Written questions by Mishra.

What recent assessment he has made of the resilience of NHS data systems to unauthorised access and attempted data breaches.

All organisations with access to National Health Service patient data and systems must use the Data Security and Protection Toolkit (DSPT) to provide annual assurance that they are practising good data security and that personal information is handled correctly. In September 2024, the National Cyber Security Centre’s Cyber Assessment Framework was implemented into the DSPT for large NHS organisations. This enables them to understand and manage their own cyber, and information governance, risks, while maintaining the high standards necessary to protect patients.National cyber teams are tackling the changing cyber risk head-on through their ambitious Cyber Improvement Programme, expanding protection and services to better protect the health and care system. In 2025/26, the Government invested £75 million across health and social care, building on the £375 million invested since 2017.NHS England runs a Cyber Security Operations Centre that can monitor over 1.8 million devices across the NHS, through Microsoft Defender for Endpoint, identifying and responding to threats, including unauthorised access, as they arise. When critical cyber vulnerabilities are identified, NHS England issues a High Severity Alert to warn NHS organisations.NHS England routinely conducts highly specialised ‘Red Teaming’ and Penetration Testing of their data systems to assess their cyber security and resilience. NHS England and the Department have developed a strategy and programme of cyber exercising to test and improve resilience and capacity across the system and regularly exercise our cyber incident response/business continuity capabilities at a local and national level. We are using lessons learned from both recent incidents and exercises to improve processes and policy around our response to cyber incidents. When incidents do occur, NHS England provides a suite of support to help organisations recover quickly, but safely. This includes specialist, on the ground, certified incident response services free of charge to NHS organisations who have been severely impacted by Cyber Incidents as well as technical and operational support to contain, investigate, and remediate incidents. The National Cyber Security Centre has published guidance for individuals to help them protect against the impact of data breaches.

What guidance is provided to NHS Mental Health Trusts on involving families and carers in the care and support of mental health patients.

Awaiting answer.

What steps his Department is taking to encourage more people to become blood donors in a) Stockport and b) Greater Manchester.

NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) is responsible for blood services in England and is delivering initiatives to encourage more people to become blood donors nationally, including in Stockport and across Greater Manchester.This includes targeted partnership work with local employers in Greater Manchester, such as Aon and Deloitte, to engage and support staff to donate at nearby donor centres.NHSBT also funds Community Grants Programme projects in Greater Manchester, including projects delivered with organisations such as:the Sickle Cell Society, which works with universities and partners such as ACS Give Blood to raise awareness of sickle cell disorder and promote blood donation among Black students. Further information is available at the following link: https://www.sicklecellsociety.org/about-us/;Become United, which raises awareness of blood donation within Black African and Caribbean communities, particularly among people facing barriers linked to ethnicity, religion, or refugee status. Further information is available at the following link: https://www.becomeunited.org.uk/; andthe Caribbean and African Health Network, which work with Black African and Caribbean communities to raise awareness of blood donation and address barriers to participation. Further information is available at the following link: https://www.cahn.org.uk/Further information on the Community Grants Programme overall is available at the following link:https://www.nhsbt.nhs.uk/how-you-can-help/get-involved/community-grants-programme/Additionally, NHSBT has also delivered extensive outreach activity in Greater Manchester, including two mass blood‑typing events held at the Trafford Centre, a three day event, and the Arndale Centre, a seven day event, which are accessible to people living in Stockport and the wider Greater Manchester area.

If he will introduce requirements to ensure that patients’ religious and philosophical dietary preferences, including vegetarian and vegan diets, are recorded in health and care records to ensure accessibility to care providers.

Regulation 14 of The Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 requires care providers to ensure the nutritional and hydration needs of service users are met, which includes meeting any reasonable requirements arising from the service user’s preferences or their religious or cultural background.The Care Quality Commission (CQC) guidance states that people's religious and cultural needs must be identified in their nutrition and hydration assessment. When a person has specific dietary requirements relating to moral or ethical beliefs, such as vegetarianism, these requirements must be fully considered and met.Providers must be able to demonstrate to the CQC that they meet this regulation.

What steps his Department has taken to work towards implementing a standardised Attendance Policy for all NHS organisations in England; and if he will set out a timeline for when this will be finalised.

The Department does not mandate a single national attendance policy for the National Health Service. Responsibility for workforce attendance management sits with individual NHS organisations who are responsible for setting and applying local attendance policies in line with employment law and good human resources practice.Instead, NHS England has been engaging with representatives from NHS organisations and staff side partners to develop guidance on Supporting Health and Improving Attendance which will be published later this year. This guidance is intended to strengthen and align local approaches while allowing flexibility to reflect local operational circumstances and the diverse needs of our workforce. Once finalised, guidance will support NHS organisations to improve clarity, fairness, and consistency in attendance management across the service without removing local employer accountability.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential public health impact of mandatory health warning labels on alcoholic beverages, including warnings on cancer risk.

The recently published National Cancer Plan reiterated the commitment made in Fit for the Future: 10-Year Health Plan for England, to strengthen and expand on existing voluntary guidelines for alcohol labelling by introducing a mandatory requirement for alcoholic drinks to display consistent nutritional information and health warning messages.Department officials are continuing to review all available and emerging evidence of the potential public health impacts of this policy, which is informing our assessment of the different policy options. This includes examining information from countries that have explored, researched, or legislated for a range of health warnings, and engaging with national and international stakeholders.

Pursuant to the Answer of 2 February 2026 to Question 108291 on IVF: Greater Manchester, if he will have discussions with the NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board on the potential impact of the decision to reduce NHS-funded IVF provision across Greater Manchester to one cycle on (i) patient outcomes and (ii) health inequalities; and if will hold discussions with that ICB on current NICE guidance on IVF provision.

There are no current plans to discuss with the Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board (ICB) any changes to its provision of National Health Service funded in vitro fertilisation treatment or the current National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance on fertility services.Funding decisions for health services in England are made by ICBs and are based on the clinical needs of their local population. They are expected to commission fertility services in line with NICE guidelines, ensuring equal access to fertility treatment across England.Updated NICE fertility guidelines are expected in spring. The Department will continue to support NHS England as they work closely with ICBs to ensure the guidance is fully considered in local commissioning decisions.

What the provision of healthy baby funding to Stockport Council will be as part of the Best Start in Life allocation.

The 10-Year Health Plan sets out an ambitious agenda to how we will improve the nation’s health by creating a new model of care that is fit for the future.We recognise that local authorities such as Stockport Council are ambitious, seeking to deliver universal support to babies, children, and their families and prevent escalating need. We are committed to delivering the 10-Year Health Plan ambition to match Healthy Babies, formerly Start for Life, to Best Start Family Hubs over the next decade.Healthy Babies is one element of our broader commitment to supporting babies, children, and families. From April 2026, Best Start Family Hubs will expand to every single local authority, including Stockport Council, backed by over £500 million to reach up to half a million more children and families. This funding will help all local authorities to integrate a range of statutory and non-statutory health and family services.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of the decision to reduce NHS-funded IVF provision across Greater Manchester to one cycle on (a) patient outcomes and (b) health inequalities.

No such assessments have been undertaken by the Department. Funding decisions for health services in England are made by integrated care boards and are based on the clinical needs of their local population. We expect these organisations to commission fertility services in line with National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines, ensuring equal access to fertility treatment across England.

What steps his Department is taking to reduce the waiting time for patients with significant levels of HLA antibodies to get a kidney transplant.

NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) is responsible for organ donation services in the United Kingdom, including management of the NHS Organ Donor Register and the transplant waiting list.Kidney allocation in the UK is based on a national, points-based matching system, via the UK Kidney Offering Scheme, which prioritises recipients according to factors including blood group compatibility, time on the waiting list, tissue match, age, and the presence of human leukocyte antigens (HLA) antibodies, known as sensitisation. This system was updated in 2019 with the aim of reducing long waiting times. Under this scheme, the most highly sensitised patients are placed in the highest priority category to receive donor organs, as it can be hard to find suitable organs for these patients.Patients and clinicians can access the NHSBT’s Kidney Risk Communication Tool, which provides indicative outcomes for patients with similar characteristics after joining the transplant waiting list. The Kidney Risk Communication Tool is available at the following link:https://www.odt.nhs.uk/transplantation/tools-policies-and-guidance/risk-communication-tools/In addition, in December 2024, the Department-led Implementation Steering Group for Organ Utilisation (ISOU) made recommendations regarding high-resolution HLA-typing for organ donors and recipients to enable better matching and improve transplantation outcomes. Information on the ISOU is available at the following link:https://www.odt.nhs.uk/odt-structures-and-standards/clinical-leadership/implementation-steering-group-for-organ-utilisation/In addition, further details are available in a report, at the following link:https://nhsbtdbe.blob.core.windows.net/umbraco-assets-corp/36474/report-of-the-isou-histocompatibility-and-immunogenetics-hi-sub-group.pdf

Pursuant to the answer of 1 December 2025, to question 93987 on Phenylketonuria: Health Foods, (a) If he will confirm the latest number of individuals with Phenylketonuria receiving low-protein foods on prescription and (b) if his Department will make an assessment of the potential positive business implications on manufacturers and suppliers of low-protein foods in the event of a shift from prescriptions to financial support.

Regarding the number of individuals with Phenylketonuria receiving low-protein foods on prescription, the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) does not hold this information centrally.NHBSA prescription data does not contain information about the indication, medical condition, or reason that a prescription was issued.We are not considering shifting to a different model to support those with Phenylketonuria thus do not intend to assess the potential impact on manufacturers and suppliers.

Pursuant to the Answer of 18 July 2025 to Question 67482 on IVF: Greater Manchester, If his Department will have discussions with NHS Greater Manchester following the publication of the Standardising IVF Cycles Consultation Summary Report on implementing an increase in the number of funded cycles.

Funding decisions for health services in England are made by integrated care boards, and are based on the clinical needs of their local population. There are no current plans to discuss implementing an increase in the number of funded in-vitro fertilisation cycles with NHS Greater Manchester.

If he will make an assessment of the potential merits of replacing prescriptions for low protein foods with targeted financial support for patients with Phenylketonuria to buy products directly.

The Department is not planning to assess the feasibility of replacing prescriptions for low protein foods with targeted financial support for individuals with phenylketonuria (PKU).In England, low protein products are available to all eligible patients on prescription and are listed in Part XV of the Drug Tariff. The provision of these products on prescription ensures that patients with PKU have direct and reliable access to the foods needed for managing their condition.Targeted financial support schemes have been shown to introduce additional complexity for patients and the National Health Service.Patients with PKU may also be eligible for prescription charge exemptions, depending on their circumstances. Eligibility depends on the patient’s age, whether they are in qualifying full-time education, whether they are pregnant or have recently given birth, whether they have a qualifying medical condition, or whether they are in receipt of certain benefits or a war pension.

What steps his Department is taking to stop the illicit (a) manufacturing, (b) importation and (c) sale of (i) counterfeit and (ii) unlicensed weight-loss drugs.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is responsible for the regulation of medicines for human use, medical devices, and blood products for transfusion in the United Kingdom. This includes applying the legal controls on the retail sale, supply, and advertising of medicines which are set out in the Human Medicines Regulations 2012.Many authorised weight loss medicines are prescription-only, meaning that a consultation with a doctor or qualified healthcare professional is needed to assess the patient's suitability for the treatment and to consider any potential risks. Usually, such products should only be obtained from a registered pharmacy against a valid prescription.Sourcing weight loss medicines from unregulated suppliers significantly increases the risk of getting a product which is either falsified or not authorised for use. Products purchased in this way will not meet the MHRA’s strict quality and safety standards and could expose patients to incorrect dosages or dangerous ingredients.Public safety is the number one priority for the MHRA, and its Criminal Enforcement Unit works hard to prevent, detect, and investigate illegal activity involving medicines and medical devices, and it takes robust enforcement action where necessary. It works closely with other health regulators, customs authorities, law enforcement agencies, and private sector partners, including e-commerce and the internet industry, to identify, remove, and block online content promoting the illegal sale of medicines and medical devices.The MHRA seeks to identify and, where appropriate, prosecute online sellers responsible for putting public health at risk. Last year, the MHRA and its partners seized more than 17 million doses of illegally traded medicines, including those usually issued on prescription. A recent example of our enforcement activity is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/news/mhra-smashes-majorillicitweight-loss-medicine-production-facility-in-record-seizureAdditionally, the MHRA has also disrupted thousands of links to websites and social media pages selling medical products to the public illegally.The MHRA’s FakeMeds campaign provides advice to people in the UK who are considering buying medication online, outlining how products can be accessed from safe and legitimate source. Further information on the FakeMeds campaign is available at the following link:https://fakemeds.campaign.gov.uk/Anyone who believes they’ve had a side effect from a medicine, or think they’ve received falsified stock, can report it to the MHRA’s Yellow Card scheme, with further information available at the following link:https://yellowcard.mhra.gov.uk/

If he will meet with (a) Meta, (b) TikTok and (c) other social media platforms on regulating the (i) promotion and (ii) marketing of (A) unlicensed and (B) counterfeit (1) weight-loss drugs and (2) medicines.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) provides regulatory guidelines through the Blue Guide which apply to the advertising of medicines on social media, and must be observed by any organisation or individual promoting medicines to the public. There are no current plans to meet with individual social media platforms, but the MHRA welcomes any engagement on how to deliver effective messaging to ensure public and patient safety.Sourcing weight loss medicines from unregulated suppliers significantly increases the risk of getting a product which is either falsified or not authorised for use. Products purchased in this way may not meet the MHRA’s strict quality and safety standards and could expose patients to incorrect dosages or dangerous ingredients.Public safety is the number one priority for the MHRA, and its Criminal Enforcement Unit works hard to prevent, detect, and investigate illegal activity involving medicines and medical devices. This includes regular engagement with social media companies, e-commerce, and the internet industry to identify, remove, and block online content promoting the illegal sale of medicines and medical devices.The MHRA seeks to identify and, where appropriate, prosecute online sellers responsible for putting public health at risk. Last year, the MHRA and its partners seized more than 17 million doses of illegally traded medicines, including those usually issued on prescription. Additionally, it disrupted thousands of links to websites and social media pages selling medical products to the public illegally. A recent example of the MHRA’s enforcement activity is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/news/mhra-smashes-majorillicitweight-loss-medicine-production-facility-in-record-seizure.The MHRA’s FakeMeds campaign provides advice to people in the UK who are considering buying medication online, outlining how products can be accessed from safe and legitimate sources. Further information is available at the following link:https://fakemeds.campaign.gov.uk/

If his Department will take steps to help increase the number of 16-30 year olds who are registered to donate stem cells.

The United Kingdom aligned stem cell registry, a national register managed collaboratively by Anthony Nolan, DKMS UK, NHS Blood and Transplant, and the Welsh Bone Marrow Donor Registry, has over 2.3 million potential stem cell donors registered. The Department is taking action to increase the number of 16 to 30 year olds on the UK aligned stem cell registry by funding the Department’s Stem Cell Programme, with £3.2 million invested for the period of 2022 to 2026. The programme, which is delivered by NHS Blood and Transplant and Anthony Nolan, aims to enhance the sustainability, resilience, and equity of the UK's stem cell supply through a targeted recruitment campaign focussed on male donors aged 16 to 30 years old, who are most likely to be recalled to donate, as well as donors from ethnic minorities.By increasing the pool of potential donors, the programme seeks to improve the availability of matches in the UK, ultimately reducing waiting times and improving outcomes for patients in need of stem cell treatment.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure Mounjaro, also called tirzepatide, is available to people who meet the clinical criteria for weight management.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) estimated that approximately 3.4 million people are eligible for tirzepatide, known by the brand name Mounjaro, to treat obesity. Integrated care boards (ICBs) have a legal duty to make NICE-recommended medicines available to the eligible population alongside the appropriate behavioural and lifestyle support.The National Health Service is rolling out access to tirzepatide, prioritising those with the greatest clinical need. Approximately 220,000 people are expected to benefit in the first three years of implementation. The NHS is developing and testing new models of care, including community-based services and digital technologies, and will speed up the roll out if possible. Progress on the NHS rollout of tirzepatide will be reviewed by NICE in three years.NHS England is providing support for NHS ICBs, including providing: - additional funding to support the delivery of services within primary care and the cost of obesity medicines in line with interim commissioning guidance; and- a centrally funded wraparound care service ‘Healthier You: Behavioural Support for Obesity Prescribing’ to refer patients to.

What steps his Department is taking to improve the (a) training and (b) awareness of healthcare professionals in (i) diagnosing and (ii) supporting people with (A) myalgic encephalomyelitis or chronic fatigue syndrome and (B) long COVID.

The Department published the final myalgic encephalomyelitis, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), delivery plan on 22 July. The plan focusses on boosting research, improving education and attitudes, and bettering the lives of people with this debilitating disease.To support healthcare professionals in the diagnosis and management of ME/CFS, as set out in the ME/CFS Final Delivery Plan, the Department has worked with NHS England to develop an e-learning programme on ME/CFS for healthcare professionals, with the aim of supporting staff to be able to provide better care and improve patient outcomes. All three sessions of the e-learning programme are now available on the NHS.UK website, with sessions one and two having universal access whilst the third session is only available to healthcare professionals, at the following link:https://learninghub.nhs.uk/catalogue/mecfselearning?nodeId=7288.The Medical Schools Council will promote the NHS England e-learning programme on ME/CFS to all United Kingdom medical schools and will encourage those medical schools to provide undergraduates with direct patient experience of ME/CFS. The General Medical Council (GMC) is the regulator of medical schools, and it is important that education is reenforced at different stages of medical training. Royal colleges play an important role in this. The GMC has included ME/CFS in the content map for the new national exam, so all medical schools will need to teach it as a subject.There is also targeted advice for healthcare professionals to manage long COVID. Patients should be managed according to current clinical guidance, such as that published and updated by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, which is available at the following link:https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/NG188

What steps his Department is taking to help (a) increase awareness of and (b) shorten diagnosis times for Postural Tachycardia Syndrome.

To improve awareness of postural tachycardia syndrome (PoTS) amongst healthcare professionals, and specifically general practitioners (GPs), the Royal College of General Practitioners provides training on PoTS as part of its Syncope toolkit, which is available at the following link: https://elearning.rcgp.org.uk/course/view.php?id=500 The Syncope toolkit includes an e-learning module, a podcast, and a webinar, and provides GPs with information about the diagnosis and management of PoTS. The webinar gives GPs the opportunity to hear the lived experience perspective of a patient representative from PoTS UK. The National Institute for Care Excellence has also published a clinical knowledge summary on the clinical management of blackouts and syncope, that provides advice for clinicians in the United Kingdom on best practice in the assessment and diagnosis of PoTS. This was last updated in November 2023, and is available at the following link: https://cks.nice.org.uk/topics/blackouts-syncope/diagnosis/assessment/ We are investing in additional capacity to deliver appointments to help bring waiting times down. The Elective Reform Plan, published in January 2025, sets out the specific productivity and reform efforts needed to return to the constitutional standard, that 92% of patients to wait no longer than 18 weeks from Referral to Treatment, by March 2029. We surpassed our pledge to deliver an extra two million elective appointments, having now delivered 5.2 million additional appointments in our first year of Government. Waiting lists are coming down, as they have fallen by over 206,000 since July 2024.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of precision medicine on the (a) life expectancy and (b) quality of life of people living with motor neurone disease.

The Government’s 10-Year Health Plan sets out our vision for a future where genomic information and insights are fundamental to healthcare, enabling precision medicine, predictive prevention, and personalised treatment, including for people with motor neurone disease.The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has selected tofersen for treating amyotrophic lateral sclerosis caused by SOD1 gene mutations as a topic for guidance development through its Highly Specialised Technology (HST) programme. The HST programme appraises medicines for the treatment of very rare, and often very severe diseases, and evaluates whether they can be considered a clinically and cost-effective use of National Health Service resources. If a positive recommendation is made, then NHS commissioners will be under a legal duty to fund the treatment for all eligible patients in England.