Written questions by Morgan.

What steps his Department is taking to leverage emerging technologies to combat falsified medicines and improve patient safety.

No assessment of the impact of the disapplication of the EU Falsified Medicines Directive (EU FMD) on the United Kingdom’s medicine supply chain has been made by the Department. However, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is not aware of any falsified medicines reaching patients through the legal supply chain in at least the last five years.The MHRA leads work to combat falsified medicines and protect patient safety, including through the application of the Human Medicines Regulations 2012 to online and retail sales. The MHRA uses several different approaches to support its work to combat falsified medicines entering the UK supply chain, including by leveraging emerging technology, for instance:Its FakeMeds campaign guides the public on how to buy medicines online from safe and legitimate sources;suspected side effects or falsified medicines can be reported through the MHRA’s Yellow Card scheme;it is exploring the use of artificial intelligence to proactively identify illicit internet domains for enforcement action;it is working with Ofcom to use the new preventative powers provided by the Online Safety Act for regulating online platforms;it is developing an online service enabling users to check whether a website has been classified as ‘Not Recommended’; andit is developing a new web-based reporting tool to allow users to report suspicious online sellers directly to its Criminal Enforcement Unit.Any additional initiatives to use emerging technologies, such as smartphone verification scanning, would require careful consideration of the evidence of the reduction of the risk to patients, as well as investment needed for infrastructure, and further regulatory changes for manufacturers and wholesalers. There are provisions in the Medicines and Medical Devices Act 2021 providing powers to enable the introduction of a similar system to the EU FMD with ‘safety features’ and verification in the UK. However, the powers allow us to go beyond the EU FMD and use derived data from any system for other health related purposes. For example, to support the recall of medicines, to support patient care, research, policy development, medicine supply, preventing diversion, supporting patient access to medicines, and countering fraud in primary care. However, regulations would be needed to set out the detail of any scheme, which would require consultation. Consideration is being given as to whether to consult on options for a potential UK system.

What assessment he has made of the efficacy of smartphone-enabled barcode scanning in the verification of medicines.

No assessment of the impact of the disapplication of the EU Falsified Medicines Directive (EU FMD) on the United Kingdom’s medicine supply chain has been made by the Department. However, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is not aware of any falsified medicines reaching patients through the legal supply chain in at least the last five years.The MHRA leads work to combat falsified medicines and protect patient safety, including through the application of the Human Medicines Regulations 2012 to online and retail sales. The MHRA uses several different approaches to support its work to combat falsified medicines entering the UK supply chain, including by leveraging emerging technology, for instance:Its FakeMeds campaign guides the public on how to buy medicines online from safe and legitimate sources;suspected side effects or falsified medicines can be reported through the MHRA’s Yellow Card scheme;it is exploring the use of artificial intelligence to proactively identify illicit internet domains for enforcement action;it is working with Ofcom to use the new preventative powers provided by the Online Safety Act for regulating online platforms;it is developing an online service enabling users to check whether a website has been classified as ‘Not Recommended’; andit is developing a new web-based reporting tool to allow users to report suspicious online sellers directly to its Criminal Enforcement Unit.Any additional initiatives to use emerging technologies, such as smartphone verification scanning, would require careful consideration of the evidence of the reduction of the risk to patients, as well as investment needed for infrastructure, and further regulatory changes for manufacturers and wholesalers. There are provisions in the Medicines and Medical Devices Act 2021 providing powers to enable the introduction of a similar system to the EU FMD with ‘safety features’ and verification in the UK. However, the powers allow us to go beyond the EU FMD and use derived data from any system for other health related purposes. For example, to support the recall of medicines, to support patient care, research, policy development, medicine supply, preventing diversion, supporting patient access to medicines, and countering fraud in primary care. However, regulations would be needed to set out the detail of any scheme, which would require consultation. Consideration is being given as to whether to consult on options for a potential UK system.

What assessment he has made of the impact of the disapplication of the EU Falsified Medicines Directive on the UK’s medicine supply chain.

No assessment of the impact of the disapplication of the EU Falsified Medicines Directive (EU FMD) on the United Kingdom’s medicine supply chain has been made by the Department. However, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is not aware of any falsified medicines reaching patients through the legal supply chain in at least the last five years.The MHRA leads work to combat falsified medicines and protect patient safety, including through the application of the Human Medicines Regulations 2012 to online and retail sales. The MHRA uses several different approaches to support its work to combat falsified medicines entering the UK supply chain, including by leveraging emerging technology, for instance:Its FakeMeds campaign guides the public on how to buy medicines online from safe and legitimate sources;suspected side effects or falsified medicines can be reported through the MHRA’s Yellow Card scheme;it is exploring the use of artificial intelligence to proactively identify illicit internet domains for enforcement action;it is working with Ofcom to use the new preventative powers provided by the Online Safety Act for regulating online platforms;it is developing an online service enabling users to check whether a website has been classified as ‘Not Recommended’; andit is developing a new web-based reporting tool to allow users to report suspicious online sellers directly to its Criminal Enforcement Unit.Any additional initiatives to use emerging technologies, such as smartphone verification scanning, would require careful consideration of the evidence of the reduction of the risk to patients, as well as investment needed for infrastructure, and further regulatory changes for manufacturers and wholesalers. There are provisions in the Medicines and Medical Devices Act 2021 providing powers to enable the introduction of a similar system to the EU FMD with ‘safety features’ and verification in the UK. However, the powers allow us to go beyond the EU FMD and use derived data from any system for other health related purposes. For example, to support the recall of medicines, to support patient care, research, policy development, medicine supply, preventing diversion, supporting patient access to medicines, and countering fraud in primary care. However, regulations would be needed to set out the detail of any scheme, which would require consultation. Consideration is being given as to whether to consult on options for a potential UK system.

What assessment his Department has made of the efficacy of hospitals delivering specialist multi-disciplinary teams for patients experiencing homelessness.

The Department published guidance in 2024 called Discharging people at risk of or experiencing homelessness to support the care transfer hub, which is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/discharging-people-at-risk-of-or-experiencing-homelessness/discharging-people-at-risk-of-or-experiencing-homelessnessThis guidance recognises the necessity for multi-disciplinary teams. It recommends that dedicated housing options officers are embedded within the care transfer hub and advises hospitals treating over 200 homeless patients a year to offer access to a specialist multi-disciplinary homeless discharge team.Some areas of the country have introduced High Intensity Use Services to proactively meet the needs of the most frequent attenders of the local accident and emergency, a significant portion of whom are experiencing homelessness. These services include multi-disciplinary teams that are helping to address health inequalities faced by this cohort while alleviating pressure on urgent and emergency care pathway,

Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking with the Department of Health and Social Care to reduce the number of people discharged from NHS care into homelessness.

In January 2024, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and the Department of Health and Social Care published Discharging people at risk of or experiencing homelessness, guidance to help staff plan safe discharges and prevent homelessness after NHS care. We will look closely at the issue of people being discharged from NHS care into homelessness in our cross-government Homelessness Strategy.

If he will publish a timeline for refreshing the UK Rare Diseases Framework.

Patient voice is an underpinning theme of the UK Rare Diseases Framework, and we are committed to ensuring that the patient voice is a key driver of the action plans published under this framework. The UK Rare Diseases Framework was published following the National Conversation on Rare Diseases, which received nearly 6,300 responses. This helped identify the four priorities of the framework in tackling rare diseases: helping patients get a final diagnosis faster; increasing awareness of rare diseases among healthcare professionals; better coordination of care; and improving access to specialist care, treatment, and drugs.The Government remains committed to improving the lives of those living with rare conditions, and will be publishing the next England Rare Diseases Action Plan for rare disease day in 2026, as in previous years. We recognise that despite the progress that has been made, there remains considerable unmet need for people living with rare conditions. Ministers from all four nations have agreed to extend the UK Rare Diseases Framework by one year, recognising the continued relevance of its four priorities. We will continue to engage with the rare diseases community to help shape the next steps.

What steps he is taking to address regional variation in access to rare disease care.

Working under the UK Rare Diseases Framework, the Government is committed to improving the lives of those living with rare diseases. England’s 2025 Rare Diseases Action Plan was published in February and reports on actions to address health inequalities for people with rare conditions.Within the National Health Service specialised commissioning portfolio, there are over 80 highly specialised services (HSS) including for rare diseases. Every three to four years, the geographical spread of patients accessing NHS England commissioned highly specialised services is reviewed, most recently in 2024. The analysis looks for variations in the spread of patients accessing the service that may warrant further investigation. Where the analysis found unexpected variation, providers have been asked to develop action plans to address these inequities. Providers who have been successful in reducing variation have also been asked to share this good practice.

If he will work with patients and charities in the development of a successor to the UK Rare Diseases Framework.

Patient voice is an underpinning theme of the UK Rare Diseases Framework, and we are committed to ensuring that the patient voice is a key driver of the action plans published under this framework. The UK Rare Diseases Framework was published following the National Conversation on Rare Diseases, which received nearly 6,300 responses. This helped identify the four priorities of the framework in tackling rare diseases: helping patients get a final diagnosis faster; increasing awareness of rare diseases among healthcare professionals; better coordination of care; and improving access to specialist care, treatment, and drugs.The Government remains committed to improving the lives of those living with rare conditions, and will be publishing the next England Rare Diseases Action Plan for rare disease day in 2026, as in previous years. We recognise that despite the progress that has been made, there remains considerable unmet need for people living with rare conditions. Ministers from all four nations have agreed to extend the UK Rare Diseases Framework by one year, recognising the continued relevance of its four priorities. We will continue to engage with the rare diseases community to help shape the next steps.

What steps he is taking to improve helipad access at hospitals in the Midlands Air Ambulance region.

Air ambulances form a vital part of the emergency response to patients in critical need. The Department of Health and Social Care continues to work closely with NHS England and the Department for Transport on helipad accessibility for air ambulances across the country including the Midlands.

Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 3 November 2025 to Question 87461 on Arts: West Midlands, what steps she is taking to include policies relating to local authorities outside of mayoral strategic authorities within the Creative Industries Sector Plan.

There are creative industries clusters and micro clusters in every part of the UK and they are equally crucial to growth. We are keen to ensure that there are no cultural not-spots in the country and that everyone has an equal chance to pursue a career in the creative industries whether they live in a major metropolitan area or not. The CI Sector Plan includes a universal offer to drive growth in the creative industries in any place in the UK, outlining new measures to break down barriers such as access to finance, supply of skills, and new support to kickstart innovation.

How many (a) Single Living Accommodation units and (b) Service Family Accommodation homes in (i) north Shropshire and (ii) Shropshire have recorded (A) Legionella, (B) unsafe water temperatures, (C) failed water hygiene checks and (D) all of the above in each year since 2015.

The tables below give the number of reports of (A) Legionella in Single Living Accommodation (SLA) across Shropshire and North Shropshire, as at 18 November 2025. Data prior to 1 April 2018 is not held. Shropshire YearLegionella201812019102020202021582022334202350520244412025333 North Shropshire YearLegionella201812019020204202132022231202331920242152025183 For SLA, information on the number of reports of (B) unsafe water temperatures and (C) failed hygiene checks can only be provided at disproportionate cost. For Service Family Accommodation, no (A) Legionella incidents, (B) unsafe water temperatures, or (C) failed water hygiene checks have occurred in Shropshire or North Shropshire since April 2022. Data prior to April 2022 is not held. Data prior to April 2022 is not held as the Future Defence Infrastructure Services (FDIS) contract started in 2022, hence why data starts from April 2022.

How many Single Living Accommodation units in (a) north Shropshire and (b) Shropshire were (i) flats, (ii) dormitories, (iii) container-type accommodation and (iv) other types of accommodation in each year since 2015.

The tables below provide a breakdown of Single Living Accommodation (SLA) in (a) North Shropshire and (b) Shropshire: Information prior to 1 January 2023 is not held. (a) North Shropshire: Year(i) Flats(ii) Dormitory*(iii) Container Type**(iv) Other*** 20230320506202403205102025 (up until 18 Nov)0320509 (b) Shropshire: Year(i) Flats(ii) Dormitory* (iii) Container Type**(iv) Other***202301,87402,148202401,874882,2632025 (up until 18 Nov)01,842882,148 * A dormitory is a room with multiple occupancy.** Bedspaces identified as ‘Container-Type’ are modular temporary accommodation units.*** Bedspaces identified under ‘Other’ are those with individual bedrooms.

How many Single Living Accommodation units in (a) north Shropshire and (b) Shropshire have been assessed as being in condition grade (i) A, (ii) B, (iii) C, (iv) D and (v) deemed uninhabitable in each year since 2015.

This information is not held in the format requested. For Single Living Accommodation, the condition grade is determined by categories, as detailed in the tables below: (a) North Shropshire: YearAs NewServiceableMinor RepairsMajor RepairsReplacement required, unsafe to useNo Condition Score201801140012019011400120200114001202101140022022091002202302800220240280012025 (up until 18 Nov)038000 (b) Shropshire:YearAs NewServiceableMinor RepairsMajor RepairsReplacement Replacement required, unsafe to useNo Condition Score20182808001420192808001420202808001420212808001620222785004202305810032024855830022025(up until 18 Nov)85682001

On how many occasions (a) Single Living Accommodation units and (b) Service Family Accommodation homes in (i) north Shropshire and (ii) Shropshire have experienced loss of (A) heating and (B) hot water for over 24 hours in each year since 2015.

The tables below provide a breakdown of the number of occasions a loss of (A) heating and (B) hot water for over 24 hours were reported, broken down by accommodation type and year. Single Living Accommodation (SLA) North Shropshire: 2018 (from Apr to Dec)2019202020212022202320242025 (up to and including 18 Nov)Loss of Heating for over 24 hours1626252420142811Loss of Hot Water for over 24 hours72211131281116 Shropshire: 2018 (from Apr to Dec)2019202020212022202320242025 (up to and including 18 Nov)Loss of Heating for over 24 hours 108165147195178222180111Loss of Hot Water for over 24 hours 80114140149163117142129 Data for the loss of heating and hot water of over 24 Hours in SLA prior to April 2018 is not held. Service Family Accommodation (SFA) North Shropshire: 2022 (from Apr to Dec)202320242025 (up to and including 17 Nov)Loss of Heating for over 24 hours 1527104Loss of Hot Water for over 24 hours 88130 Shropshire:2022 (from Apr to Dec)202320242025 (up to and including 17 Nov)Loss of Heating for over 24 hours 74524514Loss of Hot Water for over 24 hours 3554253 Data for the loss of heating and hot water of over 24 hours in SFA prior to 2022 is not held.

How many formal complaints have been made by personnel regarding (a) Single Living Accommodation and (b) Service Family Accommodation conditions in (i) north Shropshire and (ii) Shropshire in each year since 2015.

The tables below provide a breakdown of the number of complaints received broken down by accommodation type and since April 2022. Single Living Accommodation (SLA) 2022 (from Apr-Dec)202320242025 (up to and including 18 Nov)North Shropshire0120Shropshire 1112 Service Family Accommodation (SFA) 2022 (from Apr-Dec)202320242025 (up to and including 18 Nov)North Shropshire33613619Shropshire 17720512255 Data prior to April 2022 is not held.

How many (a) Single Living Accommodation units and (b) Service Family Accommodation homes in (i) north Shropshire and (ii) Shropshire have recorded (A) defective fire alarms, (B) missing fire doors and (C) non-compliance with modern fire safety standards in each year since 2015.

The tables below show reported (A) defective fire alarms and (B) missing fire doors in Single Living Accommodation (SLA) across Shropshire and North Shropshire, as at 18 November 2025. Data prior to 1 April 2018 is not held. Shropshire YearDefective Fire AlarmsMissing Fire Doors201810692019117232020112132021691320221410202315122024891120251145 North Shropshire YearDefective Fire AlarmsMissing Fire Doors20183202019301202016020211202022150202326020242022025150 Information on (C) compliance with modern fire safety standards is not held. This is because all SLA buildings are complaint with standards in place at the time of their construction. (b) Service Family Accommodation Service Family Accommodation in Shropshire and North Shropshire does not include flats, communal spaces, or Houses in Multiple Occupation. Therefore, homes in this area are not subject to the Fire Safety Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, and fire doors and alarms are not required. However, the Defence Infrastructure Organisation must ensure smoke and carbon monoxide alarms are installed and maintained.

How many schools contain (a) RAAC and (b) other structural risks in the most recent Condition Data Collection for (i) Shropshire, (ii) North Shropshire and (iii) England.

237 schools and colleges in England had RAAC confirmed in areas of their buildings, none of which are in Shropshire. By the end of this Parliament, every school and college in England that isn't being fully or substantially rebuilt will be RAAC-free. All schools having RAAC permanently removed through the school rebuilding programme will be in delivery, with over half already underway.The department’s current Condition Data Collection 2 (CDC2) programme is visiting every government-funded school in England to collect data about the condition of their buildings. CDC2 is a high-level, non-invasive, visual inspection of condition and not a structural survey. It does not collect structural risks, nor data on school compliance with all statutory and legislative responsibilities, including fire safety.It is the responsibility of those who run our schools to ensure that fire risk assessments are undertaken regularly. The department provides guidance about fire safety to these responsible bodies, including in the ’Good estate management for schools’ guide, which is available at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/good-estate-management-for-schools/health-and-safety.

What assessment he has made of trends in the rates of mental ill health among male carers.

The Government recognises the vital role of unpaid carers and is committed to ensuring they receive the support they need. Through measures set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, we are supporting carers by making them more visible, empowering their voices in care planning, joining up services, and streamlining caring tasks through a new ‘MyCarer’ section in the NHS App. We are also expanding access to mental health care through 24/7 neighbourhood services, new emergency mental health departments, and enhanced support via the NHS App, all of which will be available to carers experiencing mental ill health.Local authorities have duties under the Care Act 2014 to support unpaid carers. To help them fulfil these duties, the 2025 Spending Review provides for an increase of over £4 billion in funding available for adult social care in 2028/29 compared to 2025/26.On 19 November, we published the Men’s Health Strategy. The strategy includes tangible actions to improve access to healthcare, provide the right support to enable men to make healthier choices, develop healthy living and working conditions, foster strong social, community and family networks and address societal norms. It also considers how to prevent and tackle the biggest health problems affecting men of all ages, which include mental health and suicide prevention, respiratory illness, prostate cancer, and heart disease.As Minister of State for Care, I also chair a regular cross-Government meeting with ministers across departments to consider how we can work together to provide unpaid carers with the recognition and support they deserve.The Department has no current plans to introduce a multi-year funding scheme for support groups specifically for male carers, but we will continue working across government and with local authorities to ensure that unpaid carers of all genders are able to access appropriate support.

How many schools have been identified as high fire risk in the latest Condition Data Collection by local authority area.

237 schools and colleges in England had RAAC confirmed in areas of their buildings, none of which are in Shropshire. By the end of this Parliament, every school and college in England that isn't being fully or substantially rebuilt will be RAAC-free. All schools having RAAC permanently removed through the school rebuilding programme will be in delivery, with over half already underway.The department’s current Condition Data Collection 2 (CDC2) programme is visiting every government-funded school in England to collect data about the condition of their buildings. CDC2 is a high-level, non-invasive, visual inspection of condition and not a structural survey. It does not collect structural risks, nor data on school compliance with all statutory and legislative responsibilities, including fire safety.It is the responsibility of those who run our schools to ensure that fire risk assessments are undertaken regularly. The department provides guidance about fire safety to these responsible bodies, including in the ’Good estate management for schools’ guide, which is available at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/good-estate-management-for-schools/health-and-safety.

How many fires have been recorded in (a) North Shropshire constituency, (b) Shropshire, (c) the West Midlands and (d) England’s school estate in each of the last 10 years.

Since the 2014/15 academic year, the risk protection arrangement (RPA) has received a total of 551 fire-related claims from members. 52 claims were from the West Midlands, 4 from Shropshire and 2 claims were specifically from North Shropshire.Schools and their responsible bodies are not obliged to notify the department of fires at their premises and we therefore do not routinely collect or record this data more widely, nor information on fire-safety-related repairs.The department provides guidance about fire safety to bodies responsible for schools, including in the ‘Good Estate Management for Schools’ guide, available here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/good-estate-management-for-schools/health-and-safety. It is the responsibility of those who run our schools to ensure that a fire risk assessment is undertaken and kept up to date, reflecting the specific characteristics of the building for which it was written.