Written questions by Baxter.

Whether his department has plans to strengthen national policy recognition of migraine as a serious neurological condition.

The Government recognises that migraine is a serious and often debilitating neurological condition, with a wide range of symptoms that go far beyond a headache. Migraine attacks can be a whole-body experience that can make it very difficult to function normally.At the national level, there are a number of initiatives supporting service improvement and better care for patients with migraine such as the Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) Programme for Neurology and the RightCare Headache and Migraine Toolkit. NHS England’s Neurology Transformation Programme also developed a new model of integrated care for neurology services, to support integrated care boards to deliver the right service, at the right time for all neurology patients, including for those with migraine.The GIRFT programme for Neurology published a National Speciality Report, which makes several recommendations in relation to improving recognition and diagnosis of migraine. Additionally, the RightCare Headache and Migraine Toolkit set out key priorities for improving care for patients with migraine, which includes correct identification and diagnosis of headache disorders.The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guideline, Headaches in over 12s: diagnosis and management, sets out best practice for healthcare professionals in the care, treatment, and support of people who suffer from headaches, including migraine. It aims to improve the recognition and management of headaches and migraine.In August 2025, NHS England updated its service specification for specialised adult neurology services. It outlines a number of minimum service requirements for key specialties, including complex headache services.

Whether migraine has been considered as part of cross government efforts to improve workforce participation among people with long term conditions.

Good work is good for health, so we want everyone to get work and get on in work when they can including people who suffer from migraine. In our Pathways to Work Green Paper we set out our Pathways to Work offer, backed by £1 billion a year of new funding by the end of the decade. Disabled people are a diverse group so access to the right work and health support for every individual is key. We therefore have a range of specialist initiatives to support individuals to stay in work and get back into work, including those that join up employment and health systems. Existing measures include support from Work Coaches and Disability Employment Advisers (DEAs) in Jobcentres and Access to Work grants. Our Supported Employment programme, Connect to Work, is supporting disabled people, people with health conditions and people with complex barriers to employment across England and Wales.DEAs in the Jobcentres supporting the constituency hold in-depth Work Ability conversations that focus on strengths, suitable work options, workplace adjustments and confidence building. Our Pathways to Work support offer will ensure a coherent and navigable offer of support, building on and bringing together initiatives such as Connect to Work, WorkWell and local Trailblazers. We are building towards a guaranteed offer of personalised work, health and skills support for all disabled people and people with health conditions on out of work benefits. We anticipate that the Pathways to Work offer, once fully rolled out, will include a support conversation to identify support needs and signpost to services, one-to-one caseworker support, periodic engagement and an offer of specialist long-term work, health and skills support.

Whether his department is carrying out work alongside other Government departments to address health and employment impacts of migraines.

We recognise the substantial economic and National Health Service burden of migraines, and there are an estimated 16,500 emergency admissions per year for migraines that could be avoided, costing the NHS £11.5 million. The Department for Health and Social Care and the Department for Work and Pensions are committed to supporting disabled people and people with health conditions, including migraines, and have a range of support available so individuals can stay in work and get back into work. Measures include Employment Advisors in NHS Talking Therapies and WorkWell, as well as support from Work Coaches and Disability Employment Advisers in Jobcentres and Access to Work grants. At the national level, there are a number of initiatives supporting service improvement and better care for patients with migraine such as the Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) Programme for Neurology, the RightCare Headache and Migraine Toolkit, and the Neurology Transformation Programme. The GIRFT Programme is also working to standardise care, promote better use of preventive treatments, and reduce reliance on accident and emergency for migraine crises by empowering general practices to manage headache disorders effectively.

Whether migraine has been considered as part of cross-government efforts to improve workforce participation among people with long term conditions

Awaiting answer.

What assessment he has made of migraines as a driver of health related economic activity.

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave on the 30 March 2026 to Question UIN 122660.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what diplomatic steps she is taking to support the return of children forcibly deported from Ukraine.

Last week, the Foreign Secretary visited Kyiv on the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion, where she announced £5 million of UK funding to support justice and accountability for victims and survivors of alleged Russian war crimes.Together with First Lady Olena Zelenska, the Foreign Secretary met organisations that supported returned Ukrainian children from Russia, and a mother who was separated and now returned to her children.I raised this issue in my statements to the UN on the fourth anniversary of the full-scale invasion on 24 February and hosted a lunch with Ministerial counterparts whilst there to drive forward action on this key issue.

What engagement did Exercise Pegasus have with pharmaceutical providers on the procurement of vaccinations.

Exercise PEGASUS, the largest simulation of a pandemic in United Kingdom history, involved thousands of participants across different parts of the exercise. Multiple other non-Governmental organisations representing the breadth of society were engaged and will continue to be in advance of phase four of the exercise in 2026. This includes engagement with partners from across the pharmaceutical industry, a focus group with those who are clinically vulnerable, and engagement with our key personal protective equipment (PPE) delivery partner SCCL on the PPE requirements across health and social care on the core anchor days of the exercise.

Whether Exercise Pegasus involved consultation with clinically vulnerable patient groups.

Exercise PEGASUS, the largest simulation of a pandemic in United Kingdom history, involved thousands of participants across different parts of the exercise. Multiple other non-Governmental organisations representing the breadth of society were engaged and will continue to be in advance of phase four of the exercise in 2026. This includes engagement with partners from across the pharmaceutical industry, a focus group with those who are clinically vulnerable, and engagement with our key personal protective equipment (PPE) delivery partner SCCL on the PPE requirements across health and social care on the core anchor days of the exercise.

Which health bodies from England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland were involved in Exercise Pegasus.

Exercise PEGASUS, the largest simulation of a pandemic in the United Kingdom’s history, involved all four nations and thousands of participants across different parts of the exercise. Participants that are health bodies included, but were not limited to:the Department of Health and Social Care;the Welsh Government, via the Health, Social Care and Early Years Group;the Scottish Government, via the Directorate General, Health and Social Care;Northern Ireland’s Department of Health;the UK Health Security Agency;Public Health Wales;Public Health Scotland;the Northern Ireland Public Health Agency;NHS England, including all seven regions;NHS Supply Chain;NHS Wales, including the Performance and Improvement, and Shared Servies Partnership;NHS Scotland, including all 14 territorial health boards;NHS Blood and Transplant;the Scottish Ambulance Service;Antimicrobial Resistance and Healthcare Associated Infection Scotland;the Office for Life Sciences;the Food Standards Agency;the Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency;the Health Research Authority;the Health and Safety Executive; andthe Care Quality Commission.

What engagement did Exercise Pegasus have with pharmaceutical providers on the procurement of pre-prophylactic drugs for immunocompromised patients.

Exercise PEGASUS, the largest simulation of a pandemic in United Kingdom history, involved thousands of participants across different parts of the exercise. Multiple other non-Governmental organisations representing the breadth of society were engaged and will continue to be in advance of phase four of the exercise in 2026. This includes engagement with partners from across the pharmaceutical industry, a focus group with those who are clinically vulnerable, and engagement with our key personal protective equipment (PPE) delivery partner SCCL on the PPE requirements across health and social care on the core anchor days of the exercise.

What engagement did Exercise Pegasus have with providers in the procurement of adequate Personal Protective Equipment for immunocompromised patients.

Exercise PEGASUS, the largest simulation of a pandemic in United Kingdom history, involved thousands of participants across different parts of the exercise. Multiple other non-Governmental organisations representing the breadth of society were engaged and will continue to be in advance of phase four of the exercise in 2026. This includes engagement with partners from across the pharmaceutical industry, a focus group with those who are clinically vulnerable, and engagement with our key personal protective equipment (PPE) delivery partner SCCL on the PPE requirements across health and social care on the core anchor days of the exercise.

When his Department will publish the report findings from Exercise Pegasus.

Live participation in Exercise PEGASUS has now concluded, although a fourth phase, centred around recovery, is planned to be exercised in 2026. A published post-exercise report will include learning and findings from this and all preceding phases and this will be delivered in due course following detailed evaluation. The United Kingdom uses a Lead Government Department model to cover all phases of emergency planning, response, recovery, and risk assessment. Ministers within the Department, as the Lead Government Department for a pandemic response, will continue to actively consider the implementation of the findings from Exercise PEGASUS.

What timeframes his Department will set out to implement the findings of Exercise Pegasus.

Live participation in Exercise PEGASUS has now concluded, although a fourth phase, centred around recovery, is planned to be exercised in 2026. A published post-exercise report will include learning and findings from this and all preceding phases and this will be delivered in due course following detailed evaluation. The United Kingdom uses a Lead Government Department model to cover all phases of emergency planning, response, recovery, and risk assessment. Ministers within the Department, as the Lead Government Department for a pandemic response, will continue to actively consider the implementation of the findings from Exercise PEGASUS.

Which minister will be responsible for implementing the findings from Exercise Pegasus.

Live participation in Exercise PEGASUS has now concluded, although a fourth phase, centred around recovery, is planned to be exercised in 2026. A published post-exercise report will include learning and findings from this and all preceding phases and this will be delivered in due course following detailed evaluation. The United Kingdom uses a Lead Government Department model to cover all phases of emergency planning, response, recovery, and risk assessment. Ministers within the Department, as the Lead Government Department for a pandemic response, will continue to actively consider the implementation of the findings from Exercise PEGASUS.

Which Minister is responsible for vulnerable groups and pandemics.

As the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Public Health and Prevention, responsibility for health inequalities and vulnerable groups as well as pandemic preparedness falls within my Ministerial portfolio.

What assessment she has made of the adequacy of the level of statutory sick pay.

I know that my honourable friends will welcome the changes this Government is making to Statutory Sick Pay through the Employment Rights Bill, including extending eligibility to up to 1.3 million of the lowest paid employees and removing the waiting period.We believe the current rate achieves the right balance between providing support for employees who are unable to work due to sickness whilst limiting the cost to employers.

Food and Rural Affairs, when his Department plans to publish the animal welfare strategy.

This Government was elected on a mandate to improve animal welfare. The Prime Minister announced that we will be publishing an animal welfare strategy later this year.

If his Department will publish (a) a timeline for the completion of the implementation of UK Covid-19 Inquiry Module 1 recommendations and (b) target dates for actions in progress.

The Government responded in full to the UK Covid-19 Inquiry’s Module 1 report on 16 January 2025 and committed to providing regular updates on implementation of the commitments made in the response. The most recent update was published on 8 July, alongside a suite of key publications which demonstrate this government’s determination to build the UK’s resilience and pandemic preparedness for the future.

Which catastrophic risk boards are co-chaired by his Department; what the remit is for each board; which other Government departments are involved; and how frequently they meet.

As outlined in the Central Government Concept of Operations for Emergency Response and Recovery (the Amber Book), the Cabinet Office have taken a stronger and more directive role in planning for catastrophic risks. The Cabinet Office co-sponsors the planning phase of catastrophic risks with the Lead Government Department (LGD), including through co-chairing of catastrophic risk boards. The Cabinet Office works with LGDs to agree which boards it would be appropriate to co-chair on a case by case basis. The Cabinet Office and LGDs work closely with representatives from the other relevant departments, agencies and, where appropriate, the Devolved Governments in preparing for catastrophic risks.

What steps he plans to take to ensure that UK Resilience Academy expert panels on whole-system risks are available for parliamentary scrutiny; and how the Government plans to (a) respond to and (b) implement as necessary their recommendations.

The Cabinet Office will instruct the UK Resilience Academy to convene independently-chaired panels dedicated to reviewing specific whole-system risks. The panels will draw on leading independent experts from across sectors outside government to ensure impartial and credible assurance. Terms of Reference will underpin the panels, and a pilot study will test and refine this approach. The Government's updates on its actions to improve resilience, including in response to the findings of the independent expert panels, will be set out in the Annual Statement to Parliament on risk and resilience.