Written questions by Beales.

How many Mpox vaccines were delivered in each month since January 2024.

The following table shows the number of Mpox vaccines delivered each month from 1 January 2024 to 31 January 2025, as well as the total Mpox vaccines delivered in that period:MonthNumber of Mpox vaccinations administeredJanuary 2024804February 20241,069March 2024900April 2024612May 2024899June 2024894July 2024704August 20242,856September 20242,078October 20244,329November 20241,713December 20241,271January 2025293Total18,422The data was extracted on 5 February 2025 and is based on aggregate data submissions from sexual health or genitourinary medicine clinics.

What assessment he has made of the potential merits of integrating Mpox vaccines into routine sexual health services for higher risk groups.

NHS England is planning for a routine Mpox vaccination programme, whilst continuing to offer vaccination to eligible cohorts in areas with the highest density of the eligible population as part of the response to the recent Mpox outbreaks.NHS England has recently opened additional Mpox vaccination sites across the country to support the access for eligible individuals, with further information available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/2025/02/nhs-opens-new-mpox-vaccination-sites-across-england/The programme will be delivered through Sexual Health Services who have experience in the assessment, identification, and vaccination of those who are at increased risk of Mpox infection.

What assessment his Department has made with NHS England of the efficacy of booster vaccinations for mPox.

An assessment of the efficacy of booster vaccinations has not been made as there is currently no requirement for mpox booster vaccinations.There is currently insufficient evidence to support routine boosters of mpox vaccination in immunocompetent individuals, namely people with the ability to produce a normal immune response; further information is contained in Smallpox and mpox: the green book, chapter 29, which is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/smallpox-and-vaccinia-the-green-book-chapter-29

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of raising the upper limit of house prices for which the Lifetime Individual Savings Account can be used without incurring a penalty for people living in (a) Greater London and (b) other regions with high house prices.

While the Government will continue to monitor the situation, it currently remains of the view that the property price cap for the Lifetime ISA is set at an appropriate level to support most first-time buyers across the UK while targeting households that may find it most difficult to get onto the property ladder.Data from the latest UK House Price Index shows that while the average price paid by first-time buyers has increased, it is still below the LISA property price cap in all regions of the UK.The Government keeps all aspects of savings tax policy under review.

If he will make an assessment of the potential merits of regularly publishing data on incidents of corridor care in the NHS.

The Government is clear that patients should expect and receive the highest standard of service, and is determined to tackle the issue of corridor care.Discussions on how to improve urgent and emergency care services are continuing, and we will continue to keep the data available and published to support that aim under review. Before the spring, we will set out the lessons learned from this winter and the improvements that we will put in place ahead of next winter.

What recent discussions his Department has had with NHS England on the potential merits of publishing data on incidents of corridor care in the NHS.

The Government is clear that patients should expect and receive the highest standard of service, and is determined to tackle the issue of corridor care.Discussions on how to improve urgent and emergency care services are continuing, including how best to make use of data. Before the spring, we will set out the lessons learned from this winter and the improvements that we will put in place ahead of next winter.

Whether he plans to take steps to encourage the wider adoption of drone technology in the NHS.

NHS England will continue to encourage the wider adoption of drone technology in the National Health Service where it is both feasible and appropriate.The NHS is committed to decarbonising travel and transport, with a clear vision of achieving a zero-emission fleet by 2040. In October 2023, NHS England published the NHS Net Zero Travel and Transport Strategy, which contains an ambitious, yet deliverable, roadmap to achieve this. Further information on the NHS Net Zero Travel and Transport Strategy is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/net-zero-travel-and-transport-strategy/This strategy includes drones as one of the interventions to achieve decarbonised travel and transport. There have already been a number of projects testing and implementing the use of drone technology in the NHS, including pathology drones in Cornwall and blood delivery drones in London. Further information on the pathology drones in Cornwall and the blood delivery drones in London is available, respectively, at the following two links:https://www.rcpath.org/resource-report/pathology-drone-transport-hopes-to-overcome-logistical-constraints-in-cornwall.htmlhttps://www.guysandstthomas.nhs.uk/news/nhs-delivery-drones-take-flight-offering-faster-and-greener-patient-careDrones have also been used to deliver vital chemotherapy to the Isle of Wight, reducing a four-hour journey time by road and sea to a 30-minute flight, minimising waste and treatment delays whilst also reducing carbon, with further information available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/greenernhs/whats-already-happening/drone-deliveries-of-vital-chemotherapy-to-the-isle-of-wight/

Whether he plans to expand the trial of the transportation of blood by drone technology undertaken by Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital to more NHS Trusts.

The medical drone delivery service for the Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust is a six-month trial, that started in November. There is potential for drones to support and improve the way the National Health Service delivers patient care, with the outcome of trials supporting NHS trusts to consider the benefits of adoption.

What assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the upper limit of house prices for which the Lifetime Individual Savings Account can be used without incurring a penalty.

Data from the latest UK House Price Index shows that while the average price paid by first-time buyers has increased, it is still below the LISA property price cap in all regions of the UK except for London, where the average price paid is affected by boroughs with very high property values. The Government keeps all aspects of savings tax policy under review.

Whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of using drone technology to support fire and rescue services.

Fire and Rescue Services have been early adopters of drones which can improve decision making, operational efficiency and reduce risk to firefighters. We work closely with the National Fire Chiefs Council, who co-ordinate the use of Fire & Rescue Service Drones, ensuring services are aware of new technology and the benefits available.Fire and rescue authorities and services are operationally independent from government. Decisions on how their resources are best deployed to meet their core functions and keep their communities safe are a matter for each fire and rescue authority, based on its analysis of risk and local circumstances. Any consideration of equipment, including drones, will be part of this process.

What her planned timetable is for the delivery of the Loan Charge Review.

At Budget, the Government committed to an independent review of the Loan Charge to help bring the matter to a close for those affected whilst ensuring fairness for all taxpayers. Further details will be set out in due course.

Whether the child poverty strategy will include measures to tackle child homelessness.

Delivering our manifesto commitment to tackle child poverty is an urgent priority for this Government, and the Ministerial Taskforce is working to publish the Child Poverty Strategy in Spring 2025. The Taskforce’s publication of 23 October ‘Tackling Child Poverty: Developing our Strategy’ sets out how we are developing the Strategy, exploring all available levers across Government to deliver an enduring reduction in child poverty this parliament. This is part of a 10-year strategy for lasting change which will be published in the Spring. The Strategy will look at levers across four key themes of increasing incomes, reducing essential costs, increasing financial resilience; and better local support especially in the early years. This will build on the reform plans underway across government and work underway in Devolved Governments. The Taskforce will hear directly from experts on each of the Strategy’s themes including children and families living in poverty and work with leading organisations, charities, and campaigners. In December, the Taskforce met with external experts from the housing sector to discuss the critical role of housing in tackling child poverty. The Ministerial session was the first in a series of deep dives into specific policy areas; the focus of this session was on parental employment, childcare and housing.

If he will make shingles vaccinations available to all people aged over 65.

Shingles vaccination was originally routinely offered as part of the national immunisation programme to those aged 70, using the Zostavax vaccine. In 2019, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) recommended that the programme should be changed to offer the Shingrix vaccine routinely at 60 years of age, that those aged between 60 and 70 years old should also be offered the vaccine, and that individuals would require two doses of Shingrix to complete the course.Based on JCVI advice, the Department, the UK Health Security Agency and NHS England decided that the programme would be implemented in phases, with the first phase being that between 1 September 2023 and 31 August 2028, those who reach 65 or 70 years old should be called in on or after their 65th or 70th birthday. The second phase would be that from 1 September 2028 to 31 August 2033, those who reach age 60 or 65 years old should be called in on or after their 60th or 65th birthday. From 1 September 2033 onwards, vaccination will be routinely offered to those turning 60 years of age on or after their 60th birthday.The JCVI also recommended that all severely immunosuppressed individuals aged 50 years old and older should be eligible for shingles vaccination due to their higher risk of complications from shingles. This programme change was also implemented on 1 September 2023. These individuals have been prioritised as part of the early roll-out of the programme to ensure those who are most vulnerable are protected.

Which body within the NHS will be conducting the review into the case for lowering the screening age for prostate cancer; what the scope of this review will be; and when he expects to receive recommendations.

Screening for prostate cancer is currently not recommended in the United Kingdom, due to the inaccuracy of the current best test Prostate Specific Antigen.A UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) review looking at whether to offer screening for prostate cancer is currently underway. This evidence review will cover modelling the clinical effectiveness and cost of several approaches to prostate cancer screening. This will include different potential ways of screening the whole population and targeted screening aimed at groups of people identified as being at higher-than-average risk, such as black men or men with a family history of cancer.Once the modelling and evidence review are complete, it will be considered by the UK NSC. Subject to no further revisions being required, the UK NSC plans to look at the findings towards the end of 2025.Further details of the UK NSC’s evidence review process are available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-nsc-evidence-review-process/uk-nsc-evidence-review-process

What assessment she has made of the adequacy of funding for (a) legal aid and (b) criminal courts.

This Government inherited a justice system under enormous strain and a legal aid system facing significant challenges, but we have already started to rebuild the system. On criminal legal aid, in November 2024 we announced our response to the Crime Lower consultation, confirming an uplift to the lowest police station fees, introducing a new Youth Court fee scheme, and paying for travel time in certain circumstances. Together, these changes amount to a £24 million investment for criminal legal aid providers. In addition, in December 2024, we announced that criminal legal aid solicitors will receive up to £92 million more a year to help address the ongoing challenges in the criminal justice system, subject to consultation. This is a significant investment to reflect the valuable and tough work that is undertaken by those who work in the criminal justice system, helping them to make sure justice is served and that victims get the resolution they need.  Alongside consulting on specific solicitor fee uplifts, we are committed to continuing to work with the criminal legal aid profession, including the Bar, on further opportunities for reform this Parliament and to support the overall sustainability, diversity, and efficiency of the system. On civil legal aid, the Ministry of Justice has recently undertaken a comprehensive review of civil legal aid and, having considered the evidence collected, we acknowledge that the sector is facing a number of challenges. We are committed to improving the experience of users and providers and, as an important first step towards this, we intend to consult on uplifts to housing and debt and immigration legal aid fees this month which would inject an additional £20 million into the sector each year once fully implemented. We will continue to consider the fees paid in other categories of civil legal aid, and the wider themes from the Review, in order to ensure the long-term sustainability of the civil legal aid sector.

What steps he is taking to support student nurses.

To supplement the student loan support provided by the Department for Education, the Department of Health and Social Care provides non-repayable and non-income assessed funding via the NHS Learning Support Fund. All eligible nursing students receive a grant of £5,000 per academic year. Additional funding of £1,000 per year is also available for those studying certain course, for example, Mental Health Nursing and Learning Disabilities Nursing, with a further £2,000 per year for childcare, as well as support for placement travel and accommodation costs. Students in exceptional hardship can also access up to a further £3,000 per year.

What steps he is taking to support the nursing workforce.

The Government values nurses and is committed to supporting them as a profession, and in their everyday working lives. The Government accepted the pay recommendations of the NHS Pay Review Body for 2024/25 in full, providing a 5.5% consolidated pay uplift for 2024/25, backdated to 1 April, to approximately 1.4 million staff in England. A significant amount of work has also gone into developing a set of non-pay recommendations on measures to support the Agenda for Change workforce. This includes specific recommendations on improving career progression for the nursing workforce.Targeted retention work for nurses and midwives is also being undertaken by NHS England and led by the Chief Nursing Officer. This includes the introduction of a nursing and midwifery retention self-assessment tool, a national preceptorship framework which provides early career support for nurses and midwives, and mentoring schemes.It is essential that all National Health Service staff, including nurses, can work in a supportive and compassionate environment that recognises and prioritises health and wellbeing. NHS England has a wide-ranging package of mental health and wellbeing support for all staff.

What assessment his Department has made of trends in the levels of applications to nursing university courses.

The following table shows the number of applicants, by the June deadline, to undergraduate nursing courses, for all domiciles, in England, each year from 2019 to 2024:YearApplicants201931,780202037,990202145,740202243,170202336,400202433,560Source: published by the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS), available at the following link:https://www.ucas.com/undergraduate-statistics-and-reports/ucas-undergraduate-releases/applicant-releases-2024-cycle/2024-cycle-applicant-figures-30-june-deadlineFinal applicant numbers for the 2024 cycle will be published by UCAS before the end of the year. The drop in nursing applicants follows the unprecedented demand for healthcare courses during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the number of applicants continues to outstrip the places on offer. Nursing training places are competitive, and lead to an attractive and important career in the National Health Service.We are working closely with NHS England, universities, and UCAS to ensure that everyone who wants to pursue a rewarding healthcare career in nursing has the support and opportunities to do so.

What steps he is taking to improve the enforcement of fireworks regulations.

Enforcement powers exist for local authorities to take action when fireworks are unsafe, sold illegally or misused. Local authorities and the police also have powers to tackle anti-social behaviour caused by the misuse of fireworks. It is for local areas to decide how best to deploy these powers, based on their specific circumstances. To inform any future decisions I intend to engage with businesses, consumer groups and charities shortly after the fireworks season to gather evidence on the issues and impacts of fireworks.

Whether the 10 Year Health Plan for England development team plan to meet with sexual health stakeholders.

Improving sexual health services is a priority for the Government and it is important that we capture the views of stakeholders as we develop our 10-Year Health Plan. To support this, we have launched a national engagement exercise. This will be the biggest conversation in the National Health Service’s history. We want to hear from a wide range of individuals and organisations, including many sexual health stakeholders. Organisations are encouraged to log onto the online portal and submit a response by 2 December 2024. The online portal is available at the following link:https://change.nhs.uk/en-GB/We have also published a Workshop in a Box that will support organisations to conduct their own local engagement activities. This is available from the community engagement tab on the abovementioned website from Monday 18 November 2024, with a request that partner organisations collate and upload their insights to the website by 14 February 2025.