Written questions by Robertson.

Whether he plans to review the regulatory and governance framework for pharmacy-led clinical services to ensure it supports service expansion, including the use of new technology and data-enabled care pathways.

Awaiting answer.

What assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of pharmacies' workforce capability and training to safely and effectively deliver expanded clinical services; and what steps his Department is taking to support pharmacies' workforce capability and training nationally.

Awaiting answer.

What steps his Department is taking to support (a) the rollout of independent prescribing and (b) the expansion of the community pharmacy workforce to enable pharmacies to deliver a broader range of clinical services as part of neighbourhood health services.

Awaiting answer.

What assessment he has made of the potential merits of restricting NHS staff from striking.

An impact assessment was completed and published online by the Department for Business and Trade on the Repeal of the Strikes (Minimum Services Levels) Act 2023. The Government has repealed these restrictions on striking National Health Service staff via the Employment Rights Act, which has come into effect with royal assent in December 2025. The impact assessment is available at the following link: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/67129a858a62ffa8df77b3de/Impact_assessment_repeal_strikes_minimum_service_levels_act_2023.pdfThe Government will continue to work constructively with all NHS unions to avoid disrupting services for patients.

What steps are being taken to ensure that legislation, funding and incentives actively enable HealthTech adoption at scale across the health system.

The Department, alongside NHS England, is working to improve the conditions for the adoption and scaling of healthcare technology (HealthTech) across the National Health Service.The Department has developed a National HealthTech Access Programme to provide a clearer national route to funding and adoption for high impact technologies. This draws on existing evaluation and assurance processes, helping to reduce variation following pilot activity. The focus is on technologies with the potential to rapidly improve NHS services and patients' lives, nationwide. The first two technologies to be evaluated by this mechanism are already underway and have the potential to transform early diagnosis of oesophageal, prostate, and breast cancer.In parallel, the Department and NHS England are supporting trusts to make more consistent procurement decisions through Value Based Procurement standard guidance for medical technology, which is currently at its pilot stage. This enables wider value considerations, alongside cost, to be taken into account during local procurement exercises.The Department continues to work closely with partners, including NHS England, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, the NHS Supply Chain, and industry representative bodies to improve, scale, and embed adoption of HealthTech in the NHS.

What mechanisms are in place to ensure that successful HealthTech pilots are scaled and adopted nationally.

The Department, alongside NHS England, is working to improve the conditions for the adoption and scaling of healthcare technology (HealthTech) across the National Health Service.The Department has developed a National HealthTech Access Programme to provide a clearer national route to funding and adoption for high impact technologies. This draws on existing evaluation and assurance processes, helping to reduce variation following pilot activity. The focus is on technologies with the potential to rapidly improve NHS services and patients' lives, nationwide. The first two technologies to be evaluated by this mechanism are already underway and have the potential to transform early diagnosis of oesophageal, prostate, and breast cancer.In parallel, the Department and NHS England are supporting trusts to make more consistent procurement decisions through Value Based Procurement standard guidance for medical technology, which is currently at its pilot stage. This enables wider value considerations, alongside cost, to be taken into account during local procurement exercises.The Department continues to work closely with partners, including NHS England, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, the NHS Supply Chain, and industry representative bodies to improve, scale, and embed adoption of HealthTech in the NHS.

With reference to paragraph 4.3.17 in his Department's manual entitled National Institute for Health and Care Excellence health technology evaluations: the manual, what would constitute a substantial effect on a carer’s health-related quality of life.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is the independent body that develops recommendations for the National Health Service on whether new licensed medicines should be routinely funded by the NHS based on an assessment of clinical and cost effectiveness. NICE is responsible for the methods and processes that it uses in the development of its recommendations. In developing its recommendations, NICE takes into account all health-related costs and benefits, including health-related benefits to carers, but does not consider wider costs and benefits.NICE is currently developing recommendations for the NHS on whether two new licensed medicines for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease should be routinely funded by the NHS and has not yet published final guidance. NICE’s recommendations on the use of the treatments have been appealed and the appeals are being considered through the established process.

Whether his Department has made an assessment of the suitability of the EQ-5D model for assessing the impact of Alzheimer’s disease on carer quality of life.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is the independent body that develops recommendations for the National Health Service on whether new licensed medicines should be routinely funded by the NHS based on an assessment of clinical and cost effectiveness. NICE is responsible for the methods and processes that it uses in the development of its recommendations. In developing its recommendations, NICE takes into account all health-related costs and benefits, including health-related benefits to carers, but does not consider wider costs and benefits.NICE is currently developing recommendations for the NHS on whether two new licensed medicines for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease should be routinely funded by the NHS and has not yet published final guidance. NICE’s recommendations on the use of the treatments have been appealed and the appeals are being considered through the established process.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of novel treatments on the unpaid care costs associated with Alzheimer’s disease.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is the independent body that develops recommendations for the National Health Service on whether new licensed medicines should be routinely funded by the NHS based on an assessment of clinical and cost effectiveness. NICE is responsible for the methods and processes that it uses in the development of its recommendations. In developing its recommendations, NICE takes into account all health-related costs and benefits, including health-related benefits to carers, but does not consider wider costs and benefits.NICE is currently developing recommendations for the NHS on whether two new licensed medicines for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease should be routinely funded by the NHS and has not yet published final guidance. NICE’s recommendations on the use of the treatments have been appealed and the appeals are being considered through the established process.

What criteria are used to determine payments for patient pathways removed from the elective waiting list as a result of data validation; and what safeguards his Department has put in place to prevent potential abuses of the data validation system, including perverse incentives and data manipulation.

Validation is a routine part of providers’ waiting list management which ensures patient records are accurate, that patients are on the best pathway to meet their needs, and that they still need their appointments. There are safeguards in place to ensure patients are not wrongfully removed from waiting lists. This includes clinical oversight of the validation process. There is also published national guidance from NHS England to support National Health Service trusts to deliver effective validation and make best use of clinical time.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of financial pressures on dentistry students’ ability to complete training.

No such assessment has been made. The Department for Education provides the primary student support package for domestic dental students in higher education through Student Finance England (SFE).From year five of an undergraduate and year two of a graduate-entry course, these students can access the NHS Bursary. For this academic year the Government increased the NHS Bursary tuition fee contributions, maintenance grants, and all allowances by 3.1%, in line with increases to SFE support.This is the second academic year the Government has increased support for medical and dental students through the NHS Bursary. Prior to this the maintenance grants had not been uplifted since 2015. We understand that these uplifts do not go far enough to make up for the historical lack of uplift. However, this is a step in the right direction, and we continue to keep funding for dental students under review.

What steps he is taking to introduce a redress scheme for women affected by (a) vaginal mesh and (b) sodium valporate.

The Department continues to take forward work to explore redress for those affected by pelvic mesh and sodium valproate, which includes recommendations made by the Patient Safety Commissioner in the Hughes Report. We recognise the importance of these issues for all those affected. This remains a cross-Government policy area involving multiple organisations, and given the complexity of the issues involved, it is important we get this right.I met with the Patient Safety Commissioner in December 2025, to discuss progress following the Hughes Report and have made clear the Department’s expectation of continued, proactive engagement with the Patient Safety Commissioner and key stakeholders.

Which external organisations David Lock KC has spoken to as part of his role advising Ministers on the costs of clinical negligence.

As announced in the 10-Year Health Plan for England, David Lock KC is providing expert policy advice on the rising costs of clinical negligence and how we can improve patients’ experience of claims. He has engaged a number of stakeholders to date and will continue to consult. His work is ongoing, following initial advice to ministers and the recent National Audit Office and Public Accounts Committee (PAC) reports.The results of David Lock’s work will inform future policy making in this area. No decisions on policy have been taken at this point, and the Government will provide an update on the work done and next steps in due course.

What steps he is taking to help reduce the proportion of legal costs as a percentage of overall clinical negligence costs.

The rising costs of clinical negligence claims against the National Health Service in England are of great concern to the Government. Costs have more than doubled in the last 10 years and are forecast to continue rising, putting further pressure on NHS finances.Although forecasts remain uncertain, it is likely that the costs of clinical negligence will continue to grow substantially. As the question describes, the Government Actuary’s Department forecasts that annual payments for compensation and legal costs will increase from £3.1 billion in 2024/25 to £4.1 billion by 2029/30.As announced in the 10-Year Health Plan for England, David Lock KC is providing expert policy advice on the rising costs of clinical negligence and how we can improve patients’ experience of claims. The review is ongoing, following initial advice to ministers and the recent National Audit Office and Public Accounts Committee reports.

What discussions his Department has had with the Civil Procedure Rules Committee on the implementation of fixed recoverable costs for lower value clinical negligence claims since 4 July 2024.

The rising costs of clinical negligence claims against the National Health Service in England are of great concern to the Government. Costs have more than doubled in the last 10 years and are forecast to continue rising, putting further pressure on NHS finances.Although forecasts remain uncertain, it is likely that the costs of clinical negligence will continue to grow substantially. As the question describes, the Government Actuary’s Department forecasts that annual payments for compensation and legal costs will increase from £3.1 billion in 2024/25 to £4.1 billion by 2029/30.As announced in the 10-Year Health Plan for England, David Lock KC is providing expert policy advice on the rising costs of clinical negligence and how we can improve patients’ experience of claims. The review is ongoing, following initial advice to ministers and the recent National Audit Office and Public Accounts Committee reports.

What steps he is taking to help prevent clinical negligence costs reaching the currently forecast £4 billion per year by 2029-30.

The rising costs of clinical negligence claims against the National Health Service in England are of great concern to the Government. Costs have more than doubled in the last 10 years and are forecast to continue rising, putting further pressure on NHS finances.Although forecasts remain uncertain, it is likely that the costs of clinical negligence will continue to grow substantially. As the question describes, the Government Actuary’s Department forecasts that annual payments for compensation and legal costs will increase from £3.1 billion in 2024/25 to £4.1 billion by 2029/30.As announced in the 10-Year Health Plan for England, David Lock KC is providing expert policy advice on the rising costs of clinical negligence and how we can improve patients’ experience of claims. The review is ongoing, following initial advice to ministers and the recent National Audit Office and Public Accounts Committee reports.

What discussions Minister in his Department have had with Alan Milburn about the costs of clinical negligence since 4 July 2024.

Details of internal ministerial meetings are not routinely declared.As announced in the 10-Year Health Plan for England, David Lock KC is providing expert policy advice on the rising costs of clinical negligence and how we can improve patients’ experience of claims. The review is ongoing, following initial advice to ministers and the recent National Audit Office and Public Accounts Committee reports.

Which external organisations David Lock KC has referenced in advice to Ministers as part of his advice on the costs of clinical negligence.

As announced in the 10-Year Health Plan for England, David Lock KC is providing expert policy advice on the rising costs of clinical negligence and how we can improve patients’ experience of claims. He has engaged a number of stakeholders to date and will continue to consult. His work is ongoing, following initial advice to ministers and the recent National Audit Office and Public Accounts Committee (PAC) reports.The results of David Lock’s work will inform future policy making in this area. No decisions on policy have been taken at this point, and the Government will provide an update on the work done and next steps in due course.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of changes to employer National Insurance contributions to (a) GP practices, (b) the number of FTE GPs in work and (c) locum GPs.

We are investing an extra £1.1 billion in general practices (GPs) in 2025/26, the biggest cash increase in a decade. We now have the highest number of fully qualified GPs serving in more than a decade. By boosting the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme with £160 million pounds, we have prevented over 3,000 GPs graduating into unemployment.GPs are valued independent contractors who provide over £13 billion worth of National Health Services. Every year we consult with the sector both about what services they provide, and the money providers are entitled to in return under their contract, taking into account the cost of delivering services, including staffing costs.The Government is committed to publishing a 10 Year Workforce Plan to set out action to create a workforce ready to deliver the transformed service set out in the 10-Year Health Plan. The 10 Year Workforce Plan will ensure the NHS has the right people in the right places, with the right skills to care for patients, when they need it.

What steps he is taking to (a) improve access to GPs and (b) increase the number of FTE GPs (i) in work and (ii) on permanent contracts.

We are increasing the capacity in general practices by investing £160 million via the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS) to recruit more general practitioners (GPs) to ensure the delivery of more GP appointments. Since October 2024, 3,073 individual GPs have been recruited into work, preventing them from graduating into unemployment. Further flexibilities were made to the ARRS to enable primary care networks to recruit recently qualified GPs, including removing caps on the number of GPs that can be recruited through the scheme to increase the number of both part-time and full-time GPs in employment. As a result, 6.8 million additional appointments were delivered in the year to December 2025, compared with the previous 12 months, and there is now the largest number of fully qualified GPs since 2015 We have invested an additional £1.1 billion in GPs to reinforce the front door of the National Health Service, bringing total spend on the GP Contract to £13.4 billion in 2025/26. This is the biggest cash increase in over a decade and will facilitate the recruitment of GPs. The 8.9% boost to the GP Contract in 2025/26 is greater than the 5.8% growth to the National Health Service budget as a whole.The Government is also committed to publishing a 10 Year Workforce Plan which will ensure the NHS has the right people in the right places, with the right skills to care for patients, when they need it. The plan will also ensure that staff are better treated, have better training, more fulfilling roles, and hope for the future. Importantly, after a decade of declining satisfaction, patient experiences with access to their GP has improved significantly. As of December 2025, 75.2% of patients report that they find it is easy to contact their GP, a 14.3 percentage point increase since July 2024.