Written questions by Morgan.

If he will publish data relating to the number of surgeries affected by delays to the supply of Heraeus bone cement.

Joined up working between the Department and the National Health Service has successfully secured an alternative bone cement product for the coming weeks following the issues with Heraeus Medical’s production process. During this period, NHS providers were supported to prioritise remaining stock based on clinical guidance.The Department has not collected data on the specific number of procedures delayed due to this supply issue centrally. Due to the speed by which alternative products have been identified the number of procedures postponed has been limited and where this has happened, trusts are seeking to reschedule affected procedures quickly.

Whether he received advice about the continued viability of the contract with Palantir for the NHS Federated Data Platform.

The National Health Service ran an independent procurement exercise to secure a Federated Data Platform (NHS FDP) via a rigorous, competitive process in line with Government procurement legislation. The selection was made by multiple assessors against clear criteria following an open tender process where any supplier could respond with their solution. This included a value for money assessment as per standard procurement practice. A consortium led by Palantir Technologies UK was awarded the contract in November 2023 based on their ability to meet the specific needs defined by NHS England. The contract was valued at approximately £330 million for over a seven-year period providing funding for up to 240 NHS organisations, namely trusts and integrated care systems. The suppliers were required to demonstrate their financial, commercial, security, and technical capability to meet contractual requirements. The NHS FDP is a major national digital infrastructure programme and is formally part of the Government Major Projects Portfolio (GMPP). The programme is subject to the scrutiny, assurance, and value for money standards required of all GMPP programmes, and the whole life costs and benefits are assessed through the annual GMPP process. As a major govt project, NHS FDP is subject to scrutiny by the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority (NISTA) as part of the major projects review. NISTA publish transparency data at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nista-annual-report-2024-2025 The latest data, published on 11 August 2025, sets out the projected benefits of the NHS FDP at £777 million. The data records the Senior Responsible Owner Delivery Confidence rating as Green, the highest rating. Following a separate procurement process, Imperial College Projects have been commissioned to conduct an independent evaluation of the Federated Data Platform, in line with best practice and the programme’s commitment to ensure the NHS FDP achieves maximum impact. Information on the uptake of the Federated Data Platform programme and the benefits that are being delivered, along with case studies that describe the benefits for patients and staff, can be found at the following link: https://www.england.nhs.uk/digitaltechnology/nhs-federated-data-platform/impact/fdp-uptake-and-benefits/ The NHS England Programme Team work with trusts and integrated care boards understand their plans to maximise the benefits of the NHS FDP for their patients and staff, with the breadth of capabilities and products continuing to expand.

What advice he has received from officials on the value for money of the contract with Palantir for the NHS Federated Data Platform.

The National Health Service ran an independent procurement exercise to secure a Federated Data Platform (NHS FDP) via a rigorous, competitive process in line with Government procurement legislation. The selection was made by multiple assessors against clear criteria following an open tender process where any supplier could respond with their solution. This included a value for money assessment as per standard procurement practice. A consortium led by Palantir Technologies UK was awarded the contract in November 2023 based on their ability to meet the specific needs defined by NHS England. The contract was valued at approximately £330 million for over a seven-year period providing funding for up to 240 NHS organisations, namely trusts and integrated care systems. The suppliers were required to demonstrate their financial, commercial, security, and technical capability to meet contractual requirements. The NHS FDP is a major national digital infrastructure programme and is formally part of the Government Major Projects Portfolio (GMPP). The programme is subject to the scrutiny, assurance, and value for money standards required of all GMPP programmes, and the whole life costs and benefits are assessed through the annual GMPP process. As a major govt project, NHS FDP is subject to scrutiny by the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority (NISTA) as part of the major projects review. NISTA publish transparency data at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nista-annual-report-2024-2025 The latest data, published on 11 August 2025, sets out the projected benefits of the NHS FDP at £777 million. The data records the Senior Responsible Owner Delivery Confidence rating as Green, the highest rating. Following a separate procurement process, Imperial College Projects have been commissioned to conduct an independent evaluation of the Federated Data Platform, in line with best practice and the programme’s commitment to ensure the NHS FDP achieves maximum impact. Information on the uptake of the Federated Data Platform programme and the benefits that are being delivered, along with case studies that describe the benefits for patients and staff, can be found at the following link: https://www.england.nhs.uk/digitaltechnology/nhs-federated-data-platform/impact/fdp-uptake-and-benefits/ The NHS England Programme Team work with trusts and integrated care boards understand their plans to maximise the benefits of the NHS FDP for their patients and staff, with the breadth of capabilities and products continuing to expand.

Whether (a) he has received advice that the cost-benefit analysis of the contract with Palantir for the NHS Federated Data Platform should be reviewed and (b) whether this analysis has been updated since July 2024.

The National Health Service ran an independent procurement exercise to secure a Federated Data Platform (NHS FDP) via a rigorous, competitive process in line with Government procurement legislation. The selection was made by multiple assessors against clear criteria following an open tender process where any supplier could respond with their solution. This included a value for money assessment as per standard procurement practice. A consortium led by Palantir Technologies UK was awarded the contract in November 2023 based on their ability to meet the specific needs defined by NHS England. The contract was valued at approximately £330 million for over a seven-year period providing funding for up to 240 NHS organisations, namely trusts and integrated care systems. The suppliers were required to demonstrate their financial, commercial, security, and technical capability to meet contractual requirements. The NHS FDP is a major national digital infrastructure programme and is formally part of the Government Major Projects Portfolio (GMPP). The programme is subject to the scrutiny, assurance, and value for money standards required of all GMPP programmes, and the whole life costs and benefits are assessed through the annual GMPP process. As a major govt project, NHS FDP is subject to scrutiny by the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority (NISTA) as part of the major projects review. NISTA publish transparency data at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nista-annual-report-2024-2025 The latest data, published on 11 August 2025, sets out the projected benefits of the NHS FDP at £777 million. The data records the Senior Responsible Owner Delivery Confidence rating as Green, the highest rating. Following a separate procurement process, Imperial College Projects have been commissioned to conduct an independent evaluation of the Federated Data Platform, in line with best practice and the programme’s commitment to ensure the NHS FDP achieves maximum impact. Information on the uptake of the Federated Data Platform programme and the benefits that are being delivered, along with case studies that describe the benefits for patients and staff, can be found at the following link: https://www.england.nhs.uk/digitaltechnology/nhs-federated-data-platform/impact/fdp-uptake-and-benefits/ The NHS England Programme Team work with trusts and integrated care boards understand their plans to maximise the benefits of the NHS FDP for their patients and staff, with the breadth of capabilities and products continuing to expand.

Whether his Department has conducted an investigation into the reasons for the delayed adoption of the Federated Data Platform within the NHS.

The National Health Service ran an independent procurement exercise to secure a Federated Data Platform (NHS FDP) via a rigorous, competitive process in line with Government procurement legislation. The selection was made by multiple assessors against clear criteria following an open tender process where any supplier could respond with their solution. This included a value for money assessment as per standard procurement practice. A consortium led by Palantir Technologies UK was awarded the contract in November 2023 based on their ability to meet the specific needs defined by NHS England. The contract was valued at approximately £330 million for over a seven-year period providing funding for up to 240 NHS organisations, namely trusts and integrated care systems. The suppliers were required to demonstrate their financial, commercial, security, and technical capability to meet contractual requirements. The NHS FDP is a major national digital infrastructure programme and is formally part of the Government Major Projects Portfolio (GMPP). The programme is subject to the scrutiny, assurance, and value for money standards required of all GMPP programmes, and the whole life costs and benefits are assessed through the annual GMPP process. As a major govt project, NHS FDP is subject to scrutiny by the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority (NISTA) as part of the major projects review. NISTA publish transparency data at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nista-annual-report-2024-2025 The latest data, published on 11 August 2025, sets out the projected benefits of the NHS FDP at £777 million. The data records the Senior Responsible Owner Delivery Confidence rating as Green, the highest rating. Following a separate procurement process, Imperial College Projects have been commissioned to conduct an independent evaluation of the Federated Data Platform, in line with best practice and the programme’s commitment to ensure the NHS FDP achieves maximum impact. Information on the uptake of the Federated Data Platform programme and the benefits that are being delivered, along with case studies that describe the benefits for patients and staff, can be found at the following link: https://www.england.nhs.uk/digitaltechnology/nhs-federated-data-platform/impact/fdp-uptake-and-benefits/ The NHS England Programme Team work with trusts and integrated care boards understand their plans to maximise the benefits of the NHS FDP for their patients and staff, with the breadth of capabilities and products continuing to expand.

If he will list the number of critical incidents declared at hospitals between November and January for each of the last 10 financial years.

NHS England does not centrally record all actions taken by acute trusts or integrated care boards that exceed the Operational Pressures Escalation Levels (OPEL) 4 threshold, the highest level of pressure, where demand and capacity issues are critically affecting the ability to deliver services. Patient safety could be compromised Oversight and support are delivered through locally implemented surge and escalation policies, which must be aligned with the OPEL 2024 to 2026 framework. The framework contains a number of actions which should be taken by the organisations involved in the delivery of care.

How many and what proportion of foundation pharmacists beginning their training in 2025 had been assigned a Designated Prescribing Practitioner.

Foundation trainee pharmacists who have graduated against the 2021 standards for the initial education and training of pharmacists are required to have a Designated Prescribing Practitioner (DPP), a healthcare professional with independent prescribing rights, such as a doctor, pharmacist, or nurse, to support the supervision and assessment of prescribing activities during their foundation year. Under the Foundation Trainee Pharmacists National Recruitment Scheme, training providers are required to ensure that trainees have access to a DPP and to submit DPP details to NHS England once the trainee pharmacist is in post. Of the 2,894 graduates in England who began foundation pharmacist training in 2025/26, 2,417 trained against the 2021 standards and therefore require a DPP. As of February 2026, 2,013 of these trainees, approximately 83%, had submitted details of an assigned DPP to NHS England. By training window, 1,814 of 2,119 summer starters, or 85.6%, and 199 of 318 autumn starters, or 62.5%, had submitted DPP details. Autumn starters typically undertake prescribing later in the training year, and some may not yet have been required to submit DPP information. NHS England continues to monitor this.

How much funding his Department has provided to community pharmacies through the Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework in real terms in each year since 2016.

The following table shows the nominal and real terms funding provided through the Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework each year since 2015/16: Nominal value (£m)Gross domestic product deflator at December 2025Real terms value 2025/26 prices (£m)2015/162,80072.463,8642016/172,68773.913,6362017/182,59274.853,4632018/192,59276.553,3862019/202,59278.573,2992020/212,59282.683,1352021/222,59282.873,1282022/232,59288.702,9222023/242,59293.382,7762024/252,69897.142,7772025/263,073100.003,073In 2025/26, the funding for the core community pharmacy contractual framework was increased to £3.1 billion. This represented the largest uplift in funding of any part of the National Health Service at the time, over 19% across 2024/25 and 2025/26. Additional funding was also made available, for example, for pharmacies delivering Pharmacy First consultations and flu and COVID-19 vaccinations.

What proportion of covid vaccinations were administered by community pharmacies in the winter 2025-26 programme.

NHS England collected, but does not currently publish, data on the proportion of COVID-19 vaccinations that were administered by community pharmacies in the autumn 2025 vaccination programme. This unpublished data indicates that during the autumn campaign, which ran from 1 October 2025 to 31 January 2026, approximately 45% of COVID-19 vaccinations were administered by community pharmacies.

If his Department and NHS hospital trusts are collecting data on the numbers of patients receiving corridor care in NHS hospitals.

On 3 March 2026, NHS England wrote to National Health Service organisations, including trusts and integrated care boards (ICBs), setting out a clear definition of corridor care and the additional actions required to eliminate it. On 4 March 2026, this definition was also published on the NHS England website.We are committed to eliminating corridor care. As set out in the urgent and emergency care plan, data on the prevalence of corridor care will be published for the first time. The introduction of a clear national definition will enable trusts to collect and report consistent and validated data on corridor care, supporting transparency and system improvement. Subject to data quality, this information will be published monthly on the NHS England website from May 2026.Where corridor care cannot be avoided, we have published updated guidance to support trusts to deliver it safely, ensuring dignity and privacy is maintained to reduce impacts on patients and staff.

If his Department will publish data on the numbers of patients receiving corridor care in NHS hospitals before the end of the financial year.

On 3 March 2026, NHS England wrote to National Health Service organisations, including trusts and integrated care boards (ICBs), setting out a clear definition of corridor care and the additional actions required to eliminate it. On 4 March 2026, this definition was also published on the NHS England website.We are committed to eliminating corridor care. As set out in the urgent and emergency care plan, data on the prevalence of corridor care will be published for the first time. The introduction of a clear national definition will enable trusts to collect and report consistent and validated data on corridor care, supporting transparency and system improvement. Subject to data quality, this information will be published monthly on the NHS England website from May 2026.Where corridor care cannot be avoided, we have published updated guidance to support trusts to deliver it safely, ensuring dignity and privacy is maintained to reduce impacts on patients and staff.

Whether his Department has shared a definition of corridor care to (a) NHS trusts and (b) ICBs.

On 3 March 2026, NHS England wrote to National Health Service organisations, including trusts and integrated care boards (ICBs), setting out a clear definition of corridor care and the additional actions required to eliminate it. On 4 March 2026, this definition was also published on the NHS England website.We are committed to eliminating corridor care. As set out in the urgent and emergency care plan, data on the prevalence of corridor care will be published for the first time. The introduction of a clear national definition will enable trusts to collect and report consistent and validated data on corridor care, supporting transparency and system improvement. Subject to data quality, this information will be published monthly on the NHS England website from May 2026.Where corridor care cannot be avoided, we have published updated guidance to support trusts to deliver it safely, ensuring dignity and privacy is maintained to reduce impacts on patients and staff.

What steps the Government is taking to mitigate the impact of upcoming living wage, national insurance and business rates changes on community pharmacies.

The Government recognises that pharmacies are an integral ‘front door’ to the National Health Service, staffed by highly trained and skilled healthcare professionals.In 2025/26 funding for the core community pharmacy contractual framework has been increased to £3.073 billion. This represents the largest uplift in funding of any part of the NHS, over 19% across 2024/25 and 2025/26. Additional funding is also available, for example for pharmacies delivering Pharmacy First consultations and flu and COVID-19 vaccinations.The Department will shortly consult with Community Pharmacy England on any proposed changes to reimbursement and remuneration of pharmacy contractors for 2026/27. As part of this we will consider financial pressures on the sector.

What role he intends for optometry practices to play in delivering the 10 Year Plan.

The 10-Year Health Plan will make the National Health Service fit for the future by delivering three important shifts: from hospital to community; from sickness to prevention; and from analogue to digital. This includes expanding eye care in community settings and strengthening joint working between primary and secondary eye care services.

What steps his Department is taking to help ensure equitable access to community eye care services across England.

Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for commissioning primary and secondary eye care services to meet the needs of their local population. National Health Service sight tests are widely available across the country, with no known access issues. ICBs can also commission enhanced eye care services in the community.ICBs are required to work with local authorities to assess the current and future health, care, and wellbeing needs of their local population. They will then set out in joint local health and wellbeing strategies how they will meet those needs, which could include addressing any identified inequalities in accessing services.The Department worked with the eye care sector to develop a standard clinical specification for the commissioning of Community Minor and Urgent Eye Care Services, and this was published in February 2024. The specification can be found at the following link:https://locsu.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/1.-CUES-Service-specification-vs-1.43-Feb-2024.pdf

If he will take steps to help ensure that all patients in England have access to Minor Eye Conditions Services (MECS) and Community Urgent Eyecare Services (CUES).

Integrated care boards are responsible for assessing the health needs of their local population and for commissioning the primary and secondary eye care services required to meet them. Local systems may take different approaches to meeting the needs of their local population, including commissioning minor and urgent eye care services in the community.

Whether he plans to issue guidance to NHS commissioners to help ensure community eyecare services are commissioned across England to help improve equality in access to care.

Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for commissioning primary and secondary eye care services to meet the needs of their local population. National Health Service sight tests are widely available across the country, with no known access issues. ICBs can also commission enhanced eye care services in the community.ICBs are required to work with local authorities to assess the current and future health, care, and wellbeing needs of their local population. They will then set out in joint local health and wellbeing strategies how they will meet those needs, which could include addressing any identified inequalities in accessing services.The Department worked with the eye care sector to develop a standard clinical specification for the commissioning of Community Minor and Urgent Eye Care Services, and this was published in February 2024. The specification can be found at the following link:https://locsu.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/1.-CUES-Service-specification-vs-1.43-Feb-2024.pdf

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of hospital handover delays on ambulance response times in (a) Shropshire and (b) the West Midlands.

No such assessment has been made. Ambulance handover and response times for ambulance trusts, including for the West Midlands Ambulance Service, are published monthly by NHS England. This information can be accessed via the Ambulance Quality Indications dataset at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/ambulance-quality-indicators/ambulance-quality-indicators-data-2025-26/Our Urgent and Emergency Care Plan for 2025/26 sets out clear actions to deliver improvements this winter and make services better every day, including reducing ambulance handovers to a maximum of 45 minutes, helping get more ambulances back on the road for patients, and reducing Category 2 ambulance response times to 30 minutes on average. NHS England continues to monitor average hospital handover times, sharing data with regions to support focussed discussions and identify improvement actions with those trusts not achieving handovers in 45 minutes.The 2025 Medium‑Term Planning Framework commits to faster ambulance responses, aiming for 20‑minute Category 2 times by 2026/27 and 18 minutes by 2028/29.

When he will respond to Question 106613 of 16 January 2026 regarding the timely delivery of NHS mail to patients.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 24 February 2026 to Question 106613.

What estimate he has made of the level of overdiagnosis arising from opportunistic PSA testing in England in the latest period for which data is available; and whether this was modelled in the comparator arm of the UK National Screening Committee’s economic analysis.

Drawing on the available peer reviewed evidence, the Sheffield Centre for Health and Related Research (SCHARR) has undertaken economic analysis on behalf of the UK National Screening Committee.In their modelling, in line with best practice and the standard academic approach to assessing a new screening proposal, the SCHARR team has included the best available information on current care and compared this to a number of possible scenarios for a new prostate cancer screening programme. This includes the best estimate of current opportunistic prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing.There is little published data available that can determine between PSAs sought by asymptomatic males at their general practices (GPs), opportunistic PSA testing, and other types of PSAs in use which can include testing for symptomatic males where this could support a diagnosis and for men who are on a range of treatment pathways for known prostate cancer.A prostate cancer screening programme would be most likely to add to the number of PSA tests because GPs have the right to offer a PSA test in line with their clinical judgement and this would continue outside of any screening programme. This is consistent with other screening programmes including, for example, access to the faecal immunochemical tests outside of the NHS Bowel Cancer Screening Programme.The risk of overdiagnosis identified in the SCHARR model is in line with other international evidence-based prostate screening models which have been developed by academics in line with standard academic approaches and are underpinned by high quality published evidence.New data on PSA uptake was published after the completion of the modelling report and will be incorporated into further model iterations before the completion of the consultation period.