Written questions by Beales.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment he had made of the role of furniture provision in increasing tenancy sustainability and reducing homelessness presentations; and if his department will encourage local authorities to use a portion of the Rough Sleeping Prevention and Recovery Grant to provide these essential items.

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

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.

Whether his Department has assessed how alcohol labelling reforms could support local public-health and community-based initiatives aimed at reducing alcohol-related harm, particularly in areas with significant health inequalities.

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.Clear and consistent labelling is expected to increase awareness of the health risks and to empower consumers to make more informed choices, complementing local public health strategies and community-level interventions.The Government also committed to supporting community level innovations where they have shown promise in reducing alcohol harm. Officials are working at pace to take forward these commitments.

What proportion of NHS England’s total budget has been allocated to vaccination and immunisation programmes in each of the last five years.

NHS England is responsible for the operational delivery of vaccination and immunisation programmes, although this does not include the procurement of vaccines. The following table shows the proportion of NHS England’s total budget allocated to the operational delivery of vaccination and immunisation programmes for the last five years, where accounts have already been published:Financial yearVaccination and immunisation costs (£m)NHS England total budget (£m)Proportion of NHE England total budget spend on vaccination and immunisation2019/20309121,3340.25%2020/21955147,1320.65%2021/221,499147,9731.01%2022/23989155,2280.64%2023/24852165,9260.51%

Pursuant to the Answer of 28 October 2025 to Question 83204, what step he is taking to secure a recurrent budget for abiraterone in high risk, non-metastatic prostate cancer, in the context of it being ranked top priority for routine commissioning at the Clinical Priorities Advisory Group Prioritisation Meeting in 2024-25.

We are pleased to confirm that NHS England announced on 16 January that patients with non‑metastatic prostate cancer will now have access to abiraterone in combination with prednisolone, where it is deemed to be clinically beneficial. This development has been made possible by the health service buying and delivering treatments at better value.This decision marks a major step forward in the Government’s ongoing work to improve cancer outcomes, ensure earlier access to effective treatments, and support men and their families across England.

Whether his Department plans to publish a modern service framework for respiratory health.

Modern service frameworks will define an aspirational, long-term outcome goal for a major condition and then identify the best evidenced interventions and the support for delivery. Early priorities will include cardiovascular disease, severe mental illness, and the first ever service framework for frailty and dementia.The Government will consider other long-term conditions for future waves of modern service frameworks, including respiratory conditions. The criteria for determining other conditions for future modern service frameworks will be based on where there is potential for rapid and significant improvements in quality of care and productivity.

What assessment he has made of the potential merits of using the Crisis and Resilience Fund to encourage local authorities to provide essential furniture and white goods items to those living in furniture poverty.

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 January 2026.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of furniture provision on (a) tenancy sustainability and (b) homelessness; and if his Department will encourage local authorities to use the Rough Sleeping Prevention and Recovery Grant to provide furniture.

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

Communities and Local Government, what discussions his Department has had with frontline homelessness staff on the impact of moving homelessness survivors into unfurnished properties.

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

Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to ensure that people (a) leaving homelessness do not enter accommodation without flooring, window coverings, furniture and white goods and (b) who have experienced homelessness can rebuild their lives.

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

Whether his Department plans to conduct a review into current fireworks legislation to determine whether it is fit for purpose and efficiently protects animals and vulnerable people.

The Government is continuing to engage with businesses, consumer groups and charities, including those supporting animals and vulnerable people, to gather evidence on the issues with and impacts of fireworks to inform any future action and review into the current fireworks legislation. The Government launched a public campaign on fireworks safety for this year’s fireworks season. The campaign also featured new guidance for those running community fireworks events which recommends the use of low-noise fireworks to reduce the impact on communities, as well as social media materials that emphasise the risks from the misuse of fireworks.

What assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the 120 dB noise limit in protecting animals and vulnerable people from harm.

The Government is continuing to engage with businesses, consumer groups and charities, including those supporting animals and vulnerable people, to gather evidence on the issues with and impacts of fireworks to inform any future action and review into the current fireworks legislation. The Government launched a public campaign on fireworks safety for this year’s fireworks season. The campaign also featured new guidance for those running community fireworks events which recommends the use of low-noise fireworks to reduce the impact on communities, as well as social media materials that emphasise the risks from the misuse of fireworks.

Communities and Local Government, whether his Department plans to write to social landlords to encourage them to offer a proportion of their properties as furnished, in the context of the best practice guide within the Decent Homes Standard.

My Department engages actively with registered providers of social housing on all issues facing social housing tenants and with a range of stakeholders on issues facing residents and has engaged with groups such as End Furniture Poverty to understand their research on this issue. On 2 July, we opened a consultation on a reformed Decent Homes Standard (DHS) for the social and private rented sectors. It can be found on gov.uk here. The consultation proposed that government develop best practice guidance for all landlords including information and support where tenants in need can access help on furniture provision. The consultation has now closed and responses are being analysed. More information about future guidance will be released as part of the government response. People in need may be able to get support from their local authorities via the ‘Household Support Fund’ and other services available locally.

Communities and Local Government, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the best practice guide within the Decent Homes Standard on the number of landlords who furnish their properties using furnished tenancies.

My Department engages actively with registered providers of social housing on all issues facing social housing tenants and with a range of stakeholders on issues facing residents and has engaged with groups such as End Furniture Poverty to understand their research on this issue. On 2 July, we opened a consultation on a reformed Decent Homes Standard (DHS) for the social and private rented sectors. It can be found on gov.uk here. The consultation proposed that government develop best practice guidance for all landlords including information and support where tenants in need can access help on furniture provision. The consultation has now closed and responses are being analysed. More information about future guidance will be released as part of the government response. People in need may be able to get support from their local authorities via the ‘Household Support Fund’ and other services available locally.

Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department plans to take to monitor the implementation of the Decent Homes Standard in relation to (a) the best practice guide and (b) furniture provision within social housing.

My Department engages actively with registered providers of social housing on all issues facing social housing tenants and with a range of stakeholders on issues facing residents and has engaged with groups such as End Furniture Poverty to understand their research on this issue. On 2 July, we opened a consultation on a reformed Decent Homes Standard (DHS) for the social and private rented sectors. It can be found on gov.uk here. The consultation proposed that government develop best practice guidance for all landlords including information and support where tenants in need can access help on furniture provision. The consultation has now closed and responses are being analysed. More information about future guidance will be released as part of the government response. People in need may be able to get support from their local authorities via the ‘Household Support Fund’ and other services available locally.

Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department plans to take to help ensure that landlords (a) introduce flooring in all habitable rooms within a reasonable timeframe and (b) otherwise follow the Decent Homes Standard.

My Department engages actively with registered providers of social housing on all issues facing social housing tenants and with a range of stakeholders on issues facing residents and has engaged with groups such as End Furniture Poverty to understand their research on this issue. On 2 July, we opened a consultation on a reformed Decent Homes Standard (DHS) for the social and private rented sectors. It can be found on gov.uk here. The consultation proposed that government develop best practice guidance for all landlords including information and support where tenants in need can access help on furniture provision. The consultation has now closed and responses are being analysed. More information about future guidance will be released as part of the government response. People in need may be able to get support from their local authorities via the ‘Household Support Fund’ and other services available locally.

Communities and Local Government, what estimate his Department has made of the level of furniture poverty in Uxbridge and South Ruislip constituency; and if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of furnished tenancies on the level of furniture poverty.

My Department engages actively with registered providers of social housing on all issues facing social housing tenants and with a range of stakeholders on issues facing residents and has engaged with groups such as End Furniture Poverty to understand their research on this issue. On 2 July, we opened a consultation on a reformed Decent Homes Standard (DHS) for the social and private rented sectors. It can be found on gov.uk here. The consultation proposed that government develop best practice guidance for all landlords including information and support where tenants in need can access help on furniture provision. The consultation has now closed and responses are being analysed. More information about future guidance will be released as part of the government response. People in need may be able to get support from their local authorities via the ‘Household Support Fund’ and other services available locally.

Whether the NICE guidance on abiraterone produced in 2021 was based on abiraterone's cost in generic form.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s (NICE) published guidance on abiraterone for treating newly diagnosed high-risk hormone-sensitive metastatic prostate cancer, which has the reference code TA721, was developed before the patent for abiraterone expired and was therefore based on the cost of the branded medicine.NICE is now re-evaluating abiraterone, both the originator and the generics, for the treatment of newly diagnosed high-risk hormone-sensitive metastatic prostate cancer and currently expects to publish the final guidance on 19 November 2025. The progress of this guidance can be followed at the following link:https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/indevelopment/gid-ta11730

What estimate his Department has made of the number of men in England with newly diagnosed high-risk, non-metastatic prostate cancer who would be eligible for abiraterone under the eligibility criteria used in (a) Scotland and (b) Wales.

NHS England estimates that the number of eligible patients in England is between 7,500 and 9,500 per year. This is based on the same eligibility criteria as are used in Scotland and Wales. NHS England has not completed any specific work to estimate the potential impact of prescribing abiraterone in England using the eligibility criteria used in Scotland and Wales on the number of premature deaths from high-risk, non-metastatic prostate cancer. However, the policy was ranked as the top priority for routine commissioning at the Clinical Priorities Advisory Group Prioritisation Meeting in 2024/25, based upon the clinical benefit, which included evidence that demonstrated statistically significantly fewer deaths with abiraterone and androgen deprivation therapy versus androgen deprivation therapy alone.

If he will make an estimate of the potential impact of prescribing abiraterone in England using the eligibility criteria used in (a) Scotland and (b) Wales on the number of premature deaths from high-risk, non-metastatic prostate cancer.

NHS England estimates that the number of eligible patients in England is between 7,500 and 9,500 per year. This is based on the same eligibility criteria as are used in Scotland and Wales. NHS England has not completed any specific work to estimate the potential impact of prescribing abiraterone in England using the eligibility criteria used in Scotland and Wales on the number of premature deaths from high-risk, non-metastatic prostate cancer. However, the policy was ranked as the top priority for routine commissioning at the Clinical Priorities Advisory Group Prioritisation Meeting in 2024/25, based upon the clinical benefit, which included evidence that demonstrated statistically significantly fewer deaths with abiraterone and androgen deprivation therapy versus androgen deprivation therapy alone.