Written questions by Holden.

What guidance is issued to maternity services and safeguarding partners on cannabis use during pregnancy and while caring for new born babies.

Maternity services are required to provide care in line with National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines on antenatal care and pregnancy, reference code NG201, and complex social factors, reference code CG110. These guidelines specify that women should be asked about substance use, including cannabis use, as part of routine antenatal care.Women requiring support for substance misuse should be offered a personalised care and support plan which may include referrals to specialist services. NHS England recently published the Improving postnatal care toolkit which aims to support system leaders improve postnatal care. This includes the development of targeted care pathways for vulnerable groups, such as women affected by substance misuse.

When NHS England’s investigation into guidance and training materials relating to marriage between close relatives began; which guidance, training modules and programmes are within scope of that investigation; and when he expects its findings to be concluded and published.

The internal review in response to recent concerns that National Health Service guidance stated the benefits of close relative marriage began on 19 January 2026. All public documents which constitute training modules, or guidance regarding marriage between close relatives is in scope. The findings will be concluded shortly.

How many births recorded in the Maternity Services Dataset have been associated with the SNOMED CT codes i) 125678001, ii) 699110007, iii) 1269487002, iv) 1269486006 and v) 842009 in each year since the introduction of that coding within that dataset.

Validated data for the codes requested is not available. Guidance published in September 2024 set out how consanguinity and related information should be recorded however this guidance is not mandatory. Recording of these codes has been undertaken by a small number of NHS trusts to date.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of caesarean sections on long-term health, including links to bowel and gastrointestinal conditions.

Bowel or gastrointestinal long-term conditions are not recognised consequences of caesarean section unless there have been additional complications at the time of surgery such as bowel injury. The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists are responsible for the guidance used by healthcare professionals to support discussions with women about planned caesarean sections so that they are tailored to women’s own needs.As with most other forms of surgery there is no specific routine, long-term follow up post caesarean section. However, all women are offered a six to eight week postnatal check up with their general practitioner that will a take holistic view of their physical and mental health. Women should be supported to return to good physical health following childbirth and pregnancy, with ongoing management for conditions that existed before or which arose during pregnancy.

What English language proficiency requirements apply to (a) registered nurses and (b) care staff working in regulated settings; and how compliance is monitored and enforced.

To practise as a nurse in the United Kingdom, individuals must register with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) which sets the standards for both domestic and internationally qualified nurses. All applicants must demonstrate they have sufficient competency in English to communicate safely in clinical settings to meet NMC registration standards.UK-qualified nurses meet this requirement through an NMC-approved nursing programme. International applicants can show proficiency by providing a recent International English Language Testing System or Occupational English Test score at the required level, completing an English-taught nursing programme with significant patient interaction in English, or having one year of recent practice in a majority English-speaking country.As an independent regulator, the NMC determines how English language competence is assessed for registration.Care providers must ensure staff have adequate English skills to communicate effectively. Under Regulation 19 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014, employers are required to only employ ‘fit and proper’ staff to provide care and treatment appropriate to their role. Failure to comply may lead to fixed penalties for providers and registered managers.Employers and providers should use robust recruitment and monitoring procedures to ensure employees are qualified and competent. NHS Employers guidance requires proportionate English language standards for public-facing roles, and human resources policies should be regularly checked against the English language requirement for public sector workers: code of practice.

Pursuant to the Answer of 12 January 2026 to Questions 89643, what health risks his Department has identified in relation to first cousin marriage; and whether the Department intends to publish the (a) evidence and (b) analysis informing those assessments.

The National Disease Registration Service is working with hospital trusts to continually improve the quality and completeness of data.The Born in Bradford study provides the most definitive United Kingdom based evidence of risk of congenital anomalies. Results of this are publicly available at the following link:https://borninbradford.nhs.uk/our-impacts/findings/?sf_paged=2This includes a summary of health risks associated with consanguinity, specifically in Born in Bradford Evidence Briefing on Genes and health: Inheritance and Risk, available at the following link:https://borninbradford.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/HG2954-BIHR-BiB-Evidence-Briefing-Genes-and-Health-4.pdfThe Born in Bradford data indicated the risk of genetic abnormalities doubles, from 3% to 6%, in infants where parents are first cousins, similar to the increase in risk for mothers of white British origin older than 34 years old. Further information on this is available at the following link:https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23830354/Other publicly available academic research also indicates that miscarriage, stillbirth, and neonatal mortality are higher among consanguineous couples than non-consanguineous couples, with further information available at the following two links:https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-024-69151-7#:~:text=Consanguinity%20and%20spontaneous%20abortion%20and,%3C%200.001%20in%20Model%20Ihttps://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1508879/

Pursuant to the Answer of 22 December 2025 to Question 99799, whether NHS England has adopted a net zero target date for the National Health Service that differs from the United Kingdom’s statutory target of net zero by 2050.

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer provided to him on 27 November 2025 to Question 92091 which set out the National Health Service’s Net Zero ambitions. Additionally, the answer provided to Queston 99799 on 22 December 2025 is clear that NHS England’s intent was to set ambitious but achievable aims that align with different sectoral pathways and expectations. This aims to support the United Kingdom’s overall approach to the statutory Net Zero target of 2050, which applies to the whole UK economy.As per the 10-Year Health Plan, the Department is committed to supporting these ambitions, and we will do so in a way that delivers better value for money for the taxpayer and better care for patients, and which remains aligned to the Government's approach to carbon budgets and the overall Net Zero statutory target.

Pursuant to the Answer of 19 December 2025 to Question 99967, whether he will place copies of the training modules on close relative marriage and genetic risk for midwives and health visitors, and the associated guidance on submitting data on consanguinity and pregnancy to the Maternity Services Dataset, in the Library of the House of Commons.

There are no plans to place the training modules on close relative marriage and genetic risk for midwives and health visitors, or the associated guidance on submitting data on consanguinity and pregnancy to the Maternity Services Dataset, in the library of the House of Commons.

Pursuant to the answer of 17 December 2025 to WPQ 96699, if he will provide a hyperlink to that information.

Guidance on how to submit data about consanguinity and pregnancy to the Maternity Services Dataset is available at the following link:https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/data-collections-and-data-sets/data-sets/maternity-services-data-set/guidance/msds-consanguinity-data-quality-guidance

Pursuant to the Answer of 17 December 2025 to Question 94028, whether he plans to (a) implement the recommendations of Lord Darzi’s report on eating disorders and (b) set future targets to improve community care for young people with eating disorders.

Lord Darzi conducted an independent investigation into the National Health Service in England. He did not issue a report on eating disorders and in his independent investigation, in line with the agreed terms of reference, made no specific policy recommendations regarding eating disorders. Through the 10-Year Health Plan, the Government will overhaul the NHS and ensure that those living with mental health conditions, including eating disorders, are given the support they need, including by recruiting an extra 8,500 new mental health workers across child and adult mental health services to cut waiting times and ensure people can access treatment and support earlier.

Whether his Department has a definition of healthy eating.

The definition of healthy eating is represented visually by the United Kingdom’s national food model, the Eatwell Guide. The Eatwell Guide depicts the dietary recommendations made by the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition, which result from robust independent risk assessments of the scientific evidence. The Eatwell Guide represents the proportion of each of the main food groups we should consume to have a balanced diet which helps meet nutrient requirements and promote long term health at a population level. Consuming a healthy diet means making food choices that are in line with both calorie requirements and the principles of a healthy, balanced diet, as set out in the guide.

Pursuant to the Answer of 10 December 2025 to Question 94029, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of the Food Scanner app on people with eating disorders.

The Department has a series of digital tools to support adults and families to eat better and move more, including the food scanner app and the National Health Service weight loss plan app, email programmes, and websites. These tools are evidence-based and regularly reviewed to ensure alignment with current Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition guidance. Updates are ongoing to reflect the latest Government advice.We are always looking to improve the app experience, including extending and personalising messaging. We welcome feedback from parents as well as organisations to aid us in this process.

Pursuant to the Answer of 27 November 2025 to Question 92091 on NHS England: Carbon Emissions, what estimate has been made of the cost to the NHS of delivering the net zero targets; and whether those costs have been broken down between capital spending, operational changes and procurement requirements.

These targets are system–led and were set by NHS England, in collaboration with its Net Zero Expert Panel, to support the United Kingdom’s legislative target in a way that is ambitious but achievable. NHS England has been clear that its approach is designed to align with different sectoral pathways, and to be consistent with the UK's overall approach on decarbonisation. No National Health Service specific cost-estimate of achieving Net Zero has been made, and both NHS England and Department are clear that NHS budgets will only be used to support the targets where this can deliver better value for money for the taxpayer and better care for patients.

Pursuant to WPQ 87435 answered on 26 November, if he will publish copies of the modules about close relative marriage and genetic risk for midwives and health visitors and guidance on how to submit data around consanguinity and pregnancy to the Maternity Services Dataset.

NHS England has already published training modules about close relative marriage and genetic risk for midwives and health visitors, as well as guidance on how to submit data around consanguinity and pregnancy to the Maternity Services Dataset. The training modules have been published for health professionals to access and there are no plans to publish them more widely.

What potential new treatments for glioblastoma have been trialled in the NHS.

The Department of Health and Social Care enables research via its research arm, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), and is committed to furthering our investment and driving scientific advancements in research into the causes and treatment of brain tumours. Between 2018/19 and 2023/24, the NIHR directly invested £11.8 million via research programmes and training. UK Research and Innovation, funded by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, invested £46.8 million.During the same period, the NIHR’s wider investments of approximately £37.5 million in research infrastructure and the research workforce have enabled the delivery of an additional 261 brain tumour research studies, allowing over 11,400 more people to participate in brain tumour research. NIHR infrastructure provides world-class research expertise, specialist facilities, a research delivery workforce, and support services to enable and deliver research across the National Health Service and wider health and care system.For example, the CITADEL-123 trial, supported by the NIHR’s University College London Hospital (UCLH) Clinical Research Facility and the UCLH Biomedical Research Centre, is trialling the use of resection surgery followed by implantation of a medical device which delivers radioactive therapy in patients with recurrent glioblastoma. A separate trial of a drug derived from olive oil has shown promise in early studies for patients with glioblastoma. The NIHR Biomedical Research Centre at the Royal Marsden and the Institute of Cancer Research and Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre Network, which the NIHR jointly funds, support the work of the Drug Development Unit, which supported the study.The Win-Glio trial, also supported by the NIHR’s UCLH Clinical Research Facility, is testing immunotherapy treatment using the drug ipilimumab prior to standard treatment in patients with glioblastoma.The NIHR continues to welcome funding applications for research into any aspect of human health and care, including glioblastoma. These applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made on the basis of the importance of the topic to the public and health and care services, value for money, and scientific quality.

How many a) neurologists with specialist training in Parkinson’s, b) geriatricians with specialist training in Parkinson’s, and c) specialist Parkinson’s nurses are currently practising in the NHS.

While the Department does not hold data specifically on the number of Parkinson’s specialist staff in England, we do hold data on the number of doctors working in the wider specialities of neurology and geriatric medicine. As of August 2025, there were 2,010 full time equivalent (FTE) doctors working in the specialty of neurology and 6,284 in geriatric medicine in National Health Service trusts and other organisations in England. This includes 1,025 FTE consultant neurologists and 1,687 FTE consultant geriatricians.These figures are based on NHS Digital’s workforce data and reflect staff employed by NHS trusts and other core NHS organisations in England. They do not include doctors working in private practice or outside NHS organisations.The Department does not hold specific data on the number of specialist Parkinson’s nurses currently working in the NHS in England. These roles are commissioned and managed locally by NHS trusts and integrated care boards as part of neurology and movement disorder services.NHS England has published a service specification for specialised adult neurology services, which includes Parkinson’s disease as part of its scope. This specification sets out requirements for multidisciplinary care, including access to Parkinson’s disease nurse specialists, consultant neurologists, and allied health professionals.NHS England is also implementing initiatives such as the Neurology Transformation Programme and the Getting It Right First Time Programme for Neurology, which aim to improve access to specialist care, reduce variation, and develop integrated models of service delivery for conditions including Parkinson’s disease. These programmes align with the National Institute for Care Excellence guidance on Parkinson’s disease, reference code NG71, which recommends that people with Parkinson’s have regular access to specialist staff with expertise in the condition.

Pursuant to the Answer of 26 November 2025 to Question 92671 on Congenital Abnormalities, if he will publish the guidance issued by NHS England on submitting consanguinity and pregnancy data to the Maternity Services Dataset.

NHS England has published guidance on how to submit data about consanguinity and pregnancy to the Maternity Services Dataset (MSDS). The guidance is publicly available on NHS Digital’s website under “MSDS Consanguinity Data Quality Guidance”.

Pursuant to the Answer of 25 November 2025 to Question 87433 on Hereditary Diseases, for what reasons reporting of parental consanguinity within the National Disease Registration Service congenital conditions dataset remains incomplete; what assessment he has made of the impact of this incomplete reporting on the accuracy and usefulness of prevalence data; and what steps his Department is taking to help tackle this and improve compliance.

Since assuming responsibility for the registration of congenital and rare conditions in 2015, the National Disease Registration Service (NDRS) has focused on improving the accuracy of case completeness and strengthening regional coverage to monitor trends in congenital and rare conditions. NDRS is reviewing the data items recommended for reporting of congenital conditions, including which information should be collected through specialist congenital condition registration datasets and which is better captured for all pregnancies through the Maternity Services Data Set. NDRS has not assessed completeness of the consanguinity field at a provider level. NHS England is working to improve the recording of consanguinity. NDRS continues to work closely with reporting trusts, maternity services, and clinical teams to improve the quality and completeness of congenital condition data, supported by a dedicated data liaison function.

Pursuant to the Answer of 25 November 2025 to Question 87433 on Hereditary Diseases, which NHS trusts and other data providers are submitting incomplete information on parental consanguinity to the National Disease Registration Service congenital conditions dataset; what the rate of completeness is for each provider; and what action is being taken in respect of providers not meeting required data standards.

Since assuming responsibility for the registration of congenital and rare conditions in 2015, the National Disease Registration Service (NDRS) has focused on improving the accuracy of case completeness and strengthening regional coverage to monitor trends in congenital and rare conditions. NDRS is reviewing the data items recommended for reporting of congenital conditions, including which information should be collected through specialist congenital condition registration datasets and which is better captured for all pregnancies through the Maternity Services Data Set. NDRS has not assessed completeness of the consanguinity field at a provider level. NHS England is working to improve the recording of consanguinity. NDRS continues to work closely with reporting trusts, maternity services, and clinical teams to improve the quality and completeness of congenital condition data, supported by a dedicated data liaison function.

What steps his Department is taking to encourage healthy eating habits in young people, separate from Out of Home Calorie Labelling Regulations.

The Government’s advice on a healthy, balanced diet is encapsulated in the United Kingdom’s national food model, the Eatwell Guide. The Eatwell Guide applies to most people from the age of two years old, and is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-eatwell-guide#The Eatwell Guide’s principles are communicated through a variety of channels, including the NHS.UK website and Department social marketing campaigns, which encompass Better Health, Better Health Families, and Best Start in Life. This includes a series of websites and digital tools that support families with young children to eat better, providing guidance on healthy eating, such as the Food Scanner app and email programmes.Education around healthy eating is also covered through a number of school curriculum subjects.The Eatwell Guide also underpins Government catering guidance and standards. Earlier this year, the Government committed to reviewing the School Food Standards to reflect the most recent Government dietary recommendations. These standards are available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-food-standards-resources-for-schools/school-food-standards-practical-guideAs set out in our 10-Year Health Plan, the Government has committed to actions to encourage a food environment that supports everyone, including young people, to make healthier choices, including:implementing restrictions on the advertising of less healthy food or drink products on television before 9:00pm and all paid-for advertising online;consulting on our plans to ban the sale of high-caffeine energy drinks to children under 16 years old; andusing our Revised National Planning Policy Framework to give local authorities stronger powers to block new fast-food outlets near schools.Further information on the 10-Year Health Plan is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/10-year-health-plan-for-england-fit-for-the-futureThere are a range of actions that have already been taken, including the Soft Drinks Industry Levy, location promotions restrictions, and calorie labelling. Prior to the General Election in July 2024, the Department also legislated to introduce restrictions on the volume price promotions retailers can offer on ‘less healthy’ food and drink in stores and their equivalent places online. These measures came into force in England on 1 October 2025.