Every parliamentary written question tabled by Perran Moon this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 61–80 of 263 · this parliament
Whether her Department plans to publish a report on the implementation and outcomes of the first year of the Zero Emission Vehicle Mandate.
Yes. The Government will publish a report on the Zero Emission Vehicle Mandate outcomes for 2024, by 15 March 2026, as required by legislation.
What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of higher rates of missed GP appointments in deprived areas on practices’ ability to deliver QOF requirements.
In the 2024 to 2025 contract year, 83.2% of practices achieved over 90% of the available Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) points. General practices (GPs) servicing populations in areas of higher deprivation face greater levels of unmet need and barriers to patient engagement, which can affect delivery against contractual frameworks, such as QOF.The indicators and thresholds included in the QOF are developed in accordance with National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines and are underpinned by a robust evidence base. Thresholds are designed to be attainable, reflecting the potential challenges involved with delivering the intended outcomes for certain interventions or care practices, while encouraging and incentivising practices to provide the best possible care. Thresholds are aspirational rather than a contractual obligation.We recognise the importance of ensuring funding for core services is distributed equitably between practices across the country. This is why we are currently reviewing the way GP funding is allocated across England (the Carr-Hill formula). The review will look at how health needs are reflected in the distribution of funding through the GP Contract.To ensure that patients are not digitally excluded, the GP Contract is clear that patients should always have the option of telephoning or visiting their practice in person, and all online tools must always be provided in addition to, rather than as a replacement for, other channels for accessing a GP. Practice receptions should be open so that patients without access to telephone or online services are in no way disadvantaged.In 2025, NHS England published an improvement framework for community language, translation, and interpreting services to support the provision of consistent, high-quality community language translation and interpreting services by the National Health Service to people with limited English proficiency. In primary care, the framework supplements the existing guidance for commissioners on interpreting and translation services.NHS England’s statement on information on health inequalities sets out details on the recording of housing status. This can enable a better understanding of how social risk factors such as insecure housing or homelessness affects health outcomes and health inequalities. The statement is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/nhs-englands-statement-on-information-on-health-inequalities/
Pursuant to the Answer of 11 November 2025 to Question 87556, how long the pause on the introduction of new electric vehicle salary sacrifice schemes in the public sector will last; and if she will publish the planned timetable for the cross‑government review of those schemes.
The review and decision on new electric vehicle salary sacrifice schemes for academy trusts is being led by HM Treasury. The department remains in contact with HM Treasury on this issue and will inform academy trusts when a decision has been made.
What steps his Department is taking to support general practices serving populations with higher levels of multimorbidity and patient complexity to meet QOF indicators.
In the Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF), clinical indicators all have a target population. Patients with co-morbidities are included in all relevant target populations and registers where they meet the defined criteria. These patients are eligible for the interventions outlined in all relevant disease areas and as such, practices are reimbursed for these interventions.The indicators and thresholds included in the QOF are developed in accordance with National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines, underpinned by a robust evidence base.We recognise the importance of ensuring funding for core services is distributed equitably between practices across the country. This is why we are currently reviewing the way general practice funding is allocated across England (the Carr-Hill formula). The review will look at how health needs are reflected in the distribution of funding through the GP Contract.Over the past 16 months, the Government has invested an extra £1.1 billion into primary care, prevented over 3,000 GPs from graduating into unemployment, and have halved the number of targets GPs are held to so GPs spend more time caring for patients. Over 6.5 million more GP appointments have been delivered in the 12 months to November 2025 compared to the same period last year, building capacity for continuity of care and improving access so that patients can be seen when they need to be in primary care.
What steps his Department is taking to help improve outcomes for people with pulmonary fibrosis.
NHS England has established 13 respiratory clinical networks across the country. These have been vital in providing clinical leadership for respiratory services and supporting services in primary care, including restoring spirometry, which is one of the tests used to diagnose pulmonary fibrosis.NHS Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD) clinics offer expert care from specialist respiratory doctors and nurses for pulmonary fibrosis and other ILDs, often with access to additional services like lung function testing and research facilities.The National Health Service also provides pulmonary rehabilitation, which plays an important role in the management of patients with pulmonary fibrosis and which should be made available to all patients who would benefit from this intervention.
What steps NHS England is taking to ensure equitable geographic access to hyperbaric treatment for decompression illness following changes to the national contract.
The contract for hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) services was reviewed in 2024, as existing contract terms expired. This included an update of the service specification using the published full methods process, and a public consultation on the proposal to reduce the number of commissioned providers in England from eight to six centres. Further information on the service specification, the published full methods process, and the consultation is available, respectively, at the following three links:https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Hyperbaric-oxygen-therapy-services-all-ages-Service-specification-January-2025.pdfhttps://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/methods-national-service-specifications/https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/reviewing-hyperbaric-oxygen-services-consultation-guide/#:~:text=Background,Background,Manual%20of%20Prescribed%20Specialised%20ServicesThe updates to the specification seek to ensure timely access to treatment for the most acutely unwell patients, with the specification requiring:the delivery of care that is integrated with other services, including the emergency department, critical care, and other healthcare professionals as required; andfacilities should be capable of receiving patients in any diagnostic category who may require advanced life support either immediately or during HBOT.The geographical scope of the six services will ensure that there are no more than four hours travelling time by road from coastal locations, from the furthest borders, or between neighbouring commissioned HBOT centres, which is in line with good practice guidelines.
What funding is planned for National Centre for Arts and Music Education beyond March 2026.
As part of the national curriculum schools are expected to fund the delivery of music teaching from their schools budget. The government has committed to putting education back at the forefront of national life, with school funding increasing by £3.7 billion in financial year 2025/26, meaning that core school budgets will total £65.3 billion, compared to £61.6 billion in 2024/25.The government also invests £76 million per year through the Music Hubs grant, including this academic year. This supports 43 Music Hub partnerships across England to offer a range of services to schools, including musical instrument tuition and whole-class ensemble teaching. To widen access, the government is also investing £25 million in capital funding for musical instruments, equipment and technology.We intend to establish the National Centre for Arts and Music Education by September 2026, and the funding will be set out in due course.
What assessment she has made of the adequacy of current levels of funding for music education in schools.
As part of the national curriculum schools are expected to fund the delivery of music teaching from their schools budget. The government has committed to putting education back at the forefront of national life, with school funding increasing by £3.7 billion in financial year 2025/26, meaning that core school budgets will total £65.3 billion, compared to £61.6 billion in 2024/25.The government also invests £76 million per year through the Music Hubs grant, including this academic year. This supports 43 Music Hub partnerships across England to offer a range of services to schools, including musical instrument tuition and whole-class ensemble teaching. To widen access, the government is also investing £25 million in capital funding for musical instruments, equipment and technology.We intend to establish the National Centre for Arts and Music Education by September 2026, and the funding will be set out in due course.
What steps her Department is taking to help increase high-resolution geoscientific data coverage across the UK to support domestic critical mineral exploration.
DBT works with the Critical Minerals Intelligence Centre (CMIC) at the British Geological Survey (BGS) and industry to assess UK critical raw material potential. DBT supports BGS’ efforts to improve geoscientific data acquisition, although recognises that this requires investment. High-resolution geophysical and geochemical data in Northern Ireland and South West England have been vital for the minerals industry and in support of the UK Critical Mineral Strategy. I have met BGS recently to discuss how they can support to further realise the UK’s Critical Minerals potential.
How many children are classified as being in deep material poverty in Camborne and Redruth constituency.
The Department does not hold data on the number of children in deep material poverty broken down by geographical region or constituency. Geographical analyses are usually presented as 3-year averages due to the volatility of single year estimates based on small sample sizes. We anticipate regional breakdowns being available in future years, once more data becomes available. More information can be found at: Deep material poverty: Financial year ending 2024 - GOV.UK. As deep material poverty is impacted by a range of un-modellable factors, such as families’ broader resources, support networks and financial resilience, it is not possible to model reductions in deep material poverty in the same way as for relative low income. Instead, we have provided analysis on number of children in deep material poverty who will gain from the strategy, which can be found here: Child Poverty Strategy: Impact on low income poverty levels and children gaining in the UK: December 2025 - GOV.UK.
What steps his Department has taken to help ensure that the Infected Blood Compensation Authority claims process is accessible to people whose historic NHS records are missing or partially redacted.
The Scheme has been designed to minimise as far as possible the burden on those applying, and as set out in the Infected Blood Compensation Scheme Regulations 2024, eligibility for the Scheme will be determined based on the balance of probabilities. The Infected Blood Compensation Authority will provide assistance to those who believe their medical records have been lost or destroyed. In addition to this, on 3 July 2025, the Permanent Secretary of the Cabinet Office wrote to the Chairs of the PAC and PACAC Committees to set out the measures being taken to prioritise faster compensation payments, and one of these measures is to use the powers in the Victims and Prisoners Act to get records from the Infected Blood Inquiry, and using testimony to contribute to the assessment of proof of infection.
Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she plans to take to deliver the commitment in the 2025 Environmental Improvement Plan to legislate to end the sale of horticultural peat; and what her timetable is for bringing forward such legislation.
The Government plans to legislate for a ban on the sale of peat and peat containing products when parliamentary time allows.
What assessment she has made of the role of Individual Healthcare Plans in supporting the safety and inclusion of pupils with long-term health conditions, such as epilepsy, at school.
The government understands the impact of epilepsy and other long-term medical conditions on the way pupils feel included and supported in school life. The statutory guidance ‘Supporting pupils at school with medical conditions’ recommends the use of individual healthcare plans as good practice. They can help schools support pupils with medical conditions, providing clarity about what needs to be done, when and by whom. The school, healthcare professionals and parents should agree, based on evidence, when a healthcare plan would be appropriate. The government has committed to reviewing the statutory guidance, and we intend to consult on revised guidance. The current guidance is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/supporting-pupils-at-school-with-medical-conditions--3. Our aim is to ensure that schools are better equipped to support all pupils with medical conditions, including those with epilepsy, as part of our wider ambition to create more inclusive schools through the forthcoming Schools White Paper.
To what extent young people with long-term health conditions such as epilepsy have been included in the Department’s co-creation process for the forthcoming Schools White Paper.
The government understands the impact of epilepsy and other long-term medical conditions on the way pupils feel included and supported in school life. The statutory guidance ‘Supporting pupils at school with medical conditions’ recommends the use of individual healthcare plans as good practice. They can help schools support pupils with medical conditions, providing clarity about what needs to be done, when and by whom. The school, healthcare professionals and parents should agree, based on evidence, when a healthcare plan would be appropriate. The government has committed to reviewing the statutory guidance, and we intend to consult on revised guidance. The current guidance is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/supporting-pupils-at-school-with-medical-conditions--3. Our aim is to ensure that schools are better equipped to support all pupils with medical conditions, including those with epilepsy, as part of our wider ambition to create more inclusive schools through the forthcoming Schools White Paper.
What assessment he has made of the potential contribution of tidal stream technologies to his Department's clean energy targets.
The Clean Power 2030 Action Plan acknowledges that whilst emerging renewable technologies, such as tidal stream, are expected to play a limited role in the 2030 energy mix, our ability to deploy at scale could be important to the U K ’s achievement of longer-term decarbonisation objectives.
What steps his Department is taking to improve service provision for people with sarcoma in Cornwall.
NHS England has published a national service specification, covering both bone and soft tissue sarcomas. The specification requires close working between sarcoma services and other National Health Service partners, co-ordinated by Sarcoma Advisory Groups, to improve care pathways.Work is underway across both bone and soft tissue sarcoma provision to ensure that cancer care providers meet national service standards and improve care to patients across the country, including in Cornwall.The Government welcomes the recent publication of Sarcoma UK’s sarcoma state of the nation report as it highlights the importance of early diagnosis, care co-ordination across complex pathways, research into new treatments, and survivorship. Our forthcoming National Cancer Plan will set out how we will improve outcomes for all cancers, including sarcoma.
When the Education and Skills Funding Agency plans to publish updated guidance on the conditions under which academy trusts may operate electric vehicle salary-sacrifice schemes.
New electric vehicle salary sacrifice schemes in the public sector are currently paused whilst a cross-government review on these schemes is undertaken. The department will inform academy trusts when a decision has been made, and the academy trust handbookwill be updated accordingly.
What progress she has made on implementing the findings of the Green Book Review 2025.
The Chancellor has listened to regional leaders who have said that, for too long, the Green Book has downplayed the importance of local outcomes and the potential of targeted regional investment. The Chancellor commissioned a new review of the Green Book. The conclusions of that review were published in June, setting out a new approach to public sector appraisal that will deliver a more effective assessment of place-based interventions. This includes the introduction of place-based business cases that will galvanise departments across Whitehall and highlight the reinforcing effects of different investments within an area. Liverpool, Plymouth, Port Talbot and Birmingham will be the first early adopters of place-based business cases. HM Treasury will also publish an updated Green Book at the start of 2026. A cross-government taskforce has been established to develop the approach to place-based business cases and oversee their implementation. This taskforce is currently comprised of the Second Permanent Secretary of HM Treasury responsible for regional growth and devolution, the Director General for Local Government, Growth and Communities in the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, the Director General for Public Transport and Local Group in the Department for Transport, and the CEO of the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority.
What steps his Department is taking to increase the numbers of walk-in consultation services at pharmacies.
Community pharmacies already provide a range of walk-in consultation services, including blood pressure checks, contraception consultations, and Pharmacy First. They also provide health advice and sell over the counter medicines for minor illnesses.The Government is committed to expanding the role of pharmacies and better utilising the skills of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians. For example, on 29 October the Pharmacy Contraception Service was expanded so that pharmacies can supply emergency contraception free of charge, to ensure women have access to a consistent offer across England.
What steps his Department is taking to improve outcomes for patients with coronary heart disease in Camborne and Redruth constituency.
To improve outcomes for patients with coronary heart disease, including those in the Camborne and Redruth constituency, the Government will publish a cardiovascular disease modern service framework. This will identify and set standards for the best evidenced interventions, drive innovation in cardiovascular disease prevention and management, and reduce unwarranted variation in healthcare.