Written questions by O'Brien.

What the average height was for state school pupils in (a) reception and (b) year six in each academic year since 2005-06; what the average height was for state school pupils in each ethnic group in those academic years in that period; and how many state school pupils were in each ethnic group in those academic years in that period.

The height of state school pupils in Reception and Year 6 is measured in the National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP). The following table shows the average height in centimetres of boys and girls aged five and 11 years old, in the academic years from 2008 to 2024:AgeAcademic yearMean height for girlsMean height for boys52008 to 2009109.2cm110.0cm52009 to 2010109.2cm110.1cm52010 to 2011109.2cm110.1cm52011 to 2012109.3cm110.2cm52012 to 2013109.2cm110.1cm52013 to 2014109.3cm110.2cm52014 to 2015109.3cm110.2cm52015 to 2016109.3cm110.2cm52016 to 2017109.3cm110.3cm52017 to 2018109.3cm110.3cm52018 to 2019109.3cm110.3cm52019 to 2020109.4cm110.4cm52020 to 2021109.8cm110.9cm52021 to 2022109.7cm110.7cm52022 to 2023109.3cm110.4cm52023 to 2024109.3cm110.3cm112008 to 2009145.7cm145.0cm112009 to 2010145.8cm145.0cm112010 to 2011145.9cm145.1cm112011 to 2012145.9cm145.1cm112012 to 2013146.0cm145.1cm112013 to 2014146.1cm145.3cm112014 to 2015146.2cm145.3cm112015 to 2016146.3cm145.5cm112016 to 2017146.3cm145.5cm112017 to 2018146.4cm145.6cm112018 to 2019146.5cm145.6cm112019 to 2020146.6cm145.7cm112020 to 2021148.0cm146.5cm112021 to 2022148.0cm146.4cm112022 to 2023147.8cm146.3cm112023 to 2024147.5cm146.4cmSource: data is from the NCMP, with further information available at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/obesity-profile-november-2024-updateHeight data has not been published for the years 2005 to 2008. Height data by ethnic group of pupil is not available, but is due to be published by the Department on 4 February 2025, and will be available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/announcements/obesity-profile-february-2025-updateThe Department for Education publishes information on the number of state school pupils by ethnicity. This information can be found in the Schools, pupils, and their characteristics publication on GOV.UK website, which is based on January school census data. Statistics from May 2010 onwards are available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/statistics-school-and-pupil-numbersData is not published for Reception and Year 6 children specifically. Statistics from 2005 to 2009 are available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/schools-pupil-and-their-characteristics-2002-to-2009-data

With reference to the Answer of 1 May 2024 to Question 19413 on NHS: Expenditure, how much (a) NHS England, (b) clinical commissioning groups and (c) integrated care boards spent in aggregate on (i) mental health services, (ii) acute health services, (iii) social care services, (iv) primary medical services, (v) specialised services, (vi) NHS continuing healthcare and (vii) all other recorded spending categories in each financial year since 2015-16; and how much those organisations plan to spend in aggregate in each of those areas in the 2024-25 financial year.

The attached table sets out the spend categories for the specified services commissioned by NHS England, clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) and integrated care boards (ICBs) between 2015/16 and 2023/24.Information for 2024/25 is unvalidated and not quality assured. In-year data is not routinely reported on the methodology used for this answer and would be subject to material change between plan and outturn as a result.Purchase of Social care expenditure is an accounts category within the Operating Expense note of the NHS England Annual Report and Accounts 2023-24, with consolidated group expenditure for 2022/23 totalling £1,196,487,000 and that for 2023/24 totalling £1,024,918,000. Most of this expenditure, namely 76.2%, falls under the ‘Community’ category in the analysis provided. The report is available at the followed link:https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6709344a92bb81fcdbe7b728/nhs-england-annual-report-and-accounts-2023-to-2024.pdf

What estimate he has made of the average time taken for deaths to be reviewed under the national medical examiner system since 9 September 2024; and if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the time taken for deaths to be reviewed on the time taken to arrange funerals.

The Government is monitoring the impact of the death certification reforms, which came into legal effect on 9 September 2024. The median time taken to register a death since the introduction of the statutory medical examiner system in England and Wales is eight days. This figure is for all deaths, as it includes those certified by a doctor and those investigated by a coroner. The median time taken to register a death varies depending on the type of certification. Deaths certified by a doctor, that comprise approximately 80% of deaths registered each week, had a median time to registration of seven days. The Department has not conducted a separate review of the time taken to arrange funerals, which can depend on a number of external factors.The core purposes of the death certification reforms are to introduce scrutiny of the cause of death to detect and deter malpractice, to improve reporting, and crucially to put the bereaved at the centre of the process by offering a conversation with the medical examiner about the cause of death. The expectation on doctors and medical examiners is clear, that they should complete certification as quickly and efficiently as possible, and the Department is working with all stakeholders to make sure this is the case.

When he plans to publish the work his Department commissioned from the Adult Social Care Research Unit on updating the 2013 Adult Social Care Relative Needs Formula.

The Department of Health and Social Care funds independent research through its research delivery arm, the National Institute of Health and Care Research (NIHR). This project is funded through the NIHR Adult Social Care Policy Research Unit.The publication of research is led by the research team and in line with NIHR commitments to the transparent and independent publication of high-quality research will be made available on the Adult Social Care Policy Research Unit Website. The views expressed in outputs of the research are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care.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 is considered within the consultation ‘Local authority funding reform: objectives and principles’, published on 18 December 2024. We will update further in due course.

Pursuant to the Answer of 22 October 2024 to Question 9646 on HIV Infection: Diagnosis, how many people living with diagnosed HIV infection there were whose country of birth was (a) in the UK and (b) not in the UK by region in each year since 2014.

The information is not available in the format requested, however HIV data are publicly accessible from the HIV data tables published on GOV.UK at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/hiv-annual-data-tables.

How many people there were in each region with a newly diagnosed HIV infection whose country of birth was (a) in the UK and (b) not in the UK in each year since 2014.

The number of new diagnoses for each year between 2014 and 2023, presented by region of residence and by whether country of birth was UK or not, is publicly available from the following GOV.UK link: https://view.officeapps.live.com/op/view

How many units of (a) orthodontic and (b) dental activity were (i) commissioned and (ii) delivered per head of population in each region in each year since 2006.

We do not hold data on the units of dental activity delivered per head of population in each region and each year since 2006. Activity in National Health Service dentistry is measured by the number of Units of Dental Activity (UDAs) commissioned and delivered, and by the number of courses of treatment delivered. Data on the number of UDAs commissioned and delivered is published each month on the NHS Business Services Authority Open Data Portal, which us available at the following link:https://opendata.nhsbsa.net/dataset/english-contractor-monthly-general-dental-activityThe data for 2023/24, and for the years prior to 2023/24, is respectively available at the following two links:https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/statistical-collections/dental-england/dental-statistics-england-202324https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/nhs-dental-statistics

How many new HIV diagnoses there were in each year since 2012, by world region of birth.

This data is published routinely on gov.uk.

What guidance his Department provides to integrated care boards on the use of funding for dentistry; and whether such funding is required to be ring-fenced for the provision of dentistry services.

NHS England has issued guidance on the ringfencing of dental budgets between 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025, which is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/revenue-finance-and-contracting-guidance-for-2024-25/To ensure compliance against this requirement, and to strengthen oversight of funding that is used to deliver access to National Health Service dental care, NHS England will meet with and collect monthly returns from all integrated care boards to establish current and planned spend against the ringfenced dental allocations budget.

How many people living with diagnosed HIV infection there are whose country of birth was (a) in the UK and (b) not in the UK by region.

The following table shows the number of people diagnosed and seen for care in 2023 presented by region and by whether country of birth was the United Kingdom: Region of residenceUK bornBorn outside the UK East Midlands2,3923,876 East of England3,2425,325 London11,02526,035 North East1,480817 North West6,5904,305 Scotland3,1121,820 South East5,8736,321 South West3,4202,359 Wales723241 West Midlands3,6664,683 Yorkshire and Humber2,8833,208 Source: UK Health Security AgencyNote: this excludes 4% people for whom we did not hold data for country of birth. Data for Northern Ireland was not reported in 2023. People born outside the UK includes people who acquired HIV after arriving in the UK.HIV surveillance data in the UK by demographic characteristics and geographical region is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/hiv-annual-data-tablesThe latest update was published on 1 October 2024.

How many and what proportion of (a) women and (b) men who received care for a diagnosed HIV infection were born in (i) the UK, (ii) Europe, (iii) Northern Africa, (iii) Eastern Africa, (iv) Middle Africa, (v) Southern Africa, (vi) Western Africa, (vii) Africa, (viii) Asia, (ix) Oceania, (x) Northern America, (xi) Latin America and the Caribbean and (xii) an unknown location, in each year since 2014.

The information requested could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

How many people living with diagnosed HIV infection there were in (a) the period to 2014 from the earliest date for which data are available and (b) each year since 2014, by UK statistical region for people whose country of birth was (i) in the UK, (ii) in Europe, (iii) in Northern Africa, (iii) in Eastern Africa, (iv) in Middle Africa, (v) in Southern Africa, (vi) in Western Africa, (vii) in Africa, (viii) in Asia, (ix) in Oceania, (x) in Northern America, (xi) in Latin America and the Caribbean and (xii) unknown.

The information requested could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

How many GP premises there were in 2010.

In 2010, there were 8,324 general practice (GP) premises. This data has been sourced from NHS England and only includes main practices. More data is available at the following link:https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/general-and-personal-medical-services/2004-2014-as-at-30-september

How many times the Pharmacy First service has been used in each month since its launch.

Pharmacy First was launched on 31 January 2024, and the overall service consists of three core elements:clinical pathways, a new element;urgent medicine supply, previously commissioned as the Community Pharmacist Consultation Service; andNational Health Service referrals to Community Pharmacy for minor illness, previously commissioned as the Community Pharmacist Consultation Service. The following table shows a breakdown of all claimed consultations from February to May 2024: Number of claimed consultations Clinical pathwaysUrgent medicine supplyMinor illnessFebruary 2024125,27578,831137,396March 2024144,38995,789131,715April 2024153,64690,851126,193May 2024168,447110,710127,706Total591,757376,181523,010