Written questions by Athwal.

What steps his Department is taking to increase standards in and ensure effective regulation of the cosmetic surgery sector.

On 7 August 2025, the Government announced its plans to introduce measures to improve the safety of the cosmetics sector. This included prioritising the introduction of legal restrictions which will ensure that the highest risk cosmetic procedures are brought into Care Quality Commission regulation and can only be performed by specified regulated healthcare professionals.In addition, the Government also committed to legislating to introduce a licensing scheme in England for lower risk procedures through powers granted through the Health and Care Act 2022. Under this scheme, which will be operated by local authorities, practitioners will be required to obtain a licence to perform specified cosmetic procedures, and the premises from which they operate will also need to be licensed.  To protect children and young people, the Government is also committed to mandating age restrictions for cosmetic procedures.The proposals will be taken forward through secondary legislation and therefore subject to the parliamentary process before the legal restrictions, or licensing regulations, can be introduced. We are now working with stakeholders to develop detailed plans and intend to consult on proposals for restrictions around the performance of the highest risk procedures in the spring.

If his department plans to respond to the public consultation on the Government Statistical Service Harmonisation Standard for Ethnicity that concludes on 4 February.

The Department is not planning a central response to the public consultation on ethnicity harmonisation standards. However, it is likely that individual statistical production teams will have responded to the consultation. This information is not tracked nor held centrally.The Department recognises that harmonisation is important for effective and accurate data comparison. Harmonisation standards are “designed to promote alignment across organisations, not to enforce identical approaches”. Therefore, on a team level, statistical producers may have views on how standards apply to their datasets of interest and how ethnicity data collection and reporting should be altered. A formal, central response would not capture the nuances of user need.

What assessment their Department has made of trends in the level of discrimination faced by (a) Sikhs and (b) Jews as ethnic groups in the provision of their Department's services.

Our 10-Year Health Plan for England sets out a reimagined service designed to tackle inequalities in both access and outcomes. This includes tackling the conditions where there are the greatest disparities for ethnic or religious groups.There is currently limited information held in the Department on levels of discrimination faced by Sikhs and Jews.Indicators to monitor progress in health inequalities are measured in key health outcomes. For example, there is data on health and disability status from the 2021 Census that suggests that self-reported ill health and disability in those of Sikh and Jewish religions are both lower than the average for England and Wales. Further information on the 2021 Census is available at the following link:https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/culturalidentity/religion/articles/religionbyhousinghealthemploymentandeducationenglandandwales/census2021NHS England published an Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion improvement plan for the National Health Service workforce in 2023. It sets out targeted actions to address the prejudice and discrimination, both direct and indirect, that exists through behaviour, policies, practices, and cultures against certain groups and individuals across the NHS workforce. The plan was co-produced through engagement with staff networks and senior leaders. NHS boards track, monitor, and put in place improvement plans to tackle prejudice and discrimination in the NHS workforce.In October 2025, the Prime Minister ordered an urgent review of antisemitism and all forms of racism in the NHS, as part of wider efforts to tackle discrimination in the health service.NHS England has since announced further measures to address racism and antisemitism, including the strengthening of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion training and revising uniform guidance to ensure patients and their colleagues feel respected in NHS settings. Further information is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-to-tackle-antisemitism-and-other-racism-in-the-nhs

What data his Department holds on health outcomes for (a) Sikhs and (b) Jews.

The Department has access to data from several population health surveys, undertaken by other organisations or departments, which record the religion of respondents, and which include Sikh and Jewish as categories. These include:- Health Survey for England;- General Practice Patient Survey;- Annual Population Survey; and- Active Lives Survey. The Department publishes some health outcomes data by religion, including for Sikh and Jewish populations, based on survey data. The Public Health Outcomes Framework includes, for example, a breakdown by religion for its indicators of smoking prevalence, the percentage of the population reporting a long-term musculoskeletal problem, and the percentage of adult social care users who have as much social contact as they would like. Further information on the smoking prevalence in adults, the percentage of the population reporting a long-term musculoskeletal problem, and the percentage of adult social care users who have as much social contact as they would like is avaiable, respectively, at the following three links:https://fingertips.phe.org.uk/profile/public-health-outcomes-framework/data#page/7/gid/1000042/pat/15/par/E92000001/ati/502/are/E09000002/iid/92443/age/168/sex/4/cat/-1/ctp/-1/yrr/1/cid/4/tbm/1/page-options/car-do-0_ine-ct-19_ine-pt-0_ine-yo-1:2024:-1:-1https://fingertips.phe.org.uk/profile/public-health-outcomes-framework/data#page/7/gid/1000042/pat/15/par/E92000001/ati/502/are/E09000002/iid/93377/age/164/sex/4/cat/-1/ctp/-1/yrr/1/cid/4/tbm/1/page-options/car-do-0_ine-yo-1:2023:-1:-1_ine-pt-0_ine-ct-20https://fingertips.phe.org.uk/search/social%20isolation#page/7/gid/1/pat/15/par/E92000001/ati/502/are/E09000002/iid/90280/age/168/sex/4/cat/-1/ctp/-1/yrr/1/cid/4/tbm/1/page-options/car-do-0_ine-ct-20_ine-pt-0_ine-yo-1:2022:-1:-1In addition to survey data, the Department manages the National Drug and Alcohol Monitoring System and reports annual data on the religion of those entering drug and alcohol treatment services, with categories including Jewish and Sikh. Further information on substance misuse treatment for adults is avaiable at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/substance-misuse-treatment-for-adults-statistics-2023-to-2024 The Department also has access to published data on health outcomes by religion from other Government departments. These include reports from the Office for National Statistics on Religion and Health in England and Wales, based on data from the UK Household Longitudinal Study, and Religion by housing, health, employment, and education, England and Wales, based on data from the 2021 Census. Both reports include data for Jewish and Sikh populations, and are avaiable, respectively, at the following two links:https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/culturalidentity/religion/articles/religionandhealthinenglandandwales/february2020https://cy.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/culturalidentity/religion/articles/religionbyhousinghealthemploymentandeducationenglandandwales/census2021#religion-by-general-health

What steps is his department taking to improve record keeping and documentation within the emergency departments and observation units.

The Government is committed to improving how information is recorded, stored, and used across the National Health Service, including in emergency departments and observation units.Regarding accident and emergency data, NHS England has published a Data Quality Improvement Plan for the Emergency Care Data Set. NHS England is supporting trusts to improve data quality collection and compliance.Through our Urgent and Emergency care plan, we are expanding the use of integrated data systems such as the Federated Data Platform and Connected Care Records. We are investing in secure digital platforms and interoperability standards to ensure clinicians can access real-time patient information across hospitals, ambulance services, and community settings. Improving interoperability helps reduce duplication, minimise the risk of errors, and support clinicians to provide safe and timely care.

What steps his Department is taking to improve the quality of medical care available to people with learning disabilities.

Significant action is underway to improve access to and the quality of care for people with a learning disability. This will help deliver the shift from treatment to prevention, outlined in our 10-Year Health Plan, with further information available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/10-year-health-plan-for-england-fit-for-the-futureAs part of this we are rolling out mandatory training for health and social care staff, improving identification on the general practice learning disability register and uptake of annual health checks, and implementing a Reasonable Adjustment Digital Flag in health and care records to ensure care is tailored appropriately. The NHS Learning Disability Improvement Standard also supports trusts by setting guidance on safe, personalised, and high-quality care provision. The standards  are designed to support organisations in assessing the quality of their services and to promote uniformity across the National Health Service in the care and treatment provided to people with a learning disability.  Further information on the standards is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/learning-disabilities/about/resources/the-learning-disability-improvement-standards-for-nhs-trusts/Each integrated care board must also have an executive lead for learning disability and autism and must demonstrate how they will reduce inequalities for people with a learning disability within their five year strategic plans under the Medium-Term Planning Framework. Further information is available on the Medium-Term Planning Framework at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/medium-term-planning-framework-delivering-change-together-2026-27-to-2028-29/

What assessment he has made of the impact of Matha's Rule on enhancing patient care and saving lives for those with learning disabilities.

Martha’s Rule is being implemented in all acute hospitals in England. Early indications suggest a positive impact on patient care across patient groups, including people with learning disabilities, through improved recognition of physiological deterioration, strengthened patient and family voice, and earlier clinical review. Data published by NHS England shows that from September 2024 to November 2025, 9,135 Martha’s Rule calls were made, with the highest proportion of calls, or 72%, made via the family escalation process. 3,186 Martha’s Rule escalation calls, or 36%, related to acute deterioration and of those, 412 calls resulted in potentially life-saving transfers of care.

What steps his Department is taking to improve the (a) treatment and (b) care of patients with (a) non-preventable and progressive neurological conditions and (ii) Parkinson’s through the 10-Year Health Plan.

The three shifts outlined in the 10-Year Health Plan will revolutionise care for people with Parkinson’s and other non-preventable progressive neurological conditions by shifting from hospital-centric care to community-based and preventative approaches, alongside utilising technologies for better access to services and management of their care.Neighbourhood health centres will provide integrated, accessible, and localised services that will focus on early detection and diagnosis and comprehensive multidisciplinary care. By being community based, the centres will reduce barriers to care and ongoing support and will empower patients to manage their condition more effectively.People with complex conditions like Parkinson's will be offered a personalised care plan, developed with healthcare professionals. These will improve coordination and ensure care is tailored to the individual's needs.We have committed to at least doubling the number of people offered a personal health budget by the 2028/29 financial year, and we will make personal health budgets a universal offer for all who would benefit from them by 2035. This will give people greater autonomy, flexibility, and involvement in their own healthcare, allowing them to organise care that best meets their needs.Digital tools like the NHS App will empower patients to manage their conditions, access information, and communicate with healthcare professionals more easily. Digital technologies will also enable remote monitoring of patients, allowing for early intervention and personalised care.The 10-Year Health Plan envisions a healthcare system that is more proactive, personalised, and digitally enabled, leading to earlier diagnosis, more effective management, and ultimately, better outcomes for individuals with long-term conditions such as Parkinson’s and other progressive neurological conditions.

What (a) assessment he has made and (b) research his Department has commissioned on the potential impact of Parkinson’s Disease on the (i) NHS, (ii) social care and (iii) the economy in (A) 2025 and (B) the future.

There are a number of initiatives at the national level supporting service improvement and better care for patients with Parkinson’s disease, including the RightCare Progressive Neurological Conditions Toolkit and the Getting It Right First Time Programme for Neurology.NHS England has also established a Neurology Transformation Programme, a multi-year, clinically led programme, which has developed a new model of integrated care for neurology services, to support integrated care boards (ICBs) to deliver the right service, at the right time for all neurology patients. This focuses on providing access equitably across the country, care as close to home as possible, and early intervention to prevent illness and deterioration in patients with long-term neurological conditions. A toolkit is being developed to support ICBs to understand and implement this new model, which will include components on delivering acute neurology services, improving health equity in neurology and improving community neurology services.We have set up a United Kingdom-wide Neuro Forum, facilitating formal, biannual meetings across the Department, NHS England, devolved governments and health services, and Neurological Alliances of all four nations. The new forum brings key stakeholders together, to share learnings across the system and discuss challenges, best practice examples and potential solutions for improving the care of people with neurological conditions, including Parkinson’s disease.The Government is strongly committed to supporting research into Parkinson’s disease to support prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care. The Department, through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), is investing £6 million in two Dementia & Neurodegeneration Policy Research Units to increase evidence and inform policymaking in the Department and its arms-length bodies, including for Parkinson’s disease. This includes research exploring the impact of place, ethnicity and socio-demographic characteristics on health service utilisation by people with Parkinson’s and how health and social care services can best support people living alone with Parkinson’s.The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health and care, including Parkinson’s disease. These applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made based on the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money and scientific quality.

What discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the potential impact of migraines on (a) the economy and (b) levels of (i) presenteeism and (ii)absenteeism.

The Joint DWP and DHSC Work and Health Directorate was set up in 2015 in recognition of the significant link between work and health and to improve employment opportunities for disabled people and people with health conditions, including people with migraines. As part of the mission-led Government, regular cross-governmental collaboration takes place on work and health.The Government recognises that long-term sickness continues to be the most common reason for economic inactivity among the working age population. In 2024, there were 3.1 million days lost through sickness absence where the reason given was ‘headaches or migraines’.As part of the Get Britain Working Plan, more disabled people and those with health conditions will be supported to enter and stay in work, by devolving more power to local areas so they can shape a joined-up work, health, and skills offer that suits the needs of the people they serve.

What steps his Department is taking to increase treatment options for people with Friedreich's Ataxia.

Working under the UK Rare Diseases Framework, the Government is committed to improving the lives of those living with rare diseases, such as Friedreich's Ataxia. One of the framework’s priorities is improving access to specialist care, treatments, and drugs. We remain committed to delivering under the framework, and published the fourth action plan for England on 28 February 2025.

How many Sikhs are employed in his Department; and whether they are recorded as (a) an ethnic or (b) a religious group.

In line with Office for National Statistics’ guidelines for collecting data on ethnic group, religion, and nationality, the Department records Sikhs as a religious group.Employees of the Department are asked to self-declare diversity data, including on their religious group. Of these, 40 have declared as Sikh.

What assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of new research by Trussell which found that the impact of (a) hunger and (b) hardship drives an additional £6.3 billion in public service expenditure on healthcare each year.

The Government welcomes the Trussell report on the cost of hunger and hardship and recognises that poverty is a wider determinant of health. Under the Health Mission, the Government is committed to supporting people to stay healthier for longer, reducing health inequalities, easing the strain on the National Health Service and driving economic growth.The Department is also working closely with the Child Poverty Taskforce to develop and deliver an ambitious strategy to reduce child poverty, tackle the root causes, and give every child the best start in life. The Government is supporting those in need through the Healthy Start scheme and through the roll out of breakfast clubs. The Government is also expanding Free School Meals which will benefit over half a million more children and lift 100,000 children out of poverty.

With reference to Public Health England's report entitled Commercial infant and baby food and drink: evidence review, published in June 2019, what steps he is taking to help tackle commercial baby foods with high levels of added sugar.

Children’s early years provide an important foundation for their future health and strongly influence many aspects of wellbeing in later life.A 2019 evidence review showed that babies and young children are exceeding their energy intake requirement and are eating too much sugar and salt. Some commercial baby foods, particularly finger foods, had added sugar, or contained ingredients that are high in sugar.More recently, a report by the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition highlighted that free sugar intakes are above recommendations, and that commercial baby food and drinks contributed to around 20% of free sugar intake in children aged 12 to 18 months. This does not align with recommendations that, in diets of children aged 1 to 5 years, foods including snacks high in free sugars should be limited, and that commercially manufactured foods and drinks are not needed to meet nutrition requirements.It is vital that we maintain the highest standards for foods consumed by babies and infants, which is why we have regulations in place that set nutritional and compositional standards for commercial baby food. The regulations also set labelling standards to ensure consumers have clear and accurate information about the products they buy. We continue to keep these regulations under review to ensure they reflect the latest scientific and dietary guidelines.

What steps his Department is taking to tackle racial inequalities in access to healthcare.

We have set a Health Mission with the aim of tackling the social determinants of health, focusing on prevention, and ensuring that everyone lives longer, healthier lives. The Government recognises that racial health inequalities are linked to broader socioeconomic factors. Tackling these disparities is central to building a fairer health system where outcomes are not dictated by race or background. We are committed to ensuring that everyone, regardless of where they are born or their financial circumstances, can live longer, healthier lives, spending less time in poor health.We are working to halve the gap in healthy life expectancy between the richest and poorest areas by addressing the social determinants of health. This includes measures to reduce socioeconomic inequalities that disproportionately affect ethnic minority communities, ensuring everyone can live longer, healthier lives.We will also take a cross-Government approach to tackle the root causes of health inequalities. By prioritising prevention, shifting care closer to communities, and intervening earlier in life, we are committed to raising the healthiest generation of children in our nation's history.The National Health Service’s Core20PLUS5 approach targets health inequalities by focusing on the most deprived 20% of the population, the Core20, and specific inclusion health groups and ‘PLUS’ populations, including ethnic minorities. Integrated care boards are responsible for implementing this approach, aiming to reduce inequalities in health outcomes and improve equitable access to healthcare treatments and services.

Whether he has had discussions with (a) hospices and (b) charities on improving end of life care.

In early February 2025, I met with key palliative and end of life care and hospice stakeholders, including Hospice UK, Marie Curie, Sue Ryder, Together for Short Lives, MacMillian, and the Association for Palliative Medicine, where we had a productive conversation about improving palliative and end of life care in England. Long-term sector sustainability, within the context of our 10-Year Health Plan, was discussed at length at this meeting.On visits to hospices, I have also heard from staff on their thoughts on how palliative and end of life care could be improved.

What steps his Department is taking to help improve preventative HIV care in London.

The Government is committed to ending new transmissions of HIV in England by 2030. The Department, the UK Health Security Agency, NHS England, and partners are developing the new HIV Action Plan for England, which we aim to publish this year. The plan will address improving preventive HIV care and HIV health promotion campaigns across England, including in London.HIV testing is partly funded by local authorities through the ringfenced Public Health Grant (PHG). In 2025/26, we are increasing funding through the PHG to £3.858 billion, providing local authorities with an average 5.4% cash increase and a 3% real terms increase, the biggest real-terms increase after nearly a decade of reduced spending.The London HIV Prevention Programme (LHPP) and Sexual Health London (SHL) are key organisations at the centre of London’s HIV prevention efforts, working to reduce new HIV diagnoses and improve access to testing. The LHPP promotes early testing and prevention, particularly among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men, through its Do It London campaigns and targeted outreach. In parallel, SHL offers free, easy-to-access sexually transmitted infection testing for Londoners aged 16 years old and over via online self-sampling and local collection points.

What steps his Department is taking to help ensure the effectiveness of HIV health promotion campaigns in reaching (a) under served and (b) at risk communities.

The Government is committed to ending new transmissions of HIV in England by 2030. The Department, the UK Health Security Agency, NHS England, and partners are developing the new HIV Action Plan for England, which we aim to publish this year. The plan will address improving preventive HIV care and HIV health promotion campaigns across England, including in London.HIV testing is partly funded by local authorities through the ringfenced Public Health Grant (PHG). In 2025/26, we are increasing funding through the PHG to £3.858 billion, providing local authorities with an average 5.4% cash increase and a 3% real terms increase, the biggest real-terms increase after nearly a decade of reduced spending.The London HIV Prevention Programme (LHPP) and Sexual Health London (SHL) are key organisations at the centre of London’s HIV prevention efforts, working to reduce new HIV diagnoses and improve access to testing. The LHPP promotes early testing and prevention, particularly among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men, through its Do It London campaigns and targeted outreach. In parallel, SHL offers free, easy-to-access sexually transmitted infection testing for Londoners aged 16 years old and over via online self-sampling and local collection points.

If he will make an assessment of the potential merits of mandating large food businesses to publish nutrient profile models on their products.

We have not made an assessment of the potential merits of mandating large food businesses to publish nutrient profile models on their products. As part of considerations around mandatory healthiness targets, the Food Data Transparency Partnership (FDTP) was created in 2023. This was a shared programme of work across the Department of Health and Social Care, the Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs, and the Food Standards Agency. The FDTP was paused at the General Election and is being reviewed alongside other obesity policies.The UK Nutrient Profiling Model (NPM) is used as the underpinning model for The Food (Promotion and Placement) (England) Regulations 2021 and The Advertising (Less Healthy Food Definitions and Exemptions) Regulations 2024. A product will be in scope if it falls within one of the product categories in the schedule to these regulations and scores four or above for food, or one or above for drink when applying the 2004 to 2005 NPM using the 2011 technical guidance. We do not require businesses to publish information related to the NPM.

What assessment he has made of the adequacy of access to (a) counselling and (b) psychological support for patients who receive a diagnosis of terminal illness.

NHS England has published statutory guidance which outlines areas for consideration when commissioning palliative and end of life care services and, within this, there is reference to improving equity of access and reducing inequity in outcomes and experience. Additionally, NHS England has developed a palliative and end of life care dashboard, which brings together all relevant local data in one place. The dashboard helps commissioners understand the palliative and end of life care needs of their local population, enabling integrated care boards to put plans in place to address and track the improvement of health inequalities, and ensure that funding is distributed fairly, based on prevalence.NHS England’s statutory guidance for palliative and end of life care states that integrated care board (ICB) commissioners should work to ensure that there is sufficient provision of care service providers available to deliver high-quality end of life care, paying particular attention to access to mental health and wellbeing support and spiritual care.National Health Service counselling and psychological support is principally provided through local NHS Talking Therapies services, which provide treatments, such as cognitive behavioural therapy, to adults with common mental health conditions including depression and anxiety. People can self-refer to NHS Talking Therapies Services or be referred by their general practitioner. All ICBs are expected to expand services locally by commissioning NHS Talking Therapies services integrated into physical healthcare pathways.