Written questions by Beales.

How many children are in receipt of the NHS Special Schools Eye Care Service.

NHS England have piloted sight testing and the dispensing of glasses in special schools since 2021. Between April 2021 and August 2024 a total of 23,832 sight tests were provided.There were a total of 9,909 pairs of glasses issued between April 2021 and August 2024 as part of the service. Between April 2021 and March 2024, 859 sight tests were recorded with another sight problem identified, 14,048 sight tests were recorded where there was either no previous history or previous history was unknown and 6,083 sight tests were recorded where there was a history of hospital-based eye care.The legislation that will underpin the roll out of this service across the country was laid on 28 November 2024.

Whether his Department is taking steps with NHS England to involve sexual health stakeholders in the development of the 10 Year Health Plan for England.

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.

How many children in receipt of the NHS Special Schools Eye Care Service have had (a) a need for glasses, (b) another sight problem, (c) no previous known history of eye care and (d) a history of hospital-based eye care since its commencement.

NHS England have piloted sight testing and the dispensing of glasses in special schools since 2021. Between April 2021 and August 2024 a total of 23,832 sight tests were provided.There were a total of 9,909 pairs of glasses issued between April 2021 and August 2024 as part of the service. Between April 2021 and March 2024, 859 sight tests were recorded with another sight problem identified, 14,048 sight tests were recorded where there was either no previous history or previous history was unknown and 6,083 sight tests were recorded where there was a history of hospital-based eye care.The legislation that will underpin the roll out of this service across the country was laid on 28 November 2024.

What assessment he has made of the sustainability of the funding model for the hospice sector.

Palliative care services are included in the list of services an integrated care board (ICB) must commission. This promotes a more consistent national approach and supports commissioners in prioritising palliative and end of life care. To support ICBs in this duty, NHS England has published statutory guidance and service specifications.Whilst the majority of palliative and end of life care is provided by National Health Service staff and services, we recognise the vital part that voluntary sector organisations, including hospices, also play in providing support to people at end of life and their loved ones.The amount of funding each charitable hospice receives varies both within and between ICB areas. This will vary depending on demand in that ICB area but will also be dependent on the totality and type of palliative and end of life care provision from both NHS and non-NHS services, including charitable hospices, within each ICB area.We, alongside key partners NHS England, will continue to proactively engage with our stakeholders, including the voluntary sector and independent hospices, on an ongoing basis, in order to understand the issues they face, and we will consider next steps on palliative and end of life care, including funding, in the coming months.

Communities and Local Government, if she will extend the exemption for the local connection test to survivors of modern slavery.

The government is committed to ensuring that, where appropriate, barriers preventing vulnerable groups in need from accessing social housing are removed.We are working with stakeholders to explore the detail of the proposed exemptions from local connection requirements further and consider what more needs to be done to support vulnerable cohorts, including victims of modern slavery.There are alternative routes for vulnerable cohorts to access social housing. Guidance asks local authorities to make exemptions for applications with special circumstances, such as those who need to move for medical reasons or who are at risk of harm and to escape violence.

What was the average (a) cost and (b) waiting time for an outpatient paediatric ophthalmology appointment in the 2023-24 financial year..

Patients have been let down for too long whilst they wait for the care they need, including children awaiting hospital-based eyecare. The Government will ensure that 92% of patients return to waiting no longer than 18 weeks from Referral to Treatment (RTT) within our first term, a standard which has not been met consistently since September 2015. Outpatient services make up most of elective activity, so transforming outpatient services is a key part of our approach to cutting paediatric waiting times.In 2023/24, the national mean average unit cost of an outpatient paediatric ophthalmology attendance without a procedure was £140, and the mean average national unit cost of a paediatric ophthalmology outpatient procedure was £248. In 2023/24, the median average waiting time for a first outpatient attendance for paediatric ophthalmology was 58 days, and the mean average waiting time was 97 days.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what diplomatic steps he is taking to encourage the possibility of a two-state solution in Israel and Palestine.

The UK is working with partners to support a path to long-term peace and stability, with a two-state solution: a safe and secure Israel alongside a viable and sovereign Palestinian state. This government has prioritised working to end this conflict and secure the safe release of hostages, in co-ordination with international partners, since day one. We will continue to use every diplomatic lever to bring about a ceasefire deal as the first step towards long-term peace and security for Israelis and Palestinians, and the wider region. The Foreign Secretary has raised the issue of securing long-term peace in all his meetings with counterparts across the region, in addition to the US, Germany and France. The UK will play our full diplomatic role in ending this conflict and creating a safe and secure Israel alongside a viable and sovereign Palestinian state.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what diplomatic steps he is taking to help prevent illegal settlements in the West Bank.

The UK Government's position on settlements is clear. They are illegal under international law, present an obstacle to peace and threaten the physical viability of a two-state solution.  To date, we have sanctioned eight individuals responsible for inciting and perpetrating human rights abuses against Palestinian communities in the West Bank.  We have also designated two groups known to have supported, incited and promoted violence against these communities.  We do not comment on future sanctions.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of excluding the council Housing Revenue Account from debt-targeted fiscal rules.

Councils’ Housing Revenue Accounts are a significant part of local authority and public sector finances, and it would not be right to exclude this activity from our fiscal rules.

If he will publish the (a) business case status and (b) RIBA stage of the Hillingdon Hospital scheme as part of the New Hospital Programme.

The standard process confirming the total funding amount for major infrastructure projects involves review and approval of a Full Business Case. All trusts in the Programme have previously received indicative funding allocations to support planning, however these are commercially sensitive. The New Hospital Programme had confirmed £3.7 billion in funding up to the end of 2024/25.Up to the end of 2023/24, the total amount received by The Hillingdon Hospital NHS Foundation Trust in funding for their new hospital schemes is £62.2 million.The breakdown of how much the Trust received for their new hospital scheme is published annually as part of the Department’s Annual Reports and Accounts, with Public Dividend Capital to individual Trusts included in the Financial Assistance Report under section 40 of the National Health Service Act 2006. The 2022/23 report is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dhsc-annual-report-and-accounts-2022-to-2023The trust is currently developing their Outline Business Case for the new Hillingdon Hospital and is at Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) stage 2.

What estimate his Department has made of the cost of the Hillingdon Hospital scheme.

The standard process confirming the total funding amount for major infrastructure projects involves review and approval of a Full Business Case. All trusts in the Programme have previously received indicative funding allocations to support planning, however these are commercially sensitive. The New Hospital Programme had confirmed £3.7 billion in funding up to the end of 2024/25.Up to the end of 2023/24, the total amount received by The Hillingdon Hospital NHS Foundation Trust in funding for their new hospital schemes is £62.2 million.The breakdown of how much the Trust received for their new hospital scheme is published annually as part of the Department’s Annual Reports and Accounts, with Public Dividend Capital to individual Trusts included in the Financial Assistance Report under section 40 of the National Health Service Act 2006. The 2022/23 report is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dhsc-annual-report-and-accounts-2022-to-2023The trust is currently developing their Outline Business Case for the new Hillingdon Hospital and is at Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) stage 2.

How much had been (a) allocated and (b) confirmed by the Treasury for (i) the Hillingdon Hospital scheme and (ii) the New Hospital Programme overall by 2 July 2024.

The standard process confirming the total funding amount for major infrastructure projects involves review and approval of a Full Business Case. All trusts in the Programme have previously received indicative funding allocations to support planning, however these are commercially sensitive. The New Hospital Programme had confirmed £3.7 billion in funding up to the end of 2024/25.Up to the end of 2023/24, the total amount received by The Hillingdon Hospital NHS Foundation Trust in funding for their new hospital schemes is £62.2 million.The breakdown of how much the Trust received for their new hospital scheme is published annually as part of the Department’s Annual Reports and Accounts, with Public Dividend Capital to individual Trusts included in the Financial Assistance Report under section 40 of the National Health Service Act 2006. The 2022/23 report is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dhsc-annual-report-and-accounts-2022-to-2023The trust is currently developing their Outline Business Case for the new Hillingdon Hospital and is at Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) stage 2.

How much funding the Hillingdon Hospital scheme received up until the 2023-24 financial year.

The standard process confirming the total funding amount for major infrastructure projects involves review and approval of a Full Business Case. All trusts in the Programme have previously received indicative funding allocations to support planning, however these are commercially sensitive. The New Hospital Programme had confirmed £3.7 billion in funding up to the end of 2024/25.Up to the end of 2023/24, the total amount received by The Hillingdon Hospital NHS Foundation Trust in funding for their new hospital schemes is £62.2 million.The breakdown of how much the Trust received for their new hospital scheme is published annually as part of the Department’s Annual Reports and Accounts, with Public Dividend Capital to individual Trusts included in the Financial Assistance Report under section 40 of the National Health Service Act 2006. The 2022/23 report is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dhsc-annual-report-and-accounts-2022-to-2023The trust is currently developing their Outline Business Case for the new Hillingdon Hospital and is at Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) stage 2.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure people living with (a) arthritis and (b) musculoskeletal conditions are considered in the NHS 10-year plan.

As part of the Government's five long-term missions, we will launch a 10-Year Health Plan to reform the National Health Service and make it fit for the future. The plan will set out a bold agenda to deliver on the three big shifts needed, to move healthcare from the hospital to the community, from analogue to digital, and from sickness to prevention.Improving health and good work outcomes for the 20 million people in the United Kingdom who live with musculoskeletal conditions, including arthritis, also forms a key part of the Government’s missions to kickstart economic growth, while building an NHS fit for the future. We will carefully be considering policies with input from the public, patients, health staff, and our stakeholders, as we develop the plan.

What steps his Department has taken to help increase public understanding of the (a) costs and (b) benefits of reducing carbon emissions; and what steps he is taking to increase public awareness of practical steps they can take to reduce emissions.

Net zero will bring significant opportunities to people across the UK such as greater energy security, economic opportunities and good jobs. The Government is committed to bringing people with it on the transition to net zero, empowering them to take action and demonstrating the benefits of the transition. We have also committed to the Warm Homes Plan which will transform homes, making them cheaper and cleaner to run, full details of this will be set out next Spring.

What steps his Department is taking to help the public understand the (a) potential (i) costs and (ii) benefits of reducing and (b) steps they can take to reduce carbon emissions.

Net zero will bring significant opportunities to people across the UK such as greater energy security, economic opportunities and good jobs. The Government is committed to bringing people with it on the transition to net zero, empowering them to take action and demonstrating the benefits of the transition. We have also committed to the Warm Homes Plan which will transform homes, making them cheaper and cleaner to run, full details of this will be set out next Spring.