Written questions by Stafford.

What steps his Department is taking to increase access to ADHD (a) diagnosis, (b) medication and (c) other treatment in (i) areas where waiting times are long and (ii) other areas.

It is the responsibility of integrated care boards (ICBs) in England to make available appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population, including assessments and treatment for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), in line with relevant National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines.NHS England has established the ADHD taskforce which is working to bring together those with lived experience with experts from the National Health Service, education, charity, and justice sectors. The taskforce is working to get a better understanding of the challenges affecting those with ADHD, including timely and equitable access to services and support, with the final report expected to make recommendations in the summer.In conjunction with the taskforce, NHS England has carried out detailed work to develop an ADHD data improvement plan to inform future service planning. NHS England has also conducted detailed work to understand the provider and commissioning landscape, capturing examples from ICBs who are trialling innovative ways of delivering ADHD services. NHS England is using this information to support systems to tackle ADHD waiting lists and provide support to address people’s needs.

Whether his Department has considered raising the alcohol-free threshold from 0.05% ABV to 0.5% ABV.

Under our Health Mission, the government is committed to prioritising preventative public health measures to support people to live longer, healthier lives.While the Government has not made a specific assessment of changing the alcohol-free threshold, the Department will continue to work across Government to better understand how we can best reduce alcohol-related harms, including exploring the potential opportunities presented by alcohol-free and low-alcohol drinks.

What steps his Department is taking to increase funding for research into Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood; and what plans are in place to develop predictive methods or preventive measures for this condition.

The Department funds health and care research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The NIHR funds clinical, public health and social care research and works in partnership with the National Health Service, universities, local government, other research funders, patients and the public. The NIHR welcomes proposals for research into a range of conditions, including Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood, with more information available at the following link:https://www.nihr.ac.uk/get-involved/suggest-a-research-topicThe Government has committed to raising the healthiest generation of children ever. This includes ensuring that children receive the right care and support when they need it. The Government’s 10-Year Health Plan, which will be published later this year, will set out broader actions for how we shift health and care systems in England towards preventing ill-health.

Whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of conducting a review of the UK National Screening Committee's decision-making process regarding screening for sudden cardiac death.

The UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) is an independent scientific advisory committee which advises ministers and the National Health Service in all four countries on all aspects of population and targeted screening, and supports implementation.Using research evidence, pilot programmes, economic evaluation, expert stakeholders, and consultation, the UK NSC assesses the evidence for national screening programmes against a set of internationally recognised criteria covering the condition, the test, the treatment options, and the effectiveness, ethics, and acceptability of the screening programme.The committee is open about their procedures and how evidence and expertise has been considered in formulating their recommendations. They engage with a broad range of stakeholders across the United Kingdom to ensure their advice reflects societal perspectives and is balanced. Further information on the UK NSC’s approach to evidence review criteria is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/evidence-review-criteria-national-screening-programmesIn addition, further information about the processes and principles used by the UK NSC is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/uk-nsc-processes-and-principles

Whether he has considered making the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority a surrogacy regulator.

The Law Commissions of England, Wales, and Scotland published a review of surrogacy in March 2023. One of the recommendations in the report was for the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority to have a new regulatory role for surrogacy organisations.The Government is considering the Law Commissions’ report and will publish a response as time allows.

What funding her Department has provided to the Lobular Moonshot Project.

The Department invests £1.5 billion each year on research through its research delivery arm, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). NIHR research expenditure for all cancers was £133 million in 2023/24, reflecting its high priority.We are proud to have invested £29 million into the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) and the Royal Marsden NIHR Biological Research Centre in 2022, supporting their efforts to strengthen research into cancer, including lobular breast cancer. Wider investments into breast cancer research include a £1.3 million project to determine whether an abbreviated form of breast magnetic resonance imaging can detect breast cancers missed by screening through mammography, including lobular breast cancer.On 4 February 2025, the Department announced that almost 700,000 women across the country will take part in a world-leading trial to test how cutting-edge artificial intelligence tools can be used to catch breast cancer cases earlier. The Early Detection using Information Technology in Health trial, also known as EDITH, is backed by £11 million of Government support via the NIHR.The NIHR continues to encourage and welcome funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including lobular breast cancer.

Whether he has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on the inclusion of bed bugs within the remit of Environmental Health England.

There have been no discussions between the Department of Health and Social Care and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on the inclusion of bedbugs within the remit of Environmental Health England.The Department of Health and Social Care does not have responsibility for reducing the spread of bedbugs. Further information on bedbugs is available at the following link:https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/bedbugs/

Whether he has had discussions with (a) Cabinet colleagues, (b) Genomics England, (c) UK Biobank and (d) NIHR BioResource on (i) BGI Group, (ii) MGI Tech and (iii) other state-linked genomics companies blacklisted by the USA.

Through the delivery of the UK Biological Security Strategy, the Government is committed to ensuring the United Kingdom is resilient to a spectrum of biological threats, as well as being a world leader in innovation. As part of this strategy, the Government is undertaking a programme of work to assess how we can minimise the risks from biological data to protect our burgeoning bioeconomy and build confidence in sharing personal data, to improve health outcomes in the UK and across the world.Department officials are working closely with UK Biobank, Genomics England, and the National Institute for Health and Care Research Bioresource on this programme of work, and there will be continued engagement with my Cabinet colleagues.

If he will exclude (a) BGI Group, (b) MGI Tech and (c) other state-linked genomics companies blacklisted by the United States from public sector health bodies.

The Government continues to review the evolving national security risks in the life sciences sector, including engaging with partners and allies, while ensuring that the United Kingdom is at the forefront of innovation.The Procurement Act will come into force in 2025 and will include a Debarment Review Service, which aims to safeguard public procurement from suppliers deemed to pose a risk. As with all national security risks, there will be engagement with colleagues across Cabinet and Parliament to ensure we maintain a robust approach to managing these risks as they evolve.

Pursuant to the Answer of 31 October 2024 to Question 10931 on Audiology: Paediatrics, what recent assessment his Department has made of whether all providers of audiology services for children will meet the UK Accreditation Services Improving Quality in Physiological Services Accreditation standards; and whether his Department has set a date by which they must do so.

NHS England issued a letter to all integrated care boards (ICBs) in August 2023 which included the recommendation that all trusts should be working towards the United Kingdom Accreditation Service’s (UKAS) Improving Quality in Physiological Services (IQIPS) accreditation, as part of the Paediatric Hearing Services Improvement Programme. This includes that ICBs should ensure that there are plans in place to implement, achieve, or maintain accreditation using the available tools, and that there is oversight of quality management systems. Further information on NHS England’s issued letter is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/paediatric-hearing-services-improvement-programme-system-recommendations-for-immediate-action/As part of the programme, NHS England is working with the Care Quality Commission to increase uptake of the UKAS’s IQIPS accreditation and ensure compliance with national diagnostic regulatory standards, alongside a range of other interventions to improve the quality and resilience of these services.

Pursuant to the Answer of 6 November 2024 to Question 10930 on Audiology: Paediatrics, how many children have been (a) recalled for reassessment and (b) needed onward referral to clinical services following the review by the NHS England National Paediatric Hearing Improvement Programme.

The Department does not hold this information.

How many paediatric audiology departments there are in England; and how many of those meet the UK Accreditation Services Improving Quality in Physiological Services Accreditation standards.

There are 140 providers of audiology services for children in England. Currently, 30 providers meet the UK Accreditation Services Improving Quality in Physiological Services Accreditation standards. Two providers are pending re-instatement of accreditation, and a further 16 have applied for accreditation.

What recent progress has been made by the NHS England National Paediatric Hearing Improvement Programme; and what the findings were of its review of data for new-born babies.

The NHS England Paediatric Hearing Services Improvement Programme, led by the National Health Services’ National Medical Director and Chief Scientific Officer, undertook a comprehensive review of all 140 paediatric audiology services across England to identify services not meeting the recommended standards of care.NHS England is working with integrated care boards to ensure individual cases are reassessed and, where appropriate, that children are recalled for reassessment and onward referral to clinical services as necessary. NHS England aims to complete these reassessments by March 2025. In addition, NHS England has put in place workstreams to ensure high quality professional standards are adhered to in hospitals and in community services, and that the right workforce is in place to deliver these services. A national External Quality Assessment scheme is in development to improve diagnostic consistency and to highlight any areas for early intervention.