2024 meeting the JCVI advised that a programme to extend a potential offer of nirsevimab, a monoclonal antibody, to very and extremely premature infants could be cost effective.Based on JCVI’s advice, the RSV selective immunisation programme for high-risk infants switched in September 2025 from using palivizumab to using nirsevimab, and was extended to include premature babies born at less than 32 weeks gestation.

Whether his Department has assessed the importance of including accessible behaviour-change and drinking moderation tools, including links to digital health support, as part of the new mandatory alcohol labelling standards.

In Fit for the Future: 10-Year Health Plan for England, the Government committed to strengthening and expanding existing voluntary guidelines for alcohol labelling by introducing a mandatory requirement for alcoholic drinks to display consistent nutritional information and health warning messages.Department officials are currently working at pace to develop the policy. We are reviewing all available evidence and engaging with stakeholders to assess the potential content of the mandatory labels.The Government currently provides drinking moderation tools like the new NHS Healthy Choices Quiz which is designed to help people to improve their health and wellbeing. It asks a range of lifestyle questions, including those about alcohol consumption, provides an overall score out of ten, and directs people to relevant National Health Service support services such as the Drink Free Days app.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his department's policies of trends in the number of homelessness entering accommodation without flooring, window coverings, furniture, white goods, or financial savings; and what steps is he taking to protect those who have experienced homelessness and to help ensure that they can rebuild their lives.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to question UIN 92799 on 28 November 2025.