Written questions by Holden.

What assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the Material Focus study entitled Big puff vapes are surging onto the market adding to the vape environmental crisis, published on 16 December 2024, and whether he plans to take steps to tackle the popularity of high puff-count vapes amongst 16 to 34 year olds.

Selling nicotine vapes to children under 18 years old is illegal. Yet due to the branding and advertising of vapes to children, one-in-four children aged between 11 and 15 years old tried vaping in 2023. The health advice is clear, that vaping is never recommended for children or non-smokers. Single-use vapes are playing a significant role in the rise of youth vaping; in 2024, 54% of current vapers aged between 11 and 17 years old in Great Britain were using them, increasing from 7.7% in 2021. The Department of Health and Social Care is aware of the issues regarding ‘big-puff’ vapes, including those raised in the study referenced. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has laid legislation to ban the sale of single-use disposable vapes in England from 1 June 2025. Most ‘big puff’ vapes currently on the market are neither refillable or rechargeable, which means that they will be captured by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs’ forthcoming ban. The Tobacco and Vapes Bill will ban the advertising and sponsorship of all vapes and nicotine products. It will also provide regulation making powers to limit the flavours and packaging of vapes and nicotine products, as well as how these products are displayed. The Bill also provides powers that allow the Government to regulate the size of a tank or refill container, and the amount of liquid that can be included, as well as powers to standardise the size and shape of vapes, and to further restrict liquid availability. In addition, the Bill contains powers that allow us to regulate the amount of nicotine in a puff, so the Government is able to restrict the nicotine not only in the tank, but also the nicotine that can be emitted in the vapour. Future vaping regulations will be accompanied by impact assessments when the secondary legislation is laid.

If his Department will publish (a) the business case for and (b) analysis held of the Genetic Risk Equity project.

There is not a business case for the project and therefore there is no plan to publish one. The project was approved through the maternity transformation programme board and business planning and prioritisation processes.The project expert reference group has engaged with pilot sites throughout implementation and qualitative feedback has informed development of Phase 2 of the programme. There will be an evaluation of the project due in spring 2025 that will include quantitative and qualitative analyses. The intention is to publish this.

Pursuant to the Answer of 9 January 2025 to Question 22100 on Genetics: Diseases, how many additional (a) midwives and (b) close relative neonatal nurses were provided for the Genetic Risk Equity project; and what proportion of funding that represented.

There were an additional 3.8 working time equivalent (WTE) midwives and 1 WTE neonatal nurse in post in 2024/25. Staff costs represented 22% of project costs, or 59% if full recruitment to funded posts was secured.

Whether (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department have had meetings with representatives of the British Society for Genetic Medicine in the last 30 years.

In the last 30 years, officials in the Department of Health and, later, the Department of Health and Social Care, have had meetings with representatives of the British Society for Genetic Medicine. As far as can be determined, ministers have also had meetings with representatives of the British Society for Genetic Medicine.

Pursuant to the Answer of 8 January 2025 to Question 21699 on Gonorrhoea: Health Services, what data his Department holds on the cost of treating gonorrhoea to the NHS; and if he will publish that data.

The data on the cost of treating gonorrhoea to the National Health Service is not held centrally. This is because most gonorrhoea infections are treated with antibiotics in sexual health services using funding from the Local Authority Public Health Grant. In 2023, there were 85,223 diagnoses of gonorrhoea in sexual health services in England.For infections and complications requiring treatment in secondary care, the UK Health Security Agency estimates that the cost to the NHS of treating gonorrhoea in secondary care in 2022/23 was approximately £2,000 per in-patient admission. Data on the number of admissions is not held centrally.

Pursuant to the Answer of 3 January 2025 to Question 19417 on Genetics: Diseases, how much funding was provided by NHS England to the Genetic Risk Equity project; and what that funding was used for.

The project began in 2022/23, with total spend being £2.7 million. The following table showing the breakdown by year and to the nearest £100,000:YearSpend (£)2024/251,000,0002023/241,000,0002022/23700,000Source: NHS EnglandNote: The funding was spent on additional midwifery capacity, genomics associates, neonatal nurses (2024/25 only) and genetic literacy/public health outreach. 5% was spent on project management and evaluation.

How many cases of gonorrhoea have been diagnosed in each of the last 30 years.

The following table shows the number of gonorrhoea diagnoses in sexual health services in England between 1994 and 2023:YearNumber of gonorrhoea diagnoses19949,63119959,890199611,828199712,332199812,457199915,450200020,297200122,198200224,123200323,346200420,669200517,632200617,191200717,119200814,985200916,141201016,839201121,090201226,909201331,200201437,150201541,290201636,545201744,839201856,690201971,133202050,678202149,321202279,268202385,223Source: UK Health Security Agency

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill on the illegal sale of tobacco products in (a) non-grocery and (b) non-newsagent premises.

The Tobacco and Vapes Bill will put us on track to a smoke-free United Kingdom, helping to reduce around 80,000 preventable deaths and reduce the burden on the National Health Service and on the taxpayer.Whilst the published impact assessment on the Bill makes no specific assessment of the potential impact on the illegal sale of tobacco products in non-grocery and non-newsagent premises, we expect most retailers who sell tobacco, regardless of the type of business, to comply with the new and existing measures in the Bill. Further impact assessments will be prepared in advance of secondary legislation, including for a future licensing scheme, which aims to crack down on rogue retailers.The Bill takes bold action to strengthen enforcement and crack down on rogue retailers who break the law regardless of the type of business. It introduces new £200 fixed penalty notices (FPNs), in England and Wales, to support Trading Standards Officers to take swifter enforcement action by issuing on-the-spot fines rather than needing to go through lengthy court processes. Trading Standards will be able to issue a £200 FPN for a range of offences, including to anyone who illegally sells tobacco products to someone underage.The Bill also provides powers for Ministers in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland to introduce a licensing scheme for the retail sale of tobacco products, herbal smoking products, cigarette papers, vaping, and nicotine products. The licensing scheme will support legitimate businesses, act as a deterrent to rogue retailers and provide enforcement agencies with further opportunities to bring penalties against these retailers. We will consult on the details of the licensing scheme ahead of introducing regulations, including the types of business which may hold a licence and the licence conditions.

Pursuant to the Answer of 23 December 2024 to Question 19416 on Maternity Services: Nurses, if his Department will make an estimate of the number of close relative marriage neonatal nurses there are in the NHS; and if he will publish this data.

The Department has no plans to make such an estimate.

Whether additional powers will be made available to law enforcement officers to penalise (a) barber shops, (b) off-licences, (c) bookmakers, (d) pubs and (e) other non-grocery and non-newsagent premises illegally selling tobacco products as a result of the implementation of a generational ban on tobacco sales.

The Tobacco and Vapes Bill will put us on track to a smoke-free United Kingdom, helping to reduce around 80,000 preventable deaths and reduce the burden on the National Health Service and on the taxpayer.Whilst the published impact assessment on the Bill makes no specific assessment of the potential impact on the illegal sale of tobacco products in non-grocery and non-newsagent premises, we expect most retailers who sell tobacco, regardless of the type of business, to comply with the new and existing measures in the Bill. Further impact assessments will be prepared in advance of secondary legislation, including for a future licensing scheme, which aims to crack down on rogue retailers.The Bill takes bold action to strengthen enforcement and crack down on rogue retailers who break the law regardless of the type of business. It introduces new £200 fixed penalty notices (FPNs), in England and Wales, to support Trading Standards Officers to take swifter enforcement action by issuing on-the-spot fines rather than needing to go through lengthy court processes. Trading Standards will be able to issue a £200 FPN for a range of offences, including to anyone who illegally sells tobacco products to someone underage.The Bill also provides powers for Ministers in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland to introduce a licensing scheme for the retail sale of tobacco products, herbal smoking products, cigarette papers, vaping, and nicotine products. The licensing scheme will support legitimate businesses, act as a deterrent to rogue retailers and provide enforcement agencies with further opportunities to bring penalties against these retailers. We will consult on the details of the licensing scheme ahead of introducing regulations, including the types of business which may hold a licence and the licence conditions.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of the implementation of a generational ban on tobacco sales on trends in the level of (a) counterfeit cigarettes and (b) contraband cigarettes being consumed in the UK.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Bridlington and The Wolds on 11 December 2024 to Question UIN 17992.

What the (a) average and (b) maximum cost to the NHS was of untreated gonorrhoea in the latest year for which data is available; and what assessment he has made of the impact of this on the NHS.

The information requested is not held centrally.

What information his Department holds on the (a) cost and (b) incidence of cousin marriage.

The Government has not carried out an assessment of health costs resulting from cousin marriage. The Department also does not hold data on the incidence of cousin marriage.

What recent progress his Department has made on providing a new gonorrhoea vaccine through the NHS.

On 10 November 2023, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) issued advice on standing up a targeted, routine vaccination programme for the prevention of gonorrhoea.Officials across the Department, the UK Health Security Agency, and NHS England are developing policy options based on the JCVI’s advice, taking into account a number of factors, including programme deliverability, interrelationship with other immunisation programmes, and National Health Service delivery options. A decision on the vaccination programme is expected shortly after the outcome of this process.

How much funding was provided by NHS England to the Culturally Sensitive Genetic Literacy project in the current financial year.

NHS England does not recognise the title ‘Culturally Sensitive Genetic Literacy project’, we believe this was used in a job advert by an NHS trust involved in the Genetic Risk Equity project.

How many close relative marriage neonatal nurses there are in the NHS.

The Department does not hold the data requested.

How many cases of (a) HIV and (b) AIDS have been diagnosed due to mandatory opt-out testing in hospitals.

The bloodborne viruses (BBVs) opt-out testing in emergency departments programme has identified 391 people with new HIV diagnoses between April 2022 and December 2023. In addition, 314 people were identified with HIV who had been previously diagnosed. Data on AIDS is not collected via the emergency department opt-out BBV testing programme. The published report is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/hiv-monitoring-and-evaluation-framework/hiv-action-plan-monitoring-and-evaluation-framework-2024-report

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of changes to the eligibility criteria for the Winter Fuel Payment on (a) primary care, (b) hospitals and (c) Pharmacy First.

We know that patients are struggling to access their general practice (GP), especially throughout the winter period when demand is higher. We committed to restoring the front door of the National Health Service by shifting the focus of the NHS out of hospitals into the community. We know that when patients are not able to get a GP appointment, they end up in accident and emergency, which is worse for the patient, and more expensive for the taxpayer. That is why it is key that we increase the capacity of GP appointments. We have already committed to recruiting over 1,000 newly qualified GPs from October 2024 through an £82 million boost to the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme, which will increase the number of GP appointments delivered.In line with the requirements of the Public Sector Equality Duty, the Department for Work and Pensions produced an equality analysis as part of the ministerial decision-making process. This was published on 13 September 2024, and is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/responses-to-freedom-of-information-requests-on-equality-impact-assessments-produced-for-targeting-winter-fuel-payment/dwp-freedom-of-information-responseThe Department for Work and Pensions will continue to monitor and review the impact of the policy, using this to inform any future decisions.

Whether he has statutory powers to prevent the (a) merger and (b) closure of GP services.

The Health and Care Act 2022 included new powers in the National Health Service Act 2006, giving my Rt. Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, increased oversight of, and the option for earlier involvement in reconfiguration of services within the NHS.Where there are concerns about a proposal by an NHS commissioner for a reconfiguration of NHS services, either relating to the process that has been followed or where the decision is not in the best interests of the health service in the area, then the Secretary of State may intervene under new powers introduced on 31 January 2024. This may include where there are concerns about a commissioner’s decision to merge or close a general practice (GP).The closure of a GP surgery is an issue that is considered and decided upon by local commissioners following an application from a GP provider.Practices close for a variety of reasons, including mergers or retirement, and so do not necessarily indicate a reduction in the quality of care. When a practice does close, patients are informed of the closure and advised to register at another local practice of their choice within their area.Commissioners are accountable for ensuring that patients have access to a GP practice. In the event of a closure, commissioners will assess the need for a replacement provider before transferring patients to alternative practices when a GP surgery closes.

What steps he is taking to ensure the adequate supply of needles for (a) diabetic and (b) other healthcare provision.

NHS Supply Chain sources, delivers, and supplies healthcare products for National Health Service trusts and healthcare organisations across England and Wales, and also has robust measures in place to ensure the continuity of supply of medical products, including needles. This includes close collaboration with suppliers, and managing supply levels. As a result of a broad supply base within the syringes and needles framework agreement, NHS Supply Chain seeks to maintain adequate volumes to meet demand, whilst minimising the risk of supply gaps.The Department has arrangements in place to help ensure the continuity of the supply of medical products, such as needles, in the event of disruption. This includes the National Supply Disruption Response (NSDR), which acts as a single point of contact to the health and care system in the event of a supply issue. In the event a shortage does occur, the NSDR can work with the medical supply industry, the health and care system, and our system partners to put mitigations in place to help minimise any impact to patients and the provision of care.