Written questions by Morgan.

What steps he is taking to improve the speed of arrhythmia diagnoses in integrated care systems.

As announced by my Rt. Hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, £600 million of capital funding is being provided during 2025/26 to support the reduction of diagnostic waiting lists, which includes continued investment in new and expanded community diagnostic centres (CDCs). Between July 2024 and August 2025, existing CDCs have carried out a total of 286,260 echocardiography tests and 260,040 electrocardiography tests. Many CDCs are also implementing innovative cardiac pathways to speed up diagnosis and access to treatment for patients with symptoms suggestive of cardiac disease.We have committed to achieving the NHS Constitutional standard that 92% of patients should wait no longer than 18 weeks from referral to treatment by March 2029.

What steps he is taking to increase (a) awareness of the symptoms, (b) diagnosis and (c) treatment of ovarian cancer in Shropshire.

The Department recognises that many cancer patients are left waiting too long for a diagnosis and treatment, including for ovarian cancer. The Government will get the National Health Service diagnosing cancer earlier and treating it faster so that more patients survive and have an improved experience across the system, including in Shropshire.NHS England is taking a wide range of activity to increase awareness of the symptoms of ovarian cancer. NHS England relaunched the Help Us Help You cancer campaign in 2024, to encourage people to get in touch with their general practitioner if they notice symptoms that could be cancer. Previous phases of the campaign have focused on abdominal symptoms which, among other abdominal cancers, can indicate ovarian cancer. NHS England and other NHS organisations, nationally and locally, publish information on the signs and symptoms of many different types of cancer, including ovarian cancer.As a first step to reducing waiting times for cancer diagnosis and treatment, the NHS has now exceeded its pledge to deliver an extra two million operations, scans, and appointments in our first year of Government, delivering 5.2 million more appointments.To ensure that women have access to the best treatment for ovarian cancer, NHS England commissioned an audit on ovarian cancer. The audit looks at what is being done well, where it’s being done well, and what needs to be done much better. The audit published its second report in September 2025 and officials across the Government are considering its findings.The National Cancer Plan, due for publication in the new year, will include further details on how the NHS will improve care for cancer patients, including those with ovarian cancer in Shropshire.

Whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of longer duration ambulatory ECG monitoring on stroke prevention.

NHS England continues to monitor data on patient access to ambulatory electrocardiogram (ECG) monitoring to inform future improvements in commissioning and patient access.The Government is committed to reducing premature mortality from heart disease and stroke by 25% in the next 10 years. To accelerate progress, we will publish a new cardiovascular disease modern service framework in 2026. The Department and NHS England are engaging widely throughout its development to ensure that we prioritise ambitious, evidence-led, and clinically informed approaches to prevention, treatment, and care.

What assessment his department has made of trends in the levels of variation in integrated care systems in access to prolonged ambulatory ECG monitoring.

No specific assessment has been made by the Department and data on the provision of prolonged ambulatory electrocardiogram monitoring is not collected centrally.It is for local National Health Service commissioners to work with providers and other stakeholders to take decisions on the provision of services locally in the best interests of their populations.The Government is committed to reducing waiting times for services including for diagnostic services.

What assessment he has made of the adequacy of the availability of disabled parking at hospitals.

The NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin Integrated Care Board recognises that accessible transport is a key enabler for patients to attend hospital appointments independently and safely. To that end, the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust works closely with local transport providers and system partners to manage transport accessibility for disabled patients.Hospital car parks are the responsibility of individual National Health Service trusts, with no central Government involvement. Where it is possible to accommodate parking, local trusts are responsible for determining the ratio of car parking for patients, hospital users, and staff.We know access to hospital car parking is important for all patients, including disabled patients. All NHS trusts that charge for car parking provide free hospital car parking in England for those most in need. This includes Blue Badge holders, frequent outpatient attenders, parents of sick children staying overnight in hospital, and NHS staff working night shifts. The Department has issued guidance to NHS trusts on the implementation of this commitment. Further information about this policy can be found at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nhs-patient-visitor-and-staff-car-parking-principles/nhs-patient-visitor-and-staff-car-parking-principles

What steps he is taking to increase access to pharmacies in North Shropshire.

The Government recognises that pharmacies, including in North Shropshire are an integral part of the fabric of our communities, as an easily accessible ‘front door’ to the National Health Service, staffed by highly trained and skilled healthcare professionals.Local authorities are required to undertake a pharmaceutical needs assessment (PNA) every three years to assess whether their population is adequately served by local pharmacies and must keep these assessments under review. The Shropshire PNA was published in September and is available to view on the council’s website.Commissioning primary care services, including pharmaceutical services, is the responsibility of local integrated care boards (ICBs). ICBs give regard to the PNAs when reviewing applications from the new contractors. Contractors can also apply to open a new pharmacy to offer benefits to patients that were not foreseen by the PNA. If there is a need for a new local pharmacy to open and no contractors apply to open a pharmacy and fill the gap, ICBs can commission a new pharmacy to open outside of the market entry processes and fund the contract from the ICBs’ budgets. In some rural areas where a pharmacy may not be viable, local general practices are permitted to dispense medicines to their patients. In addition, patients can choose to access medicines through any of the distance selling pharmacies that are required to deliver the medicines they dispense free of charge and also provide other pharmaceutical services remotely.

If he will take steps to help improve access to public transport for disabled patients at Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital Trust.

The NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin Integrated Care Board recognises that accessible transport is a key enabler for patients to attend hospital appointments independently and safely. To that end, the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust works closely with local transport providers and system partners to manage transport accessibility for disabled patients.Hospital car parks are the responsibility of individual National Health Service trusts, with no central Government involvement. Where it is possible to accommodate parking, local trusts are responsible for determining the ratio of car parking for patients, hospital users, and staff.We know access to hospital car parking is important for all patients, including disabled patients. All NHS trusts that charge for car parking provide free hospital car parking in England for those most in need. This includes Blue Badge holders, frequent outpatient attenders, parents of sick children staying overnight in hospital, and NHS staff working night shifts. The Department has issued guidance to NHS trusts on the implementation of this commitment. Further information about this policy can be found at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nhs-patient-visitor-and-staff-car-parking-principles/nhs-patient-visitor-and-staff-car-parking-principles

Whether the funding settlement for Start for Life services will reflect (a) the widened age range from 0-2 to 0-5 and the (b) increases in the number of local authorities covered by the programme; whether the updated programme guidance will explicitly promote good practice on (i) parent-infant relationships and (ii) infant mental health; and whether it will ring-fence funding to help (A) sustain and (B) develop those services.

The 10-Year Health Plan sets out a long-term vision to improve the nation’s health by expanding Start for Life services and integrating zero- to five-year-olds health and children’s services into communities, with a strong focus on the critical 1,001 days.Building on the £126 million investment in Family Hubs and Start for Life services in 2025/26, a further £500 million will support the national rollout of Best Start Family Hubs to every local authority in England from April 2026.The Government remains committed to ensuring that local authorities are supported to deliver high-quality Start for Life services. National support includes the promotion of good practice in areas such as parent-infant relationships and infant mental health. Updated programme guidance for all local authorities will be designed to support delivery against the programme’s core objectives, drawing on this learning.

What steps he is taking to help improve care for bottle-fed babies with tongue ties.

The Government is committed to giving every child the best start in life and support for infant feeding plays an important role in achieving this.Midwifery, health visiting, and infant feeding teams are central to supporting families with infant feeding. This includes identifying feeding challenges and providing tailored support for breastfeeding and bottle feeding. We are currently refreshing the guidance for The Healthy Child Programme, which includes health visiting services, to strengthen service quality and promote consistency in service delivery.Dedicated paediatric surgery days are being introduced within integrated care boards, using existing NHS estate in day surgery or hub settings, to boost surgical activity for children and young people. Surgical hubs play a key role in delivering increased activity and ensuring timely access to planned care.We are also strengthening local support for tongue-tie through the Family Hubs and Start for Life programme, which is investing £18.5 million in 2025/26 to improve infant feeding services in 75 local authorities in England. Local authorities are working with local health partners to improve access to timely tongue-tie support and treatment. In some areas, new tongue-tie clinics have been set up so that more families can access timely support.For expectant parents, the majority of NHS trusts offer free antenatal education services, including caring for the baby and feeding. We are working with NHS England to improve the quality of antenatal classes.Information about the symptoms and treatment of tongue-tie is also available on the NHS website and the Best Start in Life email programme for parents.

What steps he is taking to increase levels of awareness of tongue ties, also called ankyloglossia, of (a) midwives and (b) expectant mothers.

The Government is committed to giving every child the best start in life and support for infant feeding plays an important role in achieving this.Midwifery, health visiting, and infant feeding teams are central to supporting families with infant feeding. This includes identifying feeding challenges and providing tailored support for breastfeeding and bottle feeding. We are currently refreshing the guidance for The Healthy Child Programme, which includes health visiting services, to strengthen service quality and promote consistency in service delivery.Dedicated paediatric surgery days are being introduced within integrated care boards, using existing NHS estate in day surgery or hub settings, to boost surgical activity for children and young people. Surgical hubs play a key role in delivering increased activity and ensuring timely access to planned care.We are also strengthening local support for tongue-tie through the Family Hubs and Start for Life programme, which is investing £18.5 million in 2025/26 to improve infant feeding services in 75 local authorities in England. Local authorities are working with local health partners to improve access to timely tongue-tie support and treatment. In some areas, new tongue-tie clinics have been set up so that more families can access timely support.For expectant parents, the majority of NHS trusts offer free antenatal education services, including caring for the baby and feeding. We are working with NHS England to improve the quality of antenatal classes.Information about the symptoms and treatment of tongue-tie is also available on the NHS website and the Best Start in Life email programme for parents.

What assessment he has made of the (a) speed and (b) quality of (i) detection and (ii) treatment of tongue ties, also called ankyloglossia, in babies.

The Government is committed to giving every child the best start in life and support for infant feeding plays an important role in achieving this.Midwifery, health visiting, and infant feeding teams are central to supporting families with infant feeding. This includes identifying feeding challenges and providing tailored support for breastfeeding and bottle feeding. We are currently refreshing the guidance for The Healthy Child Programme, which includes health visiting services, to strengthen service quality and promote consistency in service delivery.Dedicated paediatric surgery days are being introduced within integrated care boards, using existing NHS estate in day surgery or hub settings, to boost surgical activity for children and young people. Surgical hubs play a key role in delivering increased activity and ensuring timely access to planned care.We are also strengthening local support for tongue-tie through the Family Hubs and Start for Life programme, which is investing £18.5 million in 2025/26 to improve infant feeding services in 75 local authorities in England. Local authorities are working with local health partners to improve access to timely tongue-tie support and treatment. In some areas, new tongue-tie clinics have been set up so that more families can access timely support.For expectant parents, the majority of NHS trusts offer free antenatal education services, including caring for the baby and feeding. We are working with NHS England to improve the quality of antenatal classes.Information about the symptoms and treatment of tongue-tie is also available on the NHS website and the Best Start in Life email programme for parents.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure that NHS and care sector equipment is (a) returned and reused or (b) recycled after use.

In October 2024 the Department published the Design for Life roadmap, a new strategy to transition away from all avoidable single-use medical technology (medtech) products towards a functioning circular system by 2045. This means designing, procuring, and processing medtech products and devices in a way that enables reuse, remanufacture, or recycling, thus preserving their value for as long as possible. The document sets out a plan of 30 actions to deliver the 2045 vision, which involve:- driving positive behavioural change;- exploring new commercial incentives to provide circular medtech;- creating new standards to enable innovative products and services;- planning the decontamination and recycling infrastructure of the future; and- establishing new collaborations to accelerate the emergence of transformative science.The Design for Life Roadmap is available at the following link:https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/679ca015a9ee53687470a2ed/design-for-life-roadmap.pdf

What recent assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the requirement to dispose of unused specialist invalid food products as medical waste on level of food waste.

Through the implementation of the NHS Clinical Waste Strategy and the National Standards for Healthcare Food and Drink, NHS England is actively working to reduce both clinical and food waste across the system. The Clinical Waste Strategy promotes appropriate waste segregation and treatment to minimise unnecessary incineration and environmental harm. Meanwhile, the food standards encourage healthcare providers to reduce food waste through improved planning, monitoring, and sustainable practices. It is widely accepted that any medication that is provided via clinical provision should be disposed of as offensive waste. Any unused food products that are still in their packaging can be disposed of through the agreed food waste system. NHS England continues to monitor the implementation of these strategies and welcomes further evidence or insights that could inform future assessments or policy development in this area.

Whether she plans to include Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust in the National maternity and neonatal investigation; and whether she plans to include bereaved families in Shropshire in the investigation.

The Chair of the Independent Maternity and Neonatal Investigation, Baroness Amos, has removed the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust from the list of local National Health Service trust investigations for the Independent National Maternity and Neonatal Investigation following recent discussions with West Mercia Police about the details and schedule of their ongoing investigation.The call for evidence will launch in November, and families from Shrewsbury and Telford have been encouraged to participate.

What steps his Department is taking to support (a) autistic people and (b) their families affected by claims that acetaminophen causes autism.

The Department recognises that recent claims suggesting a link between acetaminophen and autism may have caused concern among some individuals. The Government, my Rt. Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, and I have provided clear reassurance through traditional media and social media channels that there is no evidence to link the use of acetaminophen, also known as paracetamol, by pregnant women to autism in their children. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency swiftly published a press release confirming that taking paracetamol during pregnancy remains safe and there is no evidence it causes autism in children. The press release is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/news/mhra-confirms-taking-paracetamol-during-pregnancy-remains-safe-and-there-is-no-evidence-it-causes-autism-in-children

What steps his Department is taking to support the public in (a) recognising and (b) rejecting health misinformation.

The Department takes the challenge of health misinformation seriously and recognises its potential impact on public health outcomes. We focus on delivering consistent, clinically assured messaging that builds public trust and confidence, positioning the Department and the National Health Service as reliable sources of health information and advice.

If he will work with (a) autistic people, (b) their families and (c) experts to ensure that public health messaging on autism is (i) accurate, (ii) accessible and (iii) trustworthy.

The Department recognises the importance of providing the public with accurate health information and preventing misinformation. We are also committed to working with people with lived experience of autism to ensure that policies are designed to meet the needs of autistic people and makes their lives better.The Department regularly rebuts factual inaccuracies when they appear in traditional media and undertakes extensive planning, engagement, and strategic work to ensure accurate public health information is available on social media channels to mitigate misinformation. In addition, the Department strives to ensure that the information it publishes is accurate, clear, and accessible to a variety of audiences, including using easy read versions.

What steps he is taking to increase defibrillator training in schools in North Shropshire constituency.

The Department for Education has published guidance on automated external defibrillators (AEDs) for schools, including on maintenance and registration with The Circuit. This guidance is available at the following link:https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/67936b102de28ea2d392f35b/Automated_External_Defibrillators__AEDs__guidance_for_schools.pdfNHS England provides training sessions on first aid, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), and the use of AEDs both in the community and in schools, under the under Restart a Heart initiative. NHS England has trained over 35,800 adults and children in CPR and defibrillation.

What steps he is taking to increase awareness of prostate-specific antigen tests among travel insurers.

PSA tests are blood tests that measure the amount of prostate specific antigen (PSA) in blood. Raised levels, often in combination with other symptoms, can be an indication of prostate cancer, though not exclusively. PSA tests have previously been used as a screening tool in asymptomatic populations, but their limitations mean they are not currently recommended for population-level screening. To find better ways of testing for prostate cancer, the Government is investing £16 million into the Prostate Cancer UK-led TRANSFORM screening trial, which aims to identify more effective approaches for detecting prostate cancer earlier.While the Department has no plans to target insurers with information about PSA, the NHS website has clear and accurate information about PSA testing that can be referred to. Where someone has had a PSA test and they are concerned about their travel insurance, they should discuss this directly with their insurers. Different insurers may take a different view of the relevant factors in determining the price of insurance.

What steps he is taking to increase (a) awareness and (b) the availability of Naloxone in public locations.

Naloxone forms a key part of the Government’s plan to reduce drug related deaths, and we are committed to raising awareness of, and expanding access to, naloxone across the country.To expand access to naloxone, in December 2024, the Department amended the Human Medicines Regulations 2012. This legislation enables more services and professionals to supply naloxone, which in turn makes it easier for people at risk to access it. The Department is continuing to work with the other UK nations and front-line services to ensure naloxone reaches all those who need it.We also published guidance on GOV.UK earlier this year that sets out essential practical information such as who can supply naloxone, the products available, how to use naloxone and other basic lifesaving tools, and the training required. This guidance is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/guidance/supplying-take-home-naloxone-without-a-prescriptionAs naloxone is a prescription-only medication, only those that are listed in the Human Medicines Regulations 2012 are able to supply naloxone without a prescription. However, the Department is currently considering options to do more in both expanding access to naloxone and raising awareness of the medication.