Written questions by Wood.

Whether any leadership and promotion schemes run by the Care Equality Commission are restricted to ethnic minorities and other protected characteristics.

The Department has interpreted the question as referring to the Care Quality Commission (CQC), as there is no public body called the ‘Care Equality Commission’.The CQC operates a positive action development programme aimed at addressing barriers to career progression, aligning with the ambitions set out in the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy, to support colleagues from ethnic minority backgrounds and disabled colleagues.Participation in the programme does not guarantee promotion, as all appointments are made through fair and open competition in accordance with the Civil Service Recruitment Principles.

Whether (a) he and (b) the Permanent Secretary approved the use of paid facility time for trade union activities in NHS England in the 2024-25 NHS England annual report and accounts.

The use of paid facility time for trade union duties and activities is a matter for NHS England as the employer. Trade union representatives are entitled to paid time for trade union duties and unpaid time for trade union activities by law under the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 (TULCRA), with local agreements with trade unions determining specifics. Section 25 of the National Health Service staff terms and conditions of service, the Agenda for Change, handbook gives NHS employers the flexibility to determine what union activities are paid. Approval for these payments is not required by my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, or the Permanent Secretary of the Department of Health and Social Care.

When he plans to answer Question 84239 tabled on 22 October 2025 by the Hon Member for Kingswinford and South Staffordshire.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 24 February 2026 to Question 84239.

What guidance has been issued by (a) his Department and (b) NHS England on expenditure on flags.

The Department follows general Government guidance on flying flags, which is available at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/flying-flags-a-plain-english-guide/flying-flags-a-plain-english-guide Neither the Department nor NHS England has issued guidance regarding expenditure on flags.

Whether he plans to allow trade union representatives to access NHS buildings on strike days.

The Department has no current plans to introduce new provisions regarding trade union access to National Health Service premises on strike days. Under existing legislation, including the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 and the Employment Rights Act 1996, lawful picketing and trade union activity are permitted, provided they comply with statutory requirements and do not disrupt services or compromise safety. Responsibility for managing access to NHS buildings during industrial action rests with individual NHS employers. They are best placed to assess local circumstances and ensure arrangements align with operational needs and legal obligations, including the Code of Practice on Picketing.

Pursuant to the Answer of 11 September 2025 to Question 75037 on NHS: Workplace Pensions, why the 9.4% pension contribution for NHS staff is made by NHS England.

Currently, National Health Service employees who are a member of the NHS pension scheme pay between 5.2% and 12.5% of earnings as an employee contribution. In addition, the current employer's contribution rate is 23.78%. As set out in the NHS Pension Scheme Consultancy, the Government Actuary's Department increased the employer contribution rate by 6.3% in 2019, from 14.38%, and this increased further by 3.1% from 2024 as a result of the 2016 and 2020 actuarial valuations. To alleviate cost pressures on employers and efficiently implement the increases, NHS England transacts the 9.4% increase in employer pensions contribution. This means whilst the full 23.78% rate is paid, 14.38% continues to be paid by employers and 9.4% by NHS England, which is supported by an increase in the NHS England Mandate. This arrangement will be reviewed with each subsequent revaluation. Further information on the NHS Pension Scheme Consultancy is available at the following link:https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5ca226aded915d0c486abb23/nhs-pension-scheme-consultation-response.pdf

Pursuant to the Answer of 15 September 2025 to Question 73327 on Alan Milburn, if he will list which other areas of health policy Mr Milburn has recused himself from.

Prior to appointment, non-executive candidates are required to declare all relevant interests. Appropriate mitigations are then put in place and approved by the Department.This process was carried out for the Rt Hon. Alan Milburn, whose interests, and any updates to them, are available in the Department’s Annual Report and Accounts and on the GOV.UK website in alignment with Government policy.

Pursuant to answer of 11 September 2025, to Question 73326, on NHS: Strikes, if he will make it his policy to prohibit NHS employees who undertake strike action to be paid for work by other NHS bodies on strike days.

There are no current plans to prohibit National Health Service employees in England who undertake strike action from being paid for work by other NHS bodies on strike days.NHS staff who are on strike are not prevented by law from working for non-NHS bodies or other NHS organisations, including NHS trusts, on days of industrial action, as long as they are not provided by an employment business to cover the work of striking workers. Before the British Medical Assocation Resident Doctors Committee (BMA RDC) strike action in July 2025, NHS England set out in guidance that resident doctors who have chosen to take industrial action should not undertake a locum or bank shift elsewhere during the period of action. This guidance is available at the following link:https://www.hee.nhs.uk/sites/default/files/documents/Industrial%20action%20FAQs%20-%20training%20progression.pdfDuring the BMA RDC strike action in December 2025, NHS England issued additional communications to trusts to reaffirm the existing guidance.NHS staff should consider the guidance published by the relevant professional bodies before undertaking additional work during strike days. The Department continues to monitor the impact of industrial action on NHS services and staffing arrangements.

Pursuant to Answer of 11 September 2025 to Question 73326 on NHS: Strikes, whether more detailed guidance has been provided by (a) NHS England and (b) his Department on this matter.

Further guidance is provided for employers by NHS Employers and doctors should reference the Good Medical Practice Guide outlined by the General Medical Council (GMC) when making decisions about working during periods of strike action.Information for employers can be found here:https://www.nhsemployers.org/articles/industrial-action-guidance-resources-and-faqsInformation for doctors can be found here:https://www.gmc-uk.org/professional-standards/ethical-hub/industrial-actionThe GMC guidance states that if a doctor is due to work but is not attending due to strike action, it is advised that the doctor still prepares and remains available during their scheduled working hours to respond appropriately if circumstances change during a period of industrial action.

Pursuant to the Answer of 6 June 2025 to Question 54408 on Recruitment: Equality, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of the Rooney rule being adopted by NHS bodies.

No such assessment has been made. We expect National Health Service organisations to implement policies and procedures relating to recruitment that are in line with employment law and good human resources practice, including the Equality Act 2010 and other relevant legislation.

How much and what proportion of employer pension contributions for NHS employees are funded by NHS England.

As of 1 April 2024, the National Health Service employer pension contribution rate rose to 23.7%. Employers pay 14.38% and central payments are made by NHS England for the remaining 9.4%.

How many (a) embedded communications and (b) members of the Government Communications Service are employed by (i) his Department and (ii) NHS England.

At the end of August 2025, the Department had 40 full-time equivalent (FTE) communications staff embedded in the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities working on public health and prevention programmes, and 85 FTE staff working in the Communications Directorate, covering a broad range of roles including media relations, marketing and branding, public health campaigns, internal communications and external publishing on GOV.UK. All are members of the Government Communications Service.At the end of July 2025, NHS England had 330 FTE staff working in communications covering a wide range of roles and support functions, including business operations, system and stakeholder engagement, events and visits teams, and parliamentary briefing and Freedom of Information (FOI) management. There are also five FTE staff embedded in other directorates, including working with FOI management and parliamentary briefing.

Pursuant to the Answer of 28 July 2025 to Question 66478 Innovation: Beer and Public Houses, for what reason it is his policy to prohibit sales of non-alcoholic products to people under the age of 18; and how non-alcoholic drinks would be differentiated from soft drinks.

The Government is committed to supporting further growth of the no- and low-alcohol market, which has grown significantly over the past 10 years.A non-alcoholic product differs from a soft drink as it is a beverage intentionally crafted to mimic traditional alcoholic drinks like beer, wine, or spirits but with very little to no alcohol content. A full definition of an alcohol substitute drink can be found in regulation 9 to the Soft Drinks Industry Levy Regulations 2018, which are available at the following link:https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2018/41/madeThis policy is being pursued as these alcohol substitute drinks are intended for consumption by adults and should not be sold or supplied to children.

Pursuant to the Answer of 3 April 2025 to Question 42740 on Smoking: Hospitality Industry, what his planned timetable is for the consultation on the vaping and smoking provisions in relation to outdoor public places; and what role local authorities would be expected to play in enforcement.

The Tobacco and Vapes Bill sets a duty to consult on a range of powers before making regulations, including vaping and smoking provisions in relation to outdoor public places. We plan to consult on these measures in due course, and we will provide stakeholders with notice of when consultation processes are due to happen. We expect that enforcement of vaping and smoking provisions in relation to outdoor public places in England to be undertaken by the same local authority teams that enforce existing smoke-free legislation; these would typically be the environmental health teams. The exact details will be explored via future consultation processes.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the Employment Rights Bill on industrial action in the NHS.

The Government is committed to reforming trade union legislation, to bring it into the 21st century. We want to create an industrial relations framework fit for a modern economy and workplaces that work for everyone.The Department of Business and Trade has published an overarching economic analysis of the Employment Rights Bill, namely the Employment Rights Bill economic analysis, a copy of which is attached. It has also published a specific impact assessment on the repeal of the Trade Union Act 2016, the Repeal of the Trade Union Act 2016, a copy of which is also attached.

Pursuant to the Answer of 30 April 2025 to Question 46764 on Industrial Disputes: Trade Unions, if he will make it his policy to suspend (a) facility time and (b) check-off for NHS-recognised trade unions whilst they are on strike.

We have no plans to suspend facility time or check-off for National Health Service recognised trade unions whilst they are on strike.It is for the local NHS employers and trade unions to agree on the approach to facility time during any period of industrial action. NHS trade union representatives would normally hold contracts with their individual NHS employer.

Whether trade union diversity networks in (a) his department and (b) NHS England are eligible for trade union facility time; and whether people can claim both diversity network time and facility time.

Neither the Department nor NHS England have specific trade union diversity networks.

With reference to the press release entitled Internship Scheme To Get More Working Class Students Into Civil Service, published on 1 August 2025, whether children of (a) NHS doctors and (b) NHS nurses will be able to apply for the Summer Internship Programme in (i) DHSC and (ii) NHS England in 2026.

The Summer Internship Programme (SIP) is a Cabinet Office run scheme. The scheme places interns into Government departments. The Department of Health and Social Care participates in the scheme and is allocated interns from the Cabinet Office.

With reference to the publication entitled Civil Service 2024/2025 External Expenditure on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, published on 30 May 2025, which suppliers were used to provide the Black History Month event.

The suppliers used for Black History Month were Eurest Services, for catering services that cost £69.

What his planned timetable is for the review of NHS England guidance entitled Delivering same-sex accommodation; and what role he will play in the process.

The National Health Service is currently reviewing its ‘Delivering same-sex accommodation’ guidance and will ensure revised guidance reflects the Supreme Court ruling and is aligned with the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s (EHRC) statutory guidance when this becomes available.The EHRC is working at pace to develop a new statutory Code of Practice in light of the judgment. This will cover in detail the approach employers should take in relation to single-sex spaces to align with their legal obligations. All service providers, including the NHS, must comply with this Code of Practice.The EHRC recently closed their consultation for the new Statutory Code of Practice and are now processing the responses.In the meantime, I continue to expect NHS employers to act in line with their legal obligations, including applying the Equality Act 2010 in line with the Supreme Court’s judgment.