Written questions by Evans.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to monitor the impact of extended producer responsibility fees on the growth of the hospitality industry.

Packaging Extended Producer Responsibility (pEPR) is being evaluated as part of the Resources and Waste Policy Programme Evaluation for England, and the UK-wide elements of the Collection and Packaging Reforms (CPR) Evaluation. This evaluation includes reviewing the impacts on businesses who are obligated packaging producers. The combined evaluation programme is expected to report in 2029. The Government has also committed to a post-implementation review on the impacts of pEPR in 2027/2028 financial year.

What discussions he has had with (a) NHS England and (b) the National Institute for Health and Care Research on the role of women's hubs in supporting the (i) diagnosis, (ii) care and (iii) treatment of endometriosis.

The Government is committed to improving the diagnosis, treatment and ongoing care for gynaecological conditions including endometriosis.Women’s health hubs bring together healthcare professionals and existing services to provide integrated women’s health services in the community, centred on meeting women’s needs across the life course. Women’s health hubs have a key role in shifting care out of hospitals and reducing gynaecology waiting lists. The assessment and treatment of menstrual problems is a core service for women’s health hubs. This includes care for heavy, painful or irregular menstrual bleeding, and for conditions such as endometriosis and polycystic ovary syndrome. The Government is committed to encouraging integrated care boards (ICBs) to further expand the coverage of women’s health hubs and to support ICBs to use the learning from the existing women’s health hubs to improve local delivery of services to women.The Department commissions research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). There are two active research projects which are exploring the role of women’s health hubs in England. The first project is led by the NIHR Policy Research Unit in Reproductive Health and focuses on identifying the mechanisms for commissioning women’s health services in England, how approaches vary and what works, including women’s health hubs commissioning. The second project is led by the NIHR Policy Innovation and Evaluation Policy Research Unit and is an examination of women’s experience and access to health services for reproductive health care.

Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with industry representatives on taking steps to support the transportation of milling wheat for food production.

Defra regularly engages with industry and across Government to monitor risks to food supply. This includes extensive, regular and ongoing engagement in preparedness for, and response to, issues with the potential to cause disruption to food supply chains.

If he would make an assessment of the potential merits of a licensing scheme for (a) hairdressers and (b) barbers.

Hairdressing salons and barbers, like other employers, are subject to normal business regulations such as health and safety requirements, employer and public liability insurance. The Hairdressers Registration Act of 1964 already provides for a UK register of qualified hairdressers and HMRC will investigate evidence suggesting businesses have misclassified individuals for tax purposes and Government collaborates closely with law enforcement to monitor criminal behaviour.The Government has no current plans to introduce further regulation of the hair industry, but we will always remain open to considering.

Pursuant to the Answer of 31 March 2025 to Question 42805 on Private Education, on what date she last visited a private school.

My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education prioritises visits to state schools, which serve 93% of pupils in England. The Secretary of State for Education and the wider Ministerial team visit a wide variety of education settings, including to private schools.

With reference to his oral evidence to the Health and Social Care Committee on 8 April 2025, what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of the closure of NHS England (a) in total and (b) per integrated care board.

The detailed plans for realising efficiency gains from this process are being formulated by a joint Department and NHS England programme team, which will include the mechanisms and timings for any exit processes. Any costs will be offset by the savings delivered by having a more efficient and less bureaucratic centre. Further detail on the costs and benefits will be provided as this work develops.

With reference to his oral evidence to the Health and Social Care Committee on 8 April 2025, what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of the redundancy package for staff being made redundant from NHS England (a) in total and (b) per integrated care board.

The detailed plans for realising efficiency gains from this process are being formulated by a joint Department and NHS England programme team, which will include the mechanisms and timings for any exit processes. Any costs will be offset by the savings delivered by having a more efficient and less bureaucratic centre. Further detail on the costs and benefits will be provided as this work develops.

What assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of integrated care boards in securing money for primary care expansion from Section 106 agreements.

The Department for Health and Social Care is working closely with the Ministry of Housing, Communities, and Local Government to extend our collective interactions in the planning process, from local plan making to negotiating developer contributions through updates to national guidance. This is alongside determining how developer contributions from new housing developments can be better used towards local health services and infrastructure.Integrated care boards have been building their capacity and capability, and in some areas working with expertise in NHS Property Services (NHSPS) to support health systems to navigate the planning system, to secure and use monies and other mitigations from developers as part of Section 106 (S106) agreements. The health ask will be considered alongside other priorities that local authorities are responsible for delivering in their area.National data on the collection and spending of S106 data is limited, with no comprehensive findings published by the Ministry of Housing, Communities, and Local Government since 2020, which makes assessing the trends difficult. The Department for Health and Social Care, NHS England, and NHSPS continue to work together to look at how we negotiate for S106 contributions and ensure that any secured contributions are spent in a timely manner.Integrated care systems’ estates infrastructure strategies have also been developed to create a long-term plan for future estate requirements and investment for each local area and its needs. These strategies take the existing and future general practice and primary care estate needs into account when considering how best to deliver local services when interacting with local planning authorities on all aspects of the planning process.

What assessment his Department has made of trends in the amount of money used for primary care expansion from Section 106 agreements.

The Department for Health and Social Care is working closely with the Ministry of Housing, Communities, and Local Government to extend our collective interactions in the planning process, from local plan making to negotiating developer contributions through updates to national guidance. This is alongside determining how developer contributions from new housing developments can be better used towards local health services and infrastructure.Integrated care boards have been building their capacity and capability, and in some areas working with expertise in NHS Property Services (NHSPS) to support health systems to navigate the planning system, to secure and use monies and other mitigations from developers as part of Section 106 (S106) agreements. The health ask will be considered alongside other priorities that local authorities are responsible for delivering in their area.National data on the collection and spending of S106 data is limited, with no comprehensive findings published by the Ministry of Housing, Communities, and Local Government since 2020, which makes assessing the trends difficult. The Department for Health and Social Care, NHS England, and NHSPS continue to work together to look at how we negotiate for S106 contributions and ensure that any secured contributions are spent in a timely manner.Integrated care systems’ estates infrastructure strategies have also been developed to create a long-term plan for future estate requirements and investment for each local area and its needs. These strategies take the existing and future general practice and primary care estate needs into account when considering how best to deliver local services when interacting with local planning authorities on all aspects of the planning process.

Whether he has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government on the amount of money used for primary care expansion from Section 106 agreements.

The Department for Health and Social Care is working closely with the Ministry of Housing, Communities, and Local Government to extend our collective interactions in the planning process, from local plan making to negotiating developer contributions through updates to national guidance. This is alongside determining how developer contributions from new housing developments can be better used towards local health services and infrastructure.Integrated care boards have been building their capacity and capability, and in some areas working with expertise in NHS Property Services (NHSPS) to support health systems to navigate the planning system, to secure and use monies and other mitigations from developers as part of Section 106 (S106) agreements. The health ask will be considered alongside other priorities that local authorities are responsible for delivering in their area.National data on the collection and spending of S106 data is limited, with no comprehensive findings published by the Ministry of Housing, Communities, and Local Government since 2020, which makes assessing the trends difficult. The Department for Health and Social Care, NHS England, and NHSPS continue to work together to look at how we negotiate for S106 contributions and ensure that any secured contributions are spent in a timely manner.Integrated care systems’ estates infrastructure strategies have also been developed to create a long-term plan for future estate requirements and investment for each local area and its needs. These strategies take the existing and future general practice and primary care estate needs into account when considering how best to deliver local services when interacting with local planning authorities on all aspects of the planning process.

With reference to the Written Ministerial Statement of 8 April 2025, HCWS586, how many full-time equivalent GPs have been recruited since 1 October 2024.

Between 1 October 2024 and 28 February 2025, 851 fully qualified, full-time equivalent (FTE) general practitioners (GPs) have been recruited through the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme. Between 30 September 2024 and 28 February 2025, the number of fully qualified, FTE GPs employed directly by practices has increased by 282. In total, the number of fully qualified, FTE GPs has increased by 1,134 over this period.

With reference to the Written Ministerial Statement of 8 April 2025, HCWS586, what proportion of the 1,500 extra GPs were employed through the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme.

Between 1 October 2024 and 31 March 2025, 908 fully qualified, full-time equivalent general practitioners (GPs) have been recruited through the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS). Although more recent data is available, it is provisional and subject to revision.Last year, the Department added GPs to the ARRS and provided an extra £82 million in funding, meaning that GPs could be recruited more quickly by primary care networks. All the 1,500 GPs referenced in the Written Ministerial Statement were recruited through the scheme.

With reference to his Written Ministerial Statement of 8 April 2025. HCWS586, what proportion of the 1,500 extra GPs are full-time equivalent.

Between 1 October 2024 and 31 March 2025, 908 fully qualified, full-time equivalent general practitioners (GPs) have been recruited through the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS). Although more recent data is available, it is provisional and subject to revision.Last year, the Department added GPs to the ARRS and provided an extra £82 million in funding, meaning that GPs could be recruited more quickly by primary care networks. All the 1,500 GPs referenced in the Written Ministerial Statement were recruited through the scheme.

With reference to her Oral Statement of 26 March 2025 on the Spring Statement, Official Report, column 945, what proportion of the £150 million included in the transformation fund will be spent on the abolition of NHS England.

As announced at Spring Statement the government has allocated £150 million for government employee exit schemes. Information can be found in the Spring Statement supporting documentation here:https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/67e3ec2df356a2dc0e39b488/E03274109_HMT_Spring_Statement_Mar_25_Web_Accessible_.pdf. This will be match-funded by a further £150 million from Departments. On 13 March, the Prime Minister announced that NHS England will be brought back into the Department of Health and Social Care to form a new joint centre. Exit schemes will enable delivery of leaner, smarter, more efficient government, whilst delivering savings over the medium term. Departments will bid for funding from this central pot in order to run exit schemes, and therefore the exact details of which Departments will benefit from this and how this will be spent is not yet known.

How many staff will form the leadership team to coordinate the transfer of NHS England into his Department.

Ministers and senior Department officials will work with the new executive team at the top of NHS England, led by Sir Jim Mackey, to determine the leadership, structure and requirements needed to support the creation of a new centre for health and care.

What steps his Department is taking to (a) monitor and (b) evaluate the potential impact of the abolition of NHS England on healthcare delivery.

It is only right that with such significant reform, we commit to carefully assessing and understanding the potential impacts, as is due process. Evidence from these ongoing assessments will inform our programme as appropriate. The Government is committed to transparency, and will consider how best to ensure the public and parliamentarians are informed of the outcomes.We will ensure that we continue to evaluate impacts of all kinds and will work collaboratively to put plans in place to ensure continuity of care and that there are no risks to patient safety.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of the abolition of NHS England on patient outcomes.

Ministers and senior Department officials will work with the new executive team at the top of NHS England, led by Sir Jim Mackey, to jointly lead this transformation. This reform is about devolving resources and responsibility to the frontline, empowering staff to focus on delivering better care for patients.We will ensure that we continue to evaluate impacts of all kinds, and will work collaboratively to put plans in place to ensure continuity of care, so that there are no risks to patient safety.

What consultation he undertook prior to the decision to abolish NHS England.

Through our public consultation on the 10 Year Plan, the Government has shown that we are committed to engaging with the public, patients, and clinicians.We have heard that those within the system believe it to be broken and in need of reform. Lord Darzi’s independent investigation said that the Government inherited a broken National Health Service. The report stated that the impact of the 2012 reorganisation was ‘disastrous…a calamity without international precedent’. My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has also heard from frontline NHS leaders that they are overwhelmed by micromanagement from the top.The Government is committed to transparency, and once the necessary evaluations are finalised, we will ensure that all relevant information is made accessible to the public.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of the abolition of NHS England on the (a) roles and (b) responsibilities of regional NHS bodies.

Ministers and senior Department officials will work with the new executive team at the top of NHS England, led by Sir Jim Mackey, to jointly lead this transformation.It is only right that with such significant reform, we commit to carefully assessing and understanding the potential impacts, as is due process. Evidence from these ongoing assessments will inform our programme as appropriate.

What steps he is taking to manage the integration of NHS England's IT systems into his Department.

Ministers and senior Departmental officials will work with the new executive team at the top of NHS England, led by Sir Jim Mackey, to lead this transformation. As we work to return many of NHS England’s current functions to the Department, we will ensure that we continue to evaluate impacts of all kinds and where this may have a direct impact for patients, we will work collaboratively to put plans in place to ensure continuity of care and that there are no risks to patient safety.We will put plans in place to ensure a smooth integration of IT systems; it is essential that information relating to people’s identifiable health and care is shared appropriately, lawfully and in line with their reasonable expectations.