Every parliamentary written question tabled by Gavin Williamson this session, with the full answer and department. Back to the MP page.
Showing 1–10 of 10 · Department of Health and Social Care
With reference to correspondence from the Chair of the Maternity and Neonatal Investigation confirming that the Investigation is not limited to 37 weeks’ gestation and considers stillbirth from 24 weeks onwards, what the Government's policy is on coronial investigation of stillbirths; and whether the Ministers agreed to a change in the Terms of Reference.
Awaiting answer.
What estimate his Department has made of the cost to the NHS of providing healthcare to asylum seekers.
DHSC and NHSE do not hold the information requested. The overall management of people seeking asylum is a matter for the Home Office.The NHS is a residency-based system; this means that people who do not live here on a lawful, settled basis must contribute to the cost of their care.
How many and what proportion of NHS hospital beds are in private rooms.
The information requested is not available.
What steps his Department is taking assist councils to reduce the cost of social care.
The Government recognises challenges facing adult social care and is taking action to improve the system and enable more people to live independently for longer. While local authorities are best placed to plan and deliver care and support that meet the current and future needs of their populations, we are supporting them to deliver high quality and person-centred care.In 2025/26, to enable local authorities to deliver key services such as adult social care, we made available up to £3.7 billion of additional funding for social care authorities, which included an £880 million increase in the Social Care Grant. We are providing £172 million across this and the last financial year, for around 15,000 home adaptations.We will support commissioners and care providers to adopt preventative care technologies by introducing new national standards and trusted guidance. To support efficiency and the delivery of care, we are also developing a new national data infrastructure for adult social care to lay the foundations for near real-time visibility of information across health and care services.We have also launched the Independent Commission on Adult Social Care, chaired by Baroness Casey, to lead a national conversation and consider how to best create a fair and affordable adult social care system.
What steps he is taking to ensure that social care providers provide value for money to (a) the public purse and (b) residents.
Under the Care Act 2014, local authorities are tasked with the duty to shape their care markets to meet the diverse needs of all local people. This includes working closely with local providers to achieve a balance of quality, effectiveness and value for money that ensures that people who draw on care have a choice of appropriate and high-quality care services in their local area. To ensure high standards of care, local authorities are assessed by the Care Quality Commission in how well they are delivering their duties under Part 1 of the Care Act 2014.
What plans his Department has to financially respond to increases in the number of children affected by Valproate in pregnancy.
The Government is carefully considering the work by the Patient Safety Commissioner and her report, which set out options for redress for those harmed by valproate and pelvic mesh. This is a complex issue involving input from different Government departments. The Government will provide a further update to the Patient Safety Commissioner’s report in due course.
What evidence (a) his Department and (b) the MHRA have on the numbers of people harmed by Sodium Valproate in pregnancy.
Everyone who has been harmed from sodium valproate has our deepest sympathies. The Department does not collect information about the numbers of people harmed by sodium valproate in pregnancy.The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency has received 1,169 United Kingdom spontaneous suspected adverse drug reaction reports for sodium valproate related to use during pregnancy, from the initial licensing of the medicine up to 24 June 2025. The majority of reports relate to birth defects or developmental delays in the child.These are well documented risks for women taking sodium valproate during pregnancy, and as such sodium valproate must not be prescribed to women under the age of 55 years old who are able to have children, unless two specialists independently consider and document that there is no other effective or tolerated treatment, and the patient fulfils the conditions of a Pregnancy Prevention Programme.
What data his Department holds on the number of people affected by Valproate.
Everyone who has been harmed from sodium valproate has our deepest sympathies.The National Disease Registration Service in NHS England, which collects and quality assures data about people with congenital anomalies and rare diseases across the whole of England, is assessing the feasibility and reliability of better ascertainment of foetal sodium valproate syndrome by linking data in the congenital anomaly register to primary care prescription data. Further information on the National Disease Registration Service is available at the following link:https://digital.nhs.uk/ndrsThe information requested is not held centrally.
If monies will be noted in the April budget which includes the interim payment for people impacted by Valproate.
The Spring Statement demonstrated that the Government has taken the decisions necessary to provide security, reform the state, and grow the economy. The Government remains committed to holding only one major fiscal event a year, to give families and businesses the certainty they need on tax and spending changes.The Government is carefully considering the valuable work done by the Patient Safety Commissioner and the resulting Hughes Report, which set out options for redress for those harmed by valproate and pelvic mesh. This is a complex area of work, involving several Government departments, and it is important that we get this right. We will be providing an update to the Patient Safety Commissioner’s report at the earliest opportunity.
How many and what proportion Integrated Care Boards do not provide funding for IVF services.
All 42 integrated care boards offer at least one cycle of in vitro fertilisation.