Written questions by Jopp.

What discussions he has had with Integrated Care Boards to facilitate the return of used (a) wheelchairs and (b) other medical equipment.

In October 2024, the Department published the Design for Life roadmap, a new strategy to transition away from all avoidable single-use medical technology (MedTech) products towards a functioning circular system by 2045. This includes improving systems that enable the return of mobility aids, such as wheelchairs, and many other types of MedTech.The Design for Life Roadmap is available at the following link:https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/679ca015a9ee53687470a2ed/design-for-life-roadmap.pdfThis was developed in discussion with a collaborative of more than 80 stakeholders from the UK MedTech industry, the health family, and academia, with wide support across the sector. Moving forward, the Department will continue to engage with the expanding collaborative, including with integrated care boards, to design and implement the systems that facilitate greater levels of return of used MedTech.

How many wheelchairs the NHS have issued in the last year.

Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for the provision and commissioning of local wheelchair services.Data on the number of National Health Service wheelchairs issued is not held centrally. While NHS England collects quarterly data from ICBs through the National Wheelchair Data Collection, which supports the drive for improvements in wheelchair services, this is ICB-level data that does not include specific data on individual services, such as numbers of wheelchairs issued. Further information about the National Wheelchair Data Collection is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/national-wheelchair/

Whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of launching a public awareness campaign on sudden unexpected death in childhood.

We recognise the devastating impact of sudden unexplained death in childhood (SUDC) on affected families and communities, and the importance of raising awareness of SUDC among relevant professionals, communities, and parents. Information on SUDC is available on the National Health Service website, which also signposts to the charity SUDC.UK. Further information is available at the following link:https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/sudden-infant-death-syndrome-sids.Additional information for parents on SUDC is available in the form of the booklet, When a Child Dies. Health visitors and school nurses also play an important role in promoting health literacy to families. There are no plans at present to launch a public awareness campaign on SUDC.

What assessment he has made of the adequacy of information in the parent leaflet for febrile seizures; and whether he plans to further update them.

Individual providers are responsible for the content in the leaflets they produce, and trusts have the freedom to decide what to include in their local leaflets.Information on febrile seizures can be found on the NHS.UK website, which contains the nationally recommended guidance, at the following link:https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/febrile-seizures/All information provided to patients should be accurate and reflect the best possible advice, in line with guidance published by the Department, which is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/best-practice-guidance-on-patient-information-leaflets

What assessment his Department has made of whether air quality is a contributing factor to autism.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s Clinical Knowledge Summary on autism states that the precise cause of autism is unknown, but that genetic factors play a substantial role in the aetiology, and a number of environmental factors are also thought to play a part in development. Further information is available at the following link:https://cks.nice.org.uk/topics/autism-in-adults/background-information/causes-risk-factors/

What assessment he has made of the potential causes of the diagnoses of autism in young people.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s Clinical Knowledge Summary on autism states that the precise cause of autism is unknown, but that genetic factors play a substantial role in the aetiology, and a number of environmental factors are also thought to play a part in development. Further information is available at the following link:https://cks.nice.org.uk/topics/autism-in-adults/background-information/causes-risk-factors/

What assessment his Department has made of whether diet is a contributing factor to autism.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s Clinical Knowledge Summary on autism states that the precise cause of autism is unknown, but that genetic factors play a substantial role in the aetiology, and a number of environmental factors are also thought to play a part in development. Further information is available at the following link:https://cks.nice.org.uk/topics/autism-in-adults/background-information/causes-risk-factors/