Written questions by Shannon.

What assessment he has made of recent trends in the level of measles cases across the UK.

There has been a resurgence of measles in England since autumn 2023, initially driven by cases in Birmingham, followed by a large outbreak in London, with small clusters in other regions. This was largely due to a gradual decline in uptake of childhood vaccines over the last decade, including the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine. Case counts have followed a downward trajectory from mid-July 2024 with small, localised outbreaks in some regions.The UK Health Security Agency has worked closely with NHS England and other partners encouraging parents to catch up children with all childhood vaccines, including MMR. In 2024, national MMR catch-up and marketing campaigns were delivered alongside local tailored interventions to improve uptake. The evaluation, published on 29 August 2024, has shown that this work had a positive impact particularly in children from communities with the lowest uptake.The full evaluation is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/evaluation-of-vaccine-uptake-during-the-2023-to-2024-mmr-catch-up-campaigns-in-england

What steps his Department is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help ensure that migraine is recognised within (a) the Access to Work scheme and (b) workplace health and disability strategies.

In relation to the Get Britain Working White Paper, the Government has engaged with both internal and external stakeholders through existing fora and Government engagement structures. We will be carrying out further, in-depth engagement, and look forward to working with stakeholders during policy development and implementation.Access to Work is a demand-led, personalised, discretionary grant that supports the recruitment and retention of disabled people in sustainable paid employment. The tailored nature of the scheme allows customers to receive the appropriate grant and support based on their specific health and disability-related needs, including migraines. Access to Work grants do not replace an employer’s duty under the Equality Act 2010 to make reasonable adjustments.The goal is to open up opportunities to work and to support a healthier, more productive and inclusive nation, by helping more disabled people and people with health conditions like migraine to get appropriate work, get on in that work, and to return to work as quickly as possible if they leave it. This supports the Government priority of tackling economic inactivity, as set out in the Get Britain Working White Paper.The latest data from the Office for National Statistics shows that 4.3 million working days were lost due to headaches and migraines in 2022. The represents 2.3% of all days lost.

What assessment he has made in the levels of of regional variations in waiting times for specialist migraine treatment.

Whilst no specific assessment has been made, as of January 2025 there were almost 233,000 pathways waiting for a neurology appointment and 53.8% of neurology pathways were waiting within 18 weeks.The Government is committed to tackling National Health Service waiting lists for patients and reducing variation across all regions, including patients awaiting specialist migraine treatment. We will ensure 92% of patients wait no longer than 18 weeks from referral to treatment by March 2029, a standard which has not been met consistently since September 2015. As a first step, we delivered an additional two million appointments between July and November 2024 compared to the same period in 2023, seven months ahead of schedule. This includes operations, consultations, diagnostic tests and treatments, including for neurology patients.The Elective Reform Plan, published in January 2025, commits to reforming elective care equitably and inclusively for all adults, children and young people to improve patient experience and waiting list performance and reduce regional variation, so that patients receive high quality care wherever they live.

What steps he is taking to help tackle severe malnutrition in people under the age of 18.

Malnutrition is a clinical condition affecting all ages across the community, and in all health and care settings. Severe malnutrition is most likely to be secondary to another physical or mental health condition which may impact on nutritional needs or a person’s ability to eat and drink.The diagnosis and detection of malnutrition are key, and health staff are trained to spot the early warning signs so effective individual treatment can be put in place. Tools and guidance are available through a range of organisations for health and social care professionals to identify and treat malnutrition and access appropriate training.The Healthy Child Programme in England is a universal programme for children aged zero to 19 years old. When there is a concern raised about a child’s growth, either a health visitor or school nurse will monitor this and assess for signs of under or overweight, including as a possible sign of neglect and faltering growth, and will work with families to support them in addressing the family and child’s needs. Further information on the Healthy Child Programme is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/healthy-child-programmeThe National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s guideline Faltering growth: recognition and management of faltering growth in children, for healthcare professionals, providers of children's services, commissioners of children's services, and parents and carers of children with faltering growth, covers the recognition, assessment, and monitoring of faltering growth in infants and children. Further information on the guideline is available at the following link:https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng75/chapter/Recommendations#faltering-growth-after-the-early-days-of-lifeAnyone who is identified as being malnourished or at risk of malnutrition should be assessed by an appropriately qualified health professional, such as a dietitian, and should receive an individualised care plan in line with their individual circumstances, dietary preferences, and medical needs.

What recent assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of migraine-related absenteeism on the economy.

In relation to the Get Britain Working White Paper, the Government has engaged with both internal and external stakeholders through existing fora and Government engagement structures. We will be carrying out further, in-depth engagement, and look forward to working with stakeholders during policy development and implementation.Access to Work is a demand-led, personalised, discretionary grant that supports the recruitment and retention of disabled people in sustainable paid employment. The tailored nature of the scheme allows customers to receive the appropriate grant and support based on their specific health and disability-related needs, including migraines. Access to Work grants do not replace an employer’s duty under the Equality Act 2010 to make reasonable adjustments.The goal is to open up opportunities to work and to support a healthier, more productive and inclusive nation, by helping more disabled people and people with health conditions like migraine to get appropriate work, get on in that work, and to return to work as quickly as possible if they leave it. This supports the Government priority of tackling economic inactivity, as set out in the Get Britain Working White Paper.The latest data from the Office for National Statistics shows that 4.3 million working days were lost due to headaches and migraines in 2022. The represents 2.3% of all days lost.

If he will take steps to help ensure that the Government's UK Neurology Forum include migraine as a priority for (a) discussion and (b) policy recommendations.

The new United Kingdom-wide Neuro Forum, which met for the first time on 10 March 2025, brings key stakeholders together to share learnings across the system, discuss important neurology service transformations and workforce challenges, as well as best practice examples and potential solutions that will add both to the existing programmes of work and wider health plans. The forum will be an advisory rather than a decision-making body.A wide range of neurological conditions, including migraine, will be within the scope of the Neuro Forum, and agendas will be agreed by the forum’s membership ahead of each meeting.

If he will have discussions with Cabinet colleagues on the potential merits of including migraine as a category within the (a) Get Britain Working white paper and (b) workforce participation and productivity strategies.

In relation to the Get Britain Working White Paper, the Government has engaged with both internal and external stakeholders through existing fora and Government engagement structures. We will be carrying out further, in-depth engagement, and look forward to working with stakeholders during policy development and implementation.Access to Work is a demand-led, personalised, discretionary grant that supports the recruitment and retention of disabled people in sustainable paid employment. The tailored nature of the scheme allows customers to receive the appropriate grant and support based on their specific health and disability-related needs, including migraines. Access to Work grants do not replace an employer’s duty under the Equality Act 2010 to make reasonable adjustments.The goal is to open up opportunities to work and to support a healthier, more productive and inclusive nation, by helping more disabled people and people with health conditions like migraine to get appropriate work, get on in that work, and to return to work as quickly as possible if they leave it. This supports the Government priority of tackling economic inactivity, as set out in the Get Britain Working White Paper.The latest data from the Office for National Statistics shows that 4.3 million working days were lost due to headaches and migraines in 2022. The represents 2.3% of all days lost.

What assessment he has made of trends in the level of misuse of prescription drugs.

The Department has made no such assessment. We are unable to assess trends in this area because there is no universal definition of prescription only medicine misuse, and data is not routinely collected, particularly for patients using medication without a prescription, or outside recommended prescribing parameters.

What steps his Department is taking to help increase public preparedness for out-of-hospital sudden cardiac arrest.

To improve patients' survival rates following out-of-hospital cardiac arrests, the Government has committed to improving access to automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in public spaces, and to reducing inequalities in access to these life saving devices. Following the depletion of the existing AED fund, launched in September 2023, the Government approved a further £500,000 in August 2024 to fulfil existing applications to the fund.As part of the application process, the Department has selected the Smarter Society as its independent partner to manage grant applications against requirements specified by the Department to ensure that resources are allocated to where there is the greatest need, for instance remote communities with extended ambulance response times, places with high footfall and high population densities, hotspots for cardiac arrest including sporting venues and venues with vulnerable people, and deprived areas.NHS England is working with St John’s Ambulance on increasing the number of people in our communities who are confident in the use of cardiopulmonary resuscitation and defibrillators. This includes a national network of Community Advocates to champion the importance of first aid, training 60,000 people that will help save up to 4,000 lives each year by 2028.

What information his Department hold son the number of people who have been diagnosed with long covid in the last 12 months.

Whilst the requested data is not available in the format requested, the most recent data from the Winter Coronavirus (COVID-19) Infection Study, a joint study carried out by the Office for National Statistics and the UK Health Security Agency, shows that, for the period between 6 February 2024 and 7 March 2024, an estimated two million people, or 3.3% of the population, in private households in England and Scotland, self-reported experiencing long COVID symptoms more than four weeks after a COVID-19 infection.

How many people have been diagnosed with prostate cancer in the last 12 months.

The latest available data show that prostate cancer was the most diagnosed cancer in England in 2022, with 54,732 new diagnoses. This is an increase of 11,354 more registrations than in 2021.

What steps his Department is taking to stop violence against pregnant NHS healthcare professionals.

The Government takes a zero-tolerance approach to any kind of violent behaviour. All National Health Service staff, including pregnant healthcare workers, should be able to care for patients without fear of violence.Individual employers are responsible for the health and safety of their staff, including assessing the risks to pregnant employees and their baby. Where there are risks, employers should take reasonable steps to remove them.NHS England are leading work on violence prevention and reduction to provide better training and support for employers and their staff. In December 2024, NHS England published a refreshed Violence Prevention and Reduction Standard. The standard sets out guidance for trusts to help them identify risks, training requirements and crucially, what support must be made available to those staff affected.

What assessment he has made of the potential correlation between areas with higher levels of deprivation and trends in the level of cancer diagnosis.

Making improvements across different cancer types is critical to reducing disparities in cancer survival. We recognize that there are challenges for several different populations, particularly for people living in the most deprived areas of the country.We are directly targeting activity at areas that we know will make a difference. This includes awareness campaigns such as the NHS Help Us, Help You campaign, to increase awareness of cancer symptoms and encourage people to get checked.We know that some cancers disproportionately impact those living in deprived areas, notably lung cancer. The Lung Cancer Screening Programme is a national screening programme, targeted at those aged between 55 and 74 years old with a history of smoking. It is designed to identify cancers at an earlier stage and has led to over 3,000 more lung cancers being diagnosed at such a stage. Furthermore, NHS England’s Core20PLUS5 approach informs action to reduce healthcare inequalities, including for early cancer diagnosis.The NHS England Cancer Programme commissions clinical cancer audits, which provide timely evidence for cancer service providers of where patterns of care in England may vary, increase the consistency of access to treatments, and help stimulate improvements in cancer treatment and outcomes for patients. Rather than a single audit, NHS England commissions ten audits, by tumour type.We are investing an additional £889 million in general practice to reinforce the front door of the NHS, bringing total spend on the GP Contract to £13.2 billion in 2025/26. This is the biggest increase in over a decade.Finally, the recently announced Cancer Plan, which will complement the 10-Year Health Plan and support delivery of the Government’s Health Mission, will set out further actions to improve early diagnosis.

What steps his Department is taking to improve NHS dental services.

The Government plans to tackle the challenges for patients trying to access National Health Service dental care with a rescue plan to provide 700,000 more urgent dental appointments and recruit new dentists to areas that need them most. To rebuild dentistry in the long term and increase access to NHS dental care, we will reform the dental contract, with a shift to focus on prevention and the retention of NHS dentists.The responsibility for commissioning primary care services, including NHS dentistry, to meet the needs of the local population has been delegated to integrated care boards across England. The provision of NHS dental care is a devolved matter.

What discussions he has had with his counterparts in the devolved Administrations on the adequacy of the provision of NHS dental services across the UK.

Whilst the provision of National Health Service dental care is devolved, my Rt. Hon. friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, and I have engaged and intend to continue to engage fully with Ministers from all four nations on matters crucial to the future of our health and social care system.

How many women have had mastectomies in the last three years.

The following table shows a count of Finished Consultant Episodes at hospitals in England for female patients where there was any procedure of mastectomy, from 2021/22 to 2024/25:YearTotal excision of breast, or complete mastectomiesOther excision of breast, or partial mastectomies2021/2216,94144,1232022/2316,52544,5812023/2416,99444,1452024/2512,28733,811Source: Hospital Episode Statistics, NHS England.The data for 2024/25 is provisional and covers the period from April to December 2024. Provisional data may be incomplete or contain errors for which no adjustments have yet been made. In addition, the data is a count of activity, not patients. A patient may have had more than one admission within this requested timeframe, and may therefore be counted multiple times.

How many people are being prescribed Ozempic for weight loss in the UK.

Ozempic is only licenced for the treatment of type 2 diabetes and can only be prescribed off-label for use in weight management.The data requested is not held centrally. Although the NHS Business Services Authority collects data on the number of prescriptions dispensed in England for Ozempic, they do not collect data on the clinical condition it is prescribed for.

Pursuant to the Answer of 8 October 2024 to Question 5319 on Peripheral Arterial Disease, if he will make it his policy to ensure that hospitals revascularise patients with chronic limb-threatening ischaemia within five days of admission.

In 2022, NHS England commissioned a two-year Commissioning for Quality and Innovation (CQUIN) scheme, which incentivised the adoption of the Vascular Peripheral Arterial Disease Quality Improvement Framework, to support timely interventions for revascularisation. This measures the proportion of patients who have a diagnosis of chronic limb threatening ischaemia (CLTI) who undergo revascularisation within five days of a non-elective admission to vascular providers.NHS England commissions the National Vascular Registry (NVR) to provide information on the quality and outcomes of care for adults who have major vascular procedures. The NVR provides annual and quarterly reports for emergency and elective vascular procedures, including for those people with peripheral arterial disease who undergo either a lower limb angioplasty/stent, lower limb bypass surgery, or a major lower limb amputation. From quarter one of 2022 to quarter four of 2024, NVR data demonstrated that vascular providers achieving the CQUIN standard had increased from 47% to 55%. During this period, the number of providers submitting data to the NVR had increased by approximately 14%, and every National Health Service region showed an improvement in CLTI revascularisation quality.Furthermore, NHS England has commissioned the NVR to facilitate an ‘outliers’ process, in which vascular providers are monitored on several key performance metrics, including CLTI revascularisation. NHS England continues to monitor all specialised vascular disease services via the NVR, working in collaboration with NHS England’s regional teams and the integrated care boards.

Pursuant to the Answer of 8 October 2024 to Question 5319 on Peripheral Arterial Disease, whether he plans to include policies on the treatment of (a) peripheral arterial disease and (b) other cardiovascular diseases in the 10-Year Health Plan.

The 10-Year Health Plan will deliver the three big shifts the National Health Service needs to be fit for the future: from hospital to community, from analogue to digital, and from sickness to prevention. All of these are relevant to improving cardiovascular health in all parts of the county.More tests and scans delivered in the community, better joint working between services, and greater use of apps and wearable technology will all help people manage their long-term conditions, including cardiovascular disease, closer to home. Moving from sickness to prevention will help us reduce the causes of the biggest killers, and provide treatment earlier, rather than only intervening when conditions deteriorate.As part of the 10-Year Health Plan engagement exercise, I hosted a symposium on cardiovascular disease on 13 March 2025. This brought together a range of charities and clinical experts in the disease. This is in addition to the responses received to the consultation from numerous national and local charities and organisations and their attendance at the National Partners Council.

What steps he is taking to improve HIV testing across the UK.

Health is a devolved matter, and it is the responsibility of the individual administrations to commission comprehensive healthcare based on population need. All four nations, however, are committed to reducing HIV transmissions.The Government is committed to ending new transmissions of HIV in England by 2030. The Department, the UK Health and Security Agency, NHS England, and partners are developing the new HIV Action Plan for England, which we aim to publish this year. Scaling up and increasing the availability of testing is a key objective of the new plan.HIV testing is 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 Department is investing over £5.5 million from 2021 to 2026 to deliver the HIV Prevention Programme (HPE). The HPE aims to increase the awareness and acceptability of HIV testing and reduce barriers to access through the delivery of public campaigns such as National HIV Testing Week, during which we dispatch over 20,000 HIV testing kits in England.On 28 November, the Prime Minister announced £27 million of additional funding to expand the highly successful National Health Service emergency department opt-out testing programme for 2025/26. This is particularly important in population groups less likely to access HIV testing via traditional sexual health services, such as people of black African and black Caribbean heritage.