Every parliamentary written question tabled by Laura Kyrke-Smith this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 1–20 of 20 · Department of Health and Social Care
What plans he has to introduce regulations under the Tobacco and Vapes Act to require vaping products in retail premises to be stored (a) out of sight, (b) behind the counter, (c) in closed or lock
The Tobacco and Vapes Act received Royal Assent on 29 April 2026. The Act contains powers to introduce future regulations on where and how vapes and nicotine products can be displayed within shops.There is evidence that display has played a role in the gr...
With reference to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence's NG12 guideline document entitled Suspected cancer: recognition and referral, updated on 15 April 2026, what steps he is tak
The National Cancer Plan for England, published on 4 February 2026, sets out a commitment to diagnose cancers earlier and ensure people receive timely, effective treatment. The Government is committed to helping NHS England detect cancers, including blood...
What steps he is taking to improve timely access to haematology specialists for patients with (a) suspected and (b) diagnosed leukaemia.
The National Cancer Plan for England, released on 4 February 2026, sets out a commitment to diagnose cancers earlier and ensure people receive timely, effective treatment.The Government is committed to helping the NHS England detect cancers, including blo...
Whether he is taking steps to licence ACT-O-VIAL containing 100mg hydrocortisone sodium succinate (powder) and 2ml of water (diluent), in the context of the discontinuation of the liquid form of hydrocortisone sodium phosphate.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) recognises the concerns raised about the withdrawal of the previously marketed liquid hydrocortisone injection. Following a review of our current regulatory position, we can confirm that any marketing authorisation application for a liquid hydrocortisone injection product submitted to the MHRA will be rapidly progressed. A licensed hydrocortisone sodium succinate powder for solution for injection remains authorised.ACT-O-VIAL containing 100 milligrams hydrocortisone sodium succinate, as a powder, and two millilitres of water, as a diluent, does not have a United Kingdom licence. Should a company choose to submit an application for such a product, the MHRA would prioritise its assessment, recognising the clear clinical importance. However, decisions regarding the development, manufacture, and marketing of medicines rest solely with the companies that hold, or seek to hold, the relevant product licences. The MHRA cannot compel companies to supply a medicine.
What steps he is taking to reduce gynaecology waiting lists, which include those who need a diagnosis of, and treatment for, endometriosis.
Reducing waiting lists is a key part of the Government’s Health Mission. We are committed to putting patients first by ensuring that they are seen on time and that they have the best possible experience of care. Our Elective Reform Plan (ERP), published in January 2025, sets out reforms we are making to improve gynaecology waiting times across England. This includes:- innovative models of care that offer care closer to home and in the community;- piloting gynaecology pathways in community diagnostic centres for patients with post-menopausal bleeding; and- increasing the relative funding available to incentivise providers to take on more gynaecology procedures.We are also introducing an “online hospital”, NHS Online, which will give people who are experiencing menstrual problems which may be a sign of endometriosis the choice of getting the specialist care they need from their home.Lastly, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence updated their guidelines on endometriosis in November 2024, and two new treatments have been approved.
How much funding he plans to provide for treatments for secondary breast cancer in each of the next three years.
Decisions about the funding and provision of health services are the responsibility of local integrated care boards. Further details and allocations will be set out in due course. The National Cancer Plan, published 4 February 2026, has set out actions aimed at supporting people with secondary breast cancer.To improve outcomes for breast cancer patients, NHS England funds the National Audit of Breast Cancer Treatment, covering both primary and metastatic disease. By analysing routine clinical data from National Health Service settings, these audits identify regional variations in care quality and establish best practices. This will benefit all breast cancer patients, including secondary breast cancer patients.The plan highlights the Government’s ambition to ensure that every person with secondary breast cancer has faster diagnosis and treatment, access to the latest treatments and technology, and high-quality support throughout their journey, while driving up cancer survival rates.
What steps he is taking to ensure consistent application of NICE guidelines across Integrated Care Boards for the diagnosis and access to specialist care for the treatment of ME/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines are evidence-based, informed by clinical expertise, and represent best practice. Healthcare professionals and integrated care board (ICB) commissioners are expected to take NICE guidelines fully into account when designing and delivering services, including for the diagnosis and treatment of myalgic encephalomyelitis, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). NHS England ensures that ICBs follow NICE guidance through a combination of statutory oversight frameworks, annual performance assessments, and local clinical governance requirements.We published the final ME/CFS delivery plan in July 2025, which is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/mecfs-the-final-delivery-planThe plan focuses on boosting research, improving attitudes and education, and bettering the lives of people with this debilitating disease. It also sets out a series of actions, which will help address the key challenges and drive forward improvements to outcomes and quality of life for people living with ME/CFS in England.
What steps he is taking to put in place a long term funding strategy for research into Myalgic Encephalomyelitis.
As set out in the Government’s final delivery plan for myalgic encephalomyelitis, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) that was published in July 2025, the Department has taken action to strengthen research capacity and capability for ME/CFS to support the long-term future of the research field.These actions include hosting a research showcase event, a new development award to evaluate repurposed pharmaceutical interventions, and announcing newly funded studies in health and care services, research infrastructure, and capacity-building.We are determined to accelerate progress in the treatment and management of ME/CFS and will continue working with the community to identify and address barriers to research.The Department funded National Institute for Health and Care Research welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health and care, including ME/CFS.
What recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of palliative care services in Aylesbury constituency.
Palliative care services are included in the list of services an integrated care board (ICB) must commission. To support ICBs in this duty, NHS England has published statutory guidance and service specifications. The statutory guidance states that ICBs, including the Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West ICB, must work to ensure that there is sufficient provision of care services to meet the needs of their local populations. NHS England has also developed a palliative care and end of life care dashboard, which brings together all relevant local data in one place. The dashboard helps commissioners understand the palliative care and end of life care needs of their local population.The Department and NHS England are currently looking at how to improve the access, quality, and sustainability of all-age palliative care and end of life care in line with the 10-Year Health Plan.We will closely monitor the shift towards the strategic commissioning of palliative and end of life care services to ensure that services reduce variation in access and quality, although some variation may be appropriate to reflect both innovation and the needs of local populations.Officials will present further proposals to ministers over the coming months, outlining the drivers and incentives that are required in palliative care and end of life care to enable the shift from hospital to community, including as part of neighbourhood health teams.We are supporting the hospice sector with a £100 million capital funding boost for eligible adult and children’s hospices in England to ensure they have the best physical environment for care. The Hospice of the St Francis and Rennie Grove Peace Hospice Care, which both serve people in the Aylesbury constituency, are receiving £486,476 and £1,114,316 from this funding respectively.
Whether he will take steps to extend the eligibility criteria for the covid-19 booster vaccination for winter to include those who are clinically vulnerable in winter 2025-26.
The Government is committed to protecting those most vulnerable to COVID-19 through vaccination, as guided by the independent Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI). The primary aim of the national COVID-19 vaccination programme remains the prevention of serious illness, involving hospitalisations and deaths, arising from COVID-19. Population immunity to COVID-19 has been increasing due to a combination of naturally acquired immunity following recovery from infection and vaccine-derived immunity. COVID-19 is now a relatively mild disease for most people, though it can still be unpleasant, with rates of hospitalisation and death from COVID-19 having reduced significantly since COVID-19 first emerged.The focus of the JCVI’s advised programme has therefore moved towards targeted vaccination of the two groups who continue to be at higher risk of serious disease, including mortality. These are the oldest adults and individuals who are immunosuppressed.On 13 November 2024, JCVI published advice on who should be offered vaccination in autumn 2025. On 26 June 2025, the Government accepted the JCVI’s advice, and in line with that advice, in autumn 2025, a COVID-19 vaccination is being offered to the following groups:adults aged 75 years old and over;residents in care homes for older adults; andindividuals aged six months old and over who are immunosuppressed, as defined in the ‘immunosuppression’ sections of tables three or four in the COVID-19 chapter of the UK Health Security Agency’s Green Book, which is available at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-the-green-book-chapter-14aThe Government has no plans to change eligibility for autumn 2025. It has accepted the JCVI’s advice for this campaign in full. As for all vaccines, the JCVI keeps the evidence under regular review.
What assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the national spinal cord injury database.
The effectiveness of the National Spinal Cord Injury Database (NSCID) is kept under review and is subject to small incremental improvements to reflect changes to spinal cord injury services, and to maintain compliance with legislation. NHS England has been working with spinal cord injury charities to provide them with data within the parameters of information governance, UK General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), data security, and data protection legislation, and data sharing agreements are in place.Plans to enable patients to connect with charities are in development, which will require working in close collaboration with clinicians who will discuss the option of connecting the patient with a charity at the appropriate moment in their treatment pathway. NHS England has processes in place which enable stakeholders to request access to data held in the NSCID. These processes are compliant with existing information governance, UK GDPR, data protection, and data security legislation and policies. Each request for access to data is assessed in accordance with legislation and accompanying policies.
Whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of providing access to the national spinal cord injury database to (a) charities and (b) other stakeholders.
The effectiveness of the National Spinal Cord Injury Database (NSCID) is kept under review and is subject to small incremental improvements to reflect changes to spinal cord injury services, and to maintain compliance with legislation. NHS England has been working with spinal cord injury charities to provide them with data within the parameters of information governance, UK General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), data security, and data protection legislation, and data sharing agreements are in place.Plans to enable patients to connect with charities are in development, which will require working in close collaboration with clinicians who will discuss the option of connecting the patient with a charity at the appropriate moment in their treatment pathway. NHS England has processes in place which enable stakeholders to request access to data held in the NSCID. These processes are compliant with existing information governance, UK GDPR, data protection, and data security legislation and policies. Each request for access to data is assessed in accordance with legislation and accompanying policies.
What assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of his Department's consultation on The licensing of non-surgical cosmetic procedures in England, published on 2 September 2023.
The Government is committed to taking action to address longstanding concerns about the safety of the cosmetics sector and is exploring options for further regulation in this area. This includes considering the proposals that the Department previously consulted on for the introduction of a licensing scheme for non-surgical cosmetic procedures in England. We will set out the details of our approach at the earliest opportunity.
What recent assessment he has made of the quality of care available for Type 1 diabetics with diabulimia; and if he will take steps to improve such provision.
Type 1 Disordered Eating (T1DE), also referred to as diabulimia, is a relatively newly acknowledged condition. NHS England has provided funding for T1DE services across the National Health Services’ regions over the last five years, to help develop servic...
What steps his Department is taking to improve dementia care in Aylesbury constituency.
Buckinghamshire Council have stood up a new Dementia Strategic Oversight Board to deliver on local priorities that span across the Well Pathway for Dementia. These priorities include raising awareness of dementia, building up the support available in the ...
If he will take steps to provide funding to cover basic costs for low-income care home users in Aylesbury constituency.
Charging, under the Care Act 2014, is based on several principles including that people should not be charged more than it is reasonably practicable for them to pay. Local authorities have discretion to implement charging policies which best meet the need...
What steps his Department is taking to reduce waiting times for appointments at NHS gender identity clinics.
NHS England has published a two-year action plan, which sets out how it will continue to transform and improve children and young people’s gender services. Investment in children and young people’s gender services in 2024/25 has more than doubled compared...
What steps he plans to take to reduce NHS waiting lists in Aylesbury constituency.
Tackling waiting lists is a key part of our Health Mission and a top priority for the Government, as we get the National Health Service back on its feet. Equality of both access to care and outcomes will be at the heart of building an NHS that is fit for ...
With reference to the Disabled Facilities Grant scheme, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of updating the Test of Resources in order to ensure working people with disabiliti
We recognise how important the right housing arrangements are in enabling people to live independently, and the need to support people to live in their own home wherever possible. In England, we continue to fund the locally administered Disabled Facilitie...
What steps his Department is taking to tackle waiting lists for mental health services in Aylesbury constituency.
People with mental health issues in the Aylesbury constituency and across the country are not getting the support or care they deserve, which is why we will fix the broken system to ensure that mental health is given the same attention and focus as physic...