Written questions by Morgan.

How many NHS providers are making use of the NHS barcode.

NHS England figures show that 81 trusts in England use National Health Service number barcodes on patient identification wrist bands. This total includes a mix of trusts compliant with the former ISB 1077 and the current DCB1077 standard, a standard which supports the accurate, timely, and safer identification of NHS patients in England, by using barcodes for positive patient identification. 37 trusts, of the 81 trusts, are compliant with the current DCB1077 standard.

How many reports of (a) pests and (b) rodent infestations have been recorded in (i) single living accommodation and (ii) service family accommodation (A) at RAF Shawbury, (B) in North Shropshire constituency and (C) in Shropshire in each year since 2015.

Nine in 10 military homes (over 40,000 houses) will be modernised or upgraded to new, higher standards, with 14,000 homes rebuilt or substantially refurbished, funded by the Government’s record uplift in Defence spending and the Strategic Defence Review’s £1.5 billion extra investment into military housing in this parliament. The number of reports of pest and rodent infestations in Single Living Accommodation and Service Family Accommodation year on year from April 2022 can be found in the tables below: Single Living Accommodation From April 20182019202020212022202320242025 RAF ShawburyPests2016211611232115 Rodent Infestations7119633813 North ShropshirePests2016211611232115 Rodent Infestations7119633813 ShropshirePests6575636694808472 Rodent Infestations304536561286554 The accuracy and reliability of data held before 2018 cannot be assured. Service Family Accommodation From 1 April 2022202320242025 (up to 12 November 25)RAF ShawburyPests16241518Rodent Infestations4888 North Shropshire constituencyPests13231215Rodent Infestations4888 ShropshirePests56815769Rodent Infestations15303922 Data prior to the in-service date of the current Future Defence Infrastructure (FDIS) Contracts (1 April 2022) is not held.

How many complaints regarding (a) gas, (b) electrical and (c) water issues have been recorded in (i) single living accommodation and (ii) service family accommodation (A) at RAF Shawbury, (B) in North Shropshire constituency and (C) in Shropshire in each year since 2015.

Nine in 10 military homes (over 40,000 houses) will be modernised or upgraded to new, higher standards, with 14,000 homes rebuilt or substantially refurbished, funded by the Government’s record uplift in Defence spending and the Strategic Defence Review’s £1.5 billion extra investment into military housing in this parliament.The table below provides a breakdown of the number of complaints regarding gas, electric and water issues broken down by year from 2018.The accuracy and reliability of data held before 2018 cannot be assured. Single Living Accommodation For RAF Shawbury and North ShropshireYearGasElectricalWater2018 (fm 1 Apr)28261162019181913320207431302021152913220224392892023103134420245252322025130217For Shropshire:YearGasElectricalWater2018 (fm 1 Apr)135269827201984282958202011829510142021552491096202250232184820234622916452024563531121202530257888 Service Family AccommodationFor Service Family Accommodation the Ministry of Defence (MOD) does not hold data in the format requested.In order to answer this Parliamentary Question, MOD’s Industry Partner would need to review every Stage 1 complaint, which could only be completed at a disproportionate cost.

How many complaints regarding (a) damp and (b) mould have been recorded in (i) single living accommodation and (ii) service family accommodation (A) at RAF Shawbury, (B) in North Shropshire constituency and (C) in Shropshire in each year since 2015.

Nine in 10 military homes (over 40,000 houses) will be modernised or upgraded to new, higher standards, with 14,000 homes rebuilt or substantially refurbished, funded by the Government’s record uplift in Defence spending and the Strategic Defence Review’s £1.5 billion extra investment into military housing in this parliament.The table below provides a breakdown of the number of complaints regarding damp and mould broken down by year from 2018.The accuracy and reliability of data held before 2018 cannot be assured. For RAF Shawbury and North Shropshire YearDampMould2018 (Fm 1 Apr)13201951120206112021121020220320233112024782025211 For Shropshire: YearDampMould2018 (fm 1 Apr)22952019351042020348220215114520221210320232110620245914720252373 Service Family Accommodation (SFA) The Ministry of Defence does not hold data for SFA in the format requested. In order to answer this Parliamentary Questions, MOD’s Industry Partner would be required to review every stage 1 complaint, which could only be completed at a disproportionate cost.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of changes to Inheritance Tax on the financial viability of family farms in North Shropshire constituency.

The Government believes its reforms to agricultural property relief and business property relief from 6 April 2026 get the balance right between supporting farms and businesses, and fixing the public finances. The reforms reduce the inheritance tax advantages available to owners of agricultural and business assets, but still mean those assets will be taxed at a much lower effective rate than most other assets. Despite a tough fiscal context, the Government will maintain very significant levels of relief from inheritance tax beyond what is available to others and compared to the position before 1992. Where inheritance tax is due, those liable for a charge can pay any liability on the relevant assets over 10 annual instalments, interest-free. Information from claims is not recorded to enable regional or national breakdowns of the number of estates expected to be affected. However, the Government has set out that the reforms are expected to result in up to 520 estates across the UK claiming agricultural property relief, including those also claiming business property relief, paying more inheritance tax in 2026-27. Almost three-quarters of estates claiming agricultural property relief, including those that also claim for business property relief, will not pay any more tax as a result of the changes in 2026-27, based on the latest available data. The Government published a tax information and impact note on 21 July 2025 and this is available at www.gov.uk/government/publications/reforms-to-agricultural-property-relief-and-business-property-relief/agricultural-property-relief-and-business-property-relief-reforms. The Government will also invest more than £2.7 billion a year in sustainable farming and nature recovery from 2026-27 until 2028-29. This includes the largest financial investment into nature-friendly farming ever.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to help support the financial viability of farming businesses in North Shropshire constituency.

Supporting farmers in North Shropshire and across the country is a key priority for the Government. We have allocated a record £11.8bn to sustainable farming and food production over this parliament. We are targeting public money where it delivers most value, including actions that support nature to produce good food, and providing grants to help the sector access cutting-edge technology and techniques. We have started to make the supply chain fairer, so farmers are protected in contracts with supermarkets, and are unlocking new markets for British produce to fuel growth. We will continue our work to make farming and food production more profitable in the decades to come. We are working with farmers, farming and environmental organisations to develop the Farming Roadmap, which will set the course of farming in England for the next 25 years.

What steps she plans to take to help support the road haulage of meat products following the implementation of the EU Entry-Exit System.

The government continue to engage the European Commission and member states, and have been working particularly closely with France, to understand their plans for the progressive rollout of EES and to ask for flexible and pragmatic implementation to minimise delays for passengers and freight.We are also supporting ports and carriers to make sure they have the right technology and processes in place to make EES registration as smooth as possible.The government have been assured by Kent and Medway Resilience Forum that comprehensive traffic management plans are in place to monitor and respond to any disruption caused by EES registrations at the juxtaposed ports in Kent.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to help support dairy farmers in North Shropshire constituency.

The UK dairy sector is highly resilient and adaptable and continues to supply healthy and affordable products in spite of the many challenges it has faced in re-cent years. This Government recognises that food security is national security, and that it requires a resilient and healthy food system that works with nature and supports farmers. That is why we are introducing new deals for farmers to boost rural economic growth and strengthen food security. Ensuring fairness in supply chains is key for UK dairy farmers and supporting the sustainability of the sector. The Fair Dealing Obligations (Milk) Regulations 2024, which fully came into force on 9 July 2025, improve fairness and transparency, requiring dairy contracts to include clear terms on pricing, termination, and prohibiting unilateral changes.

Food and Rural Affairs, if she will take steps with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care to help improve mental health support for farmers.

The Secretary of State regularly holds confidential discussions with Cabinet colleagues on a range of issues, including improving mental health support for farmers.

How many officials are working on the independent investigation into NHS maternity and neonatal care.

There are 31 officials currently working on the Independent Investigation into Maternity and Neonatal care. The full time equivalent (FTE) for the investigation team is approximately 28 FTE, taking into account individuals working part-time and in job-shares. This excludes the independent chair and expert advisors.In addition to officials, there are eight expert advisers supporting the chair, Baroness Amos.

Pursuant to the Answer of 4 November 2025 to Question 81420 on Coronavirus: Vaccination, how many covid-19 vaccinations were delivered in winter (a) 2025-26, (b) 2024-25 and (c) 2023-24.

COVID-19 vaccination uptake figures are published regularly during the spring and winter campaigns, as part of the national flu and COVID-19 surveillance report. Data is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/weekly-national-flu-reportsFor the winter campaigns, the following publications may be of interest:for the 2025/26 campaign, the most recent data from a campaign as of 12 November 2025, information is available at the following link: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/690b75e214b040dfe8292362/COVID19-vaccine-uptake-coverage-report-data-week-45-2025.ods;for the 2024/25 campaign, with the data as of the end of campaign, information is available at the following link: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/67a47b29567402152f553cc8/weekly-influenza-and-COVID-19-report-data-week-6-2025.ods; andfor the 2023/24 campaign, with the data as of the end of campaign, information is available at the following link: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/65c4b8634a6778000d5b8c2f/Weekly-flu-and-COVID-19-surveillance-data-week-6.ods.Note that this data is specific to England.

What information his Department holds on waiting times for hysteroscopies with an anaesthetist in North Shropshire.

No recent formal assessment has been made of the adequacy of the availability of hysteroscopy procedures under anaesthetic in North Shropshire and in England.The information held by NHS England on hysteroscopy waiting times at the NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin Integrated Care Board does not readily allow hysteroscopy procedures with an anaesthetist to be separately identified.It is unacceptable that some women have such poor experiences of hysteroscopies. Women must be given the opportunity to speak to the doctor or nurse before having the procedure about what to expect, and to discuss pain relief options, including the option of local or general anaesthetic. Women can also discuss the option of alternative treatment, such as pelvic ultrasound.For patients in North Shropshire, the gynaecological unit within the Shropshire Women and Children’s Centre at the Princess Royal Hospital in Telford provides women with access to hysteroscopy services.It is our aim to treat all women as individuals, acknowledge they have unique expectations and unique physical, psychological, emotional, and cultural needs. The Shrewsbury and Telford NHS Trust is committed to providing a quality service for women that provides care with courtesy, kindness, and warmth for women and their families.

How many (a) police officers and (b) civilian staff were employed by the National Rural Crime Unit on 1 November 2025.

This Government recognises the excellent work of the National Wildlife Crime Unit and the National Rural Crime Unit. The NWCU and the NRCU play key roles in helping police across the UK tackle organised theft and disrupt serious and organised crime groups.This financial year the Home Office has provided a funding boost of over £800,000, which will allow these specialist units to continue their work in tackling rural and wildlife crime which can pose unique challenges for policing given the scale and isolation of rural areas.The NWCU employs five police officers and thirteen civilian staff and the NRCU employs two police officers and six civilian staff members.

What assessment he has made of the adequacy of the availability of hysteroscopy procedures under anaesthetic in (a) North Shropshire and (b) England.

No recent formal assessment has been made of the adequacy of the availability of hysteroscopy procedures under anaesthetic in North Shropshire and in England.The information held by NHS England on hysteroscopy waiting times at the NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin Integrated Care Board does not readily allow hysteroscopy procedures with an anaesthetist to be separately identified.It is unacceptable that some women have such poor experiences of hysteroscopies. Women must be given the opportunity to speak to the doctor or nurse before having the procedure about what to expect, and to discuss pain relief options, including the option of local or general anaesthetic. Women can also discuss the option of alternative treatment, such as pelvic ultrasound.For patients in North Shropshire, the gynaecological unit within the Shropshire Women and Children’s Centre at the Princess Royal Hospital in Telford provides women with access to hysteroscopy services.It is our aim to treat all women as individuals, acknowledge they have unique expectations and unique physical, psychological, emotional, and cultural needs. The Shrewsbury and Telford NHS Trust is committed to providing a quality service for women that provides care with courtesy, kindness, and warmth for women and their families.

If he will make an assessment of the potential merits of making methoxyflurane available to all hysteroscopy patients.

Decisions about what medicines to prescribe are best made by the doctor or healthcare professional responsible for that part of the patient’s care. Prescribers are supported in their decisions by national guidance, for example guidance by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), as well as the local commissioning decisions of their respective integrated care boards (ICBs).NICE is the independent body responsible for translating evidence into authoritative, evidence-based guidance for the health and care system on best practice, in order to drive improved outcomes for patients. NICE has made recommendations on hysteroscopy in its guideline on heavy menstrual bleeding: assessment and management, reference code NG88, but does not make recommendations on whether pain relief, such as methoxyflurane, should be administered during hysteroscopy. NICE currently has no plans to update the guideline but it will be reviewed if there is new evidence that is likely to change the recommendations.

If he will take steps to make the WID-easy test available in Shropshire.

There are currently no plans to make the WID-easy test available in Shropshire. Decisions regarding resource allocation are made by local commissioners and providers based on identified priorities within the region.The Government is supportive of the implementation of innovative diagnostic tools and tests that play a crucial role in the early detection of cancer. By embracing these advancements, the aim is to not only identify cancer at an earlier, more treatable stage, but also to improve the overall efficiency of the diagnostic process.

How many (a) police officers and (b) civilian staff were employed by the National Wildlife Crime Unit on 1 November 2025.

This Government recognises the excellent work of the National Wildlife Crime Unit and the National Rural Crime Unit. The NWCU and the NRCU play key roles in helping police across the UK tackle organised theft and disrupt serious and organised crime groups.This financial year the Home Office has provided a funding boost of over £800,000, which will allow these specialist units to continue their work in tackling rural and wildlife crime which can pose unique challenges for policing given the scale and isolation of rural areas.The NWCU employs five police officers and thirteen civilian staff and the NRCU employs two police officers and six civilian staff members.

What discussions he has had with NHS England on the steps it is taking to ensure women undergoing outpatient hysteroscopy procedures in (a) North Shropshire and (b) England do not experience pain during those procedures.

It is unacceptable that some women have such poor experiences of hysteroscopies.The National Health Service website page on hysteroscopy was updated in January 2024. This provides information on preparing for and recovering from a hysteroscopy, including pain relief options. The importance of pain relief is reiterated in guidance from both the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, and the College of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare.In Shropshire, Telford, and Wrekin all patients receive comprehensive information about the procedure before their appointment, including advice on pain management. Patients can access both local anaesthetic and general anaesthetic for the procedure.Patients can additionally access local and general anaesthetic and there is a patient advocate always present during the procedure to provide continuous support and aid in pain management.The Government is committed to prioritising women’s health as we build an NHS fit for the future. Through our 10-Year Health Plan and the renewal of the Women’s Health Strategy we are delivering our commitment that never again will women’s health be neglected.

What assessment he has made of the adequacy of the NHS Getting it right first time guidance for hysteroscopies.

The Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) programme’s role is to provide guidance to National Health Service trusts to help improve the delivery of services and, in doing so, it follows the professional standards and recommendations of the professional bodies.GIRFT has worked closely with the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and the British Society for Gynaecological Endoscopy to support hospital trusts in improving women’s choices and appropriate settings for gynaecological procedures, such as hysteroscopy and endometrial ablation, acknowledging the shift to more day case and outpatient procedures.Since the report was published, GIRFT has responded to feedback from patients, adding an addendum to the 2021 report and amending one recommendation to reiterate the imperative that all women undergoing day case and outpatient procedures are given clear and accurate information to enable them to make informed decisions about their preferred treatment setting and pain control. Ultimately, the decision on care setting for this procedure must be made with the patient, after due consideration of all relevant information.

If she will answer Question 83934 of 21 October 2025 on support for St Martins School.

​The response to Written Parliamentary Question 83934 was published on 13 November.