Written questions by O'Brien.

In the past twelve months, how many disciplinary cases were concluded against civil servants in (a) the Department and (b) its agencies broken down by (i) outcome and (ii) whether the primary allegation related to (A) performance and (B) conduct.

In the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), poor performance is handled under DHSC's Supporting Performance Improvement Policy, so all disciplinary cases relate only to alleged misconduct.In DHSC there were 23 formal disciplinary cases concluded between 1 December 2024 and 30 November 2025.Where the number of case outcomes is under five, the number of cases in the category has been suppressed to avoid individuals becoming identifiable.The outcomes for these formal cases are categorised as follows:No Action;Withdrawn;Alternative Role;Informal Action;First Written Warnings;six Final Written Warnings;Dismissals; andNo Outcome Provided.The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) manages poor performance and discipline under separate policies, so all disciplinary cases relate to alleged misconduct.In MHRA during the same requested period there were six formal disciplinary cases concluded in total. The outcomes of these six cases are categorised as follows:No formal sanction;First formal warning; andDismissal.As the total number of individual case outcomes under each category is under five, the number of case outcomes in each category has been suppressed to avoid individuals becoming identifiable.In line with DHSC and MHRA, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) manages poor performance and discipline under separate policies, so all case outcomes relate to alleged misconduct. In UKHSA during the same requested period there were 58 formal disciplinary cases concluded. UKHSA is a larger organisation than DHSC and MHRA combined, with a higher volume of HR cases. The number of outcomes in each category is listed below, given there are at least five outcomes in each category:seven No case to answer;18 Cases where a case to answer was found but no penalty awarded;nine First Written Warnings;five Final Written Warnings;eight Dismissals; and11 Cases that were unable to be concluded.

What the total cost was of (a) settlement agreements and (b) special severance payments made to departing departmental staff in the last year.

During the period 1 December 2024 to 30 November 2025, the total cost of settlement agreements to the Department was £15,000. Under HM Treasury’s rules, payments made under settlement agreements are classed as Special Severance Payments.

How many and what proportion of departmental staff in each grade were rated in the top performance category in the last year.

Senior civil servants (SCS) and delegated grades follow different performance management frameworks. SCS’ operate within the framework for SCS performance management prescribed by Cabinet Office. For delegated performance there is a flexible framework that requires departments to reflect a number of core elements in their approach, including differentiating performance, addressing under and poor performance, and addressing diversity and inclusion. The following table shows the top ratings within the different performance management frameworks by grade and proportion, as of April 2025:GradeNumber rated in the top performance categoryProportionExecutive Officer3014%Higher Executive Officer5511%Senior Executive Officer8012%Grade 717017%Grade 69023%SCS3014%Notes:the numbers rated in the top performance category are rounded to the nearest five; andthe proportion is calculated based on employees who received a performance rating.

How many and what proportion of departmental staff were promoted (a) in-grade and (b) to a higher grade in the last year broken down by (i) performance marking in the previous year and (ii) grade.

As of 28 November 2025, the Department had 112 employees, or 3%, on a temporary promotion to a higher grade from their substantive grade. The following table shows the percentage of employees on temporary promotion, broken down by grade: GradePercentage on temporary promotionHigher Executive Officer4%Senior Executive Officer3%Grade 72%Grade 66%Senior Civil Service 15%Overall3%We have only recently started to capture performance markings on the system and so cannot provide a breakdown for last year. Due to the way our data is held, we are not able to provide a breakdown of the number or proportion of staff who were promoted to a higher grade whilst on temporary promotion.

What the average number of working days lost to sickness absence per full-time equivalent member of staff was in (a) the Department and (b) its executive agencies in the last year; and how many formal performance warnings were issued to staff whose absence exceeded departmental triggers.

The average number of working days lost per full-time equivalent member of staff in the Department in the period between October 2024 and September 2025, the most recent period for which records are available, was 5.12.The average number of working days lost per full-time equivalent member of staff in the executive agencies over the same period was 8.22 in the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and 5.71 in the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).There were no formal performance warnings issued against civil servants in the Department or the UKHSA between 1 December 2024 and 30 November 2025 where the civil servant was also issued a formal attendance warning for exceeding sickness trigger points.There were four formal performance warnings issues to staff in the MHRA whose absence exceeded departmental triggers.

How many people have been employed by (a) the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence and (b) the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency in each year since 2005.

The table attached shows the annual budget and the number of full time equivalent (FTE) employees for the UK Health Security Agency, the Food Standards Agency, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, the Care Quality Commission, and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, each year from 2005/06 to 2024/25. The number of people employed by each arm's-length body has been recorded as FTE (payroll). The annual budget comprises both the Resource Departmental Expenditure Limit and the Capital Departmental Expenditure Limit to give the total Departmental Expenditure Limit budget.

What the annual budget was for the (a) National Institute for Health and Care Excellence and (b) Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency in each year since 2005.

The table attached shows the annual budget and the number of full time equivalent (FTE) employees for the UK Health Security Agency, the Food Standards Agency, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, the Care Quality Commission, and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, each year from 2005/06 to 2024/25. The number of people employed by each arm's-length body has been recorded as FTE (payroll). The annual budget comprises both the Resource Departmental Expenditure Limit and the Capital Departmental Expenditure Limit to give the total Departmental Expenditure Limit budget.

How many people have been employed by (a) the Care Quality Commission, (b) the UK Health Security Agency and (c) the Food Standards Agency in each year since 2005.

The table attached shows the annual budget and the number of full time equivalent (FTE) employees for the UK Health Security Agency, the Food Standards Agency, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, the Care Quality Commission, and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, each year from 2005/06 to 2024/25. The number of people employed by each arm's-length body has been recorded as FTE (payroll). The annual budget comprises both the Resource Departmental Expenditure Limit and the Capital Departmental Expenditure Limit to give the total Departmental Expenditure Limit budget.

What the annual budget was for the (a) Care Quality Commission, (b) UK Health Security Agency and (c) the Food Standards Agency in each year since 2005.

The table attached shows the annual budget and the number of full time equivalent (FTE) employees for the UK Health Security Agency, the Food Standards Agency, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, the Care Quality Commission, and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, each year from 2005/06 to 2024/25. The number of people employed by each arm's-length body has been recorded as FTE (payroll). The annual budget comprises both the Resource Departmental Expenditure Limit and the Capital Departmental Expenditure Limit to give the total Departmental Expenditure Limit budget.

How many employment tribunal claims have been lodged against his Department for (a) unfair dismissal and (b) claims under the Equality Act 2010 in each of the last five years.

The Department has defined an employment tribunal claim as a formal submission which includes claims made against the Department, excluding arm's-length bodies, and submitted to an Employment Tribunal, for which the Department has responded by submitting a grounds for resistance. Early conciliations, which are the step ahead of a claim submission, are not included in this definition.Employment Tribunal data is not readily available prior to 2023. As such, the Department only has access to employment tribunal information for the period of 2023 to 2025. During this period, six employment tribunal claims have been lodged citing unfair dismissal. Our records do not show claims listed with a specific reference to the Equality Act 2010.We are unable to provide further information about specific years due to the low numbers involved in each year which could lead to the identification of individuals.

How many staff in his Department (a) did not retain employment following the completion of their probationary period and (b) had their probationary period extended in each of the last five years.

The Department’s probation policy and guidance advises managers on the steps to take to assess a new employee’s suitability for the post and to provide support to enable them to succeed. It also advises on the steps to take where performance, attendance, or conduct are not satisfactory. This can include exiting the employee or extending their probation to provide further evidence for a final decision on their suitability.The number of staff in the Department who did not retain employment following the completion of their probationary period, and those whose probationary period was extended, in each of the last five years is set out below:- in 2025, four staff did not retain employment and four had their probationary period extended;- in 2024, two staff did not retain employment and two had their probationary period extended;- in 2023, there were no staff who did not retain employment and no staff had their probationary period extended;- in 2022, four staff did not retain employment and three had their probationary period extended;- in 2021, one staff member did not retain employment and one had their probationary period extended.

How many performance reviews were undertaken for staff in (a) his Department and (b) its agencies in each of the last five years; in how many of those cases performance was rated as unsatisfactory or below; how many staff left as a result of such a rating; and what proportion of full-time equivalent staff this represented.

Senior civil servants (SCS) and delegated grades, non-SCS staff, follow different performance management frameworks. SCS staff operate within the framework for SCS performance management prescribed by the Cabinet Office. For delegated performance there is a flexible framework that requires departments to reflect a number of core elements in their approach, including differentiating performance, addressing under and poor performance, and addressing diversity and inclusion. In the Department of Health and Social Care, the policy is that all individuals should have monthly reviews and performance ratings that are collated and returned to human resources mid-year, in October, and at the end of the year, in April. Whilst the Department of Health and Social Care only collected data for delegated grades for the 2024/25 performance year, it has complete data for SCS staff for the last five years. The following table shows the number of end of year performance ratings returned from 2020/21 to 2024/25: YearSCSDelegated grades2020/21192Not recorded2021/22284Not recorded2022/23257Not recorded2023/24227Not recorded2024/252252,820 Furthermore, the following table shows how many were rated as unsatisfactory or below, or the equivalent ratings used by the relevant organisations, on each occasion, from 2020/21 to 2024/25: YearSCSDelegated grades2020/2021[c]*Not recorded2021/2022[c]*Not recorded2022/202310Not recorded2023/202410Not recorded2024/202513<10Note: *[c] means confidential and suppressed due to small numbers of less than five. The Department of Health and Social Care does not hold data on how many staff left as a result of an unsatisfactory performance rating. In the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), the policy is that all individuals should have monthly performance conversations, and performance ratings are collated and returned to human resources at end of year in April. The UKHSA only collected data for delegated grades for the 2024/25 performance year but has complete data for SCS staff for the last five years. The MHRA did not collect data for delegated grades or SCS staff for the 2020/21 and 2021/22 performance years. The following table shows the number of performance reviews undertaken by the UKHSA and the MHRA in the last five years: UKHSAMHRAYearSCSDelegated gradesSCSDelegated grades2020/21446Not recordedNot recordedNot recorded2021/22237Not recordedNot recordedNot recorded2022/23172Not recorded788372023/24145Not recorded1081,0242024/251181,5181341,272 In addition, the following table shows how many were rated as unsatisfactory or below, or the equivalent ratings used by the relevant organisations, on each occasion, for each of the last five years: UKHSAMHRAYearSCSDelegated gradesSCSDelegated grades2020/2100002021/2200002022/23[c]*00< 102023/24[c]*0[c]*< 102024/25[c]*39[c]*12Note: *[c] means confidential and suppressed due to small numbers of less than five. The UKHSA does not hold data on how many staff left as a result of an unsatisfactory performance rating. The following table shows the number of full time equivalent (FTE) staff at the MHRA and the percentage of the staff who left due to unsatisfactory ratings, for each of the last five years: 2020/212021/222022/232023/242024/25Total organisation FTE staff1,3341,097.21,1521,294.11,456.4Percentage of FTE staff who left due to unsatisfactory rating0%0%0%0%0%

How many staff in his Department are recorded as having a (a) mental health condition and (b) physical disability by grade.

The following data reflects employees’ self-declared disability information as of the end of September 2025. The following table shows the number of Department staff who declared as having a mental health condition by grade, as of September 2025:GradeHeadcountAdministrative Officer/Executive Officer10Higher Executive Officer/Fast Stream/Senior Executive Officer60Grade 7/650Senior Civil Servant[c]Total120Note: [c] means the figure is confidential and has been suppressed due to small numbers of less than five In addition, the following table shows the number of Department staff who declared as having a physical disability by grade, as of September 2025:GradeHeadcountAdministrative Officer/Executive Officer20Higher Executive Officer/Fast Stream/Senior Executive Officer70Grade 7/660Senior Civil Servant10Total160

How many staff left his Department in each of the last five years by grade.

Information on the number of civil servants leaving each Government department and organisation for the years 2021 to 2025 is published annually through the ‘Civil Service data browser’ as part of Civil Service Statistics 2025, an accredited official statistics publication. This information is available through the Civil Service data browser for 2021 through 2025 at the following link:https://civil-service-statistics.jdac.service.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/

When his Department plans to publish the report on the adult social care relative needs formula on the Adult Social Care Policy Research Unit Website.

The report on the adult social care relative needs formula was published on the Adult Social Care Policy Research Unit’s website in June 2025.The Department funds independent research through its research delivery arm, the National Institute of Health and Care Research (NIHR).The publication of research is led by the research team. The views expressed in the outputs of the research are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the NIHR or the Department.

How many (a) general practices and (b) GP premises there were in each integrated care board area in each month since June 2024.

NHS England has provided a table showing the number of general practices (GPs) by integrated care board (ICB) and the number of branch surgeries by ICB. It also shows the number of GPs that opened and closed since June 2024 and the number of branch surgeries that opened and closed since June 2024. A copy of the table has been placed in the Library due to the size of the data.Updated data is published daily at 14:00. This information is available in the public domain and can be extracted by using the Data Search and Export website, at the following link: https://www.odsdatasearchandexport.nhs.uk/The data in the attachment is accurate as of 23 July 2025.

How many medical school places he expects there to be in each year up to 2031.

The total maximum fundable limit for medical school places in England set by the Office for Students is 8,230 places for the 2025/26 academic year. The limit is confirmed on an annual basis.We will publish a new 10 Year Workforce Plan later this year to deliver the transformed health service we will build over the next decade and treat patients on time again.

How many children were prescribed antidepressants in each year since 2007.

The NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) holds data going back to April 2015, but not prior to this date. The following table shows the total number of patients aged 17 years old and under that were prescribed antidepressants for the financial years 2015/16 to 2023/24:Financial yearTotal identified patients aged 17 years old and under2015/1665,5942016/1765,4282017/1865,5552018/1967,6312019/2068,7942020/2165,2662021/2271,2512022/2371,2632023/2466,483Source: NHSBSA Statistical Collections, available at the following link: https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/statistical-collections/medicines-used-mental-health-englandThese cover antidepressants prescribed in England that are then dispensed in the community in England, Scotland, Wales, Isle of Man, or the Channel Islands.

What the median time taken to register a death was in each (a) integrated care board and (b) local authority area in the most recent six months for which data is available.

The Government is monitoring the impact of the death certification reforms, which came into legal effect on 9 September 2024, through the Death Certification Strategic Board and a cross-Government data strategy group. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) publishes a weekly deaths release which includes the provisional number of deaths registered in England and Wales in the latest weeks, and which is available at the following link:https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/datasets/weeklyprovisionalfiguresondeathsregisteredinenglandandwalesAs part of this release, the ONS publishes data on the median time taken to register a death in England and Wales in each region. This data is also split by certification type and place of occurrence. The latest data available covers deaths registered in the week ending 18 April 2025. The ONS does not publish any data on the median time taken in integrated care boards or local authorities.The introduction of medical examiners is in part about making sure deaths are properly described and improving practice, but the impact on the bereaved is also central. The reforms aim to put the bereaved at the centre of the process, and the medical examiner’s office must offer a conversation with representatives of the deceased, so they can ask any questions they have about the death or to raise concerns. Ensuring the system is appropriately resourced and works for all those who interact with it is crucial, and something we will continue to monitor with NHS England.

Pursuant to the Answer of 30 December 2024 to Question 19000 on Social Services, when the report on the adult social care relative needs formula will be made available on the Adult Social Care Policy Research Unit Website.

The Department of Health and Social Care is still considering this research as part of its ongoing policy work. We are working closely the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, and the role of a specific adult social care funding formula was considered within the consultation Local authority funding reform: objectives and principles, published on 18 December 2024 and closed on 12 February 2025. We will update further in due course.