Written questions by Argar.

What assessment he has made of which therapeutics are effective for treating the symptoms of hantavirus.

Awaiting answer.

What recent assessment he has made of the level of human-to-human transmission of hantavirus.

The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

What estimate he has made of the average mortality rate of each strain of hantavirus.

The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

How many and what proportion of (a) Named day and (b) Ordinary written parliamentary questions were answered within the required timescale in each month between November 2025 and April 2026.

The Department recognises the importance of the effective and timely handling of written Parliamentary Questions (PQs).Data on response times to PQs is published following the end of every session by the House of Commons Procedure Committee as part of their continued monitoring and reporting of departmental PQ performance. The next report will be released in due course.

What assessment he has made of the potential for asymptomatic (a) transmission and (b) infection with hantavirus.

Awaiting answer.

What estimate he has made of the prevalence of hantavirus in the UK.

The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

What proportion of (a) named day questions, and (b) ordinary written questions were responded to by his Department within the required timescale in (i) May 2025, (ii) June 2025, (iii) July 2025, (iv) August 2025, (v) September 2025 and (vi) October 2025.

The following table shows the information requested:MonthNamed DayOrdinary WrittenMay 202555.3%73.8%June 202544.4%53.3%July 202545.2%60.7%August 2025N/AN/ASeptember 202536.9%53.3%October 202552.3%46.0%Source: Department of Health and Social CareNote: there were no written parliamentary questions due for answer in August 2025 as Parliament was in recess for that entire month.

What discussions Ministers in his Department have had with the Mayor of Leicester on local government reorganisation; and on what dates since 1 January 2025.

No discussions have been held between ministers of the Department of Health and Social Care and the Mayor of Leicester on local government reorganisation since 1 January 2025.Local government reorganisation is led by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. The Department of Health and Social Care engages with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government on the implications of local government reorganisation for health and care services.

What the total full FTE headcount employed by Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland ICS was in (a) 2023, (b) 2024 and (c) 2025 as at 1st January of each year.

NHS England publishes monthly Hospital and Community Health Services workforce statistics for England. These include staff employed by hospital trusts and integrated care boards but excludes staff working for other providers such as in primary care or social care. This data is drawn from the Electronic Staff Record, the Human Resources system for the National Health Service, and is available at the following link: https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/nhs-workforce-statistics The most recent published data can be found within the July 2025 (Including selected preliminary statistics for August 2025) section of the publication, within the file “NHS Workforce Statistics, July 2025 England and Organisation”. Within this file, the full time equivalent (FTE) staffing levels for NHS organisations can be found in worksheet 5 and the headcount data can be found in worksheet 4. Published figures are taken from the last day of each month.

What the total budget was for Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Integrated Care Board in (a) 2023-24, (b) 2024-2025 and (c) 2025-6 financial years.

Integrated care board revenue allocations are available here:https://www.england.nhs.uk/allocations/The total revenue allocations for consecutive years are not comparable as the scope of services covered changes. For instance, some specialised services were delegated for the first time in 2025/26.

How many full time equivalent staff were employed by NHS England on 1 April 2025.

The number of full-time equivalent staff employed by NHS England as of 1 March 2025 was 14,957.12.

What proportion of (a) named day questions and (b) ordinary written questions were responded to by his Department within the required timescale in (i) January 2025, (ii) February 2025, (iii) March 2025 and (iv) April 2025.

The Department takes its obligations to parliamentary accountability seriously, including the answering of written parliamentary questions. We continue to receive the highest number of written questions of any Government department in Whitehall.The following tables show the information requested as recorded internally within the Department:Named Day:MonthProportion answered within required timescaleJanuary 202576.7%February 202547.3%March 202549.6%April 202574.4% Ordinary Written:MonthProportion answered within required timescaleJanuary 202586.4%February 202562.6%March 202563.1%April 202576.3%

With reference to the Urgent Question on the NHS and Care Volunteer Responders service on 19 May 2025, what estimate he has made of when the new national programme will be in operation.

Volunteers continue to support health and care in hospitals, ambulance services, and communities. The new NHS Volunteer recruitment portal is due to fully launch later this year. Prospective volunteers can already access the portal via the volunteer pages of the National Health Service’s website to search for nearby volunteering opportunities and contacts in local NHS organisations.Although the NHS and Care Volunteer Responders contractual arrangement is ending, volunteers will be signposted to other available opportunities across the sector. The new NHS Volunteer recruitment portal will help to ensure that the active pool of volunteers registered with the Volunteer Responders programme can continue to support the NHS.

With reference to the Answers of 4 April 2025 to Questions (a) 41903, (b) 41902 and (c) 41906, how many full time equivalent staff are employed in NHSE transformation team; and how many full time equivalent staff it will employ when fully staffed.

Ministers and senior Department officials are working with the new executive team at the top of NHS England, led by Sir Jim Mackey, to determine the leadership, structure, and requirements needed to support the creation of a new centre for health and care.We will ensure the right expertise and experience is brought together to deliver this transformation, including people with leadership experience of other major change programmes and mergers.

From what date Baroness Casey is contracted to start work on the social care commission.

Baroness Casey of Blackstock will start work on her independent commission into adult social care later this month, April 2025. Baroness Casey of Blackstock and her team are currently in the process of setting up the Independent Commission, ahead of its formal launch.

How many full time equivalent staff were employed by NHS England as of 1 March 2025.

The number of full-time equivalent (FTE) staff employed by NHS England as of 1 March 2025 was 14,957.12 FTE.

What percentage of NHS England's staff were clinically qualified as of 1 March 2025.

As of 1 March 2025, 15% of all NHS England staff were registered with a clinical professional body. Examples of clinical professional bodies include the General Medical Council, the General Pharmaceutical Council and the Nursing and Midwifery Council.Clinical registrations have been used as a proxy to identify clinically qualified staff. There could be clinical qualified staff in NHS England that either do not require registration for their role or they have not recorded it on the electronic staff record.

If he will make an estimate of the proportion of NHS England's staffing budget that will transfer to other public sector organisations.

Ministers will work with the new transformation team at the top of NHS England, led by Sir Jim Mackey, to lead this transformation. As we work to return many of NHS England’s current functions to the Department, we will ensure that we continue to evaluate impacts of all kinds. By the end of the process, we estimate that these changes will save hundreds of millions of pounds a year, which will be reinvested in frontline services.

What estimate he has made of the net financial savings by year from the abolition of NHS England.

The abolition of NHS England is expected to bring savings that would amount to hundreds of millions of pounds a year. While there will be some upfront costs, we are confident that the reform to wipe out duplication and drive a smaller centre, based in a single organisation, will generate significant savings in the long run, which can then be allocated to front line services.

What external consultancy support has been procured to advise on restructuring following the announcement of the abolition of NHS England.

Ministers and senior Department officials will work with the new transformation team at the top of NHS England, led by Sir Jim Mackey, to determine the structure and requirements of the team required to support the creation of a new centre for health and care.