Written questions by Dyke.

If he will set out a timeline to implement the recommendations of the Hughes Report, including financial compensation for those affected by sodium valproate in pregnancy.

The Government is carefully considering the work done by the Patient Safety Commissioner and her report, which set out recommendations for redress for those harmed by valproate and pelvic mesh, including options for financial compensation.The Government has deep sympathy for all those affected and recognises the profound impact that these harms have had on individuals and their families.My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, has been clear that he wants to make meaningful progress during this Parliament, although a decision to provide compensation has not yet been made. We recognise how difficult and disappointing this uncertainty is for those affected, and we will ensure that the public is kept informed as soon as any decision on redress is made.I met with the Patient Safety Commissioner, Dr Henrietta Hughes since I have been in post, and had a very fruitful discussion about the ongoing health initiatives led by the Department regarding sodium valproate and pelvic mesh. Details of the Government’s work to date are set out in recent letters to the Dr Hughes, which are published on her website.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of school milk consumption on children’s oral health, including rates of dental decay.

Water and milk are the only recommended drinks to give children regarding their oral health. Milk and dairy foods, or dairy alternatives, are an important part of a healthy balanced diet, as depicted by the United Kingdom’s national food model, the Eatwell Guide. The School Food Standards state that lower fat milk and lactose-reduced milk must be available every school day, during school hours. Whole milk may be provided for pupils up to the end of the school year in which they turn five years old. Sugars naturally present in unsweetened milk and milk products are not classed as ‘free sugars’, which should be limited to reduce the risk of tooth decay. Further information is available at the following link:https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/food-types/how-does-sugar-in-our-diet-affect-our-health/We have invested £11 million in 147 local authorities in 2025/26, alongside a five-year partnership with Colgate-Palmolive, to rollout a national supervised toothbrushing programme for up to 600,000 three- to five-year-olds in the 20% most deprived areas of England. The programme will tackle poor oral health by ensuring children learn positive habits and prevention of tooth decay.

How many of the remedial notices handed out by the Food Standards Agency in the last year were given to abattoirs with a throughput of less than 5,000 livestock units per year.

During the period from 1 November 2024 until 31 October 2025, the Food Standards Agency has served five Remedial Action Notices in three abattoirs with a throughput of less than 5,000 livestock units per year.

How many injuries were caused due to reindeers in the UK over the past year.

This information is not collected centrally. NHS England does not record hospital admissions specifically caused by reindeer. The closest available data is for admissions with the external cause ‘Bitten or struck by other mammals’. In 2024/25, there were 4,620 such admissions in England. However, this category covers a wide range of animals and is not limited to reindeer. It also does not capture all animal-related injuries such as those coded under ‘Car occupant injured in collision with pedestrian or animal’.Data on hospital admissions by external cause is published by NHS England and is available at the following link:https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/hospital-admitted-patient-care-activity

How many remedial action notices the Food Standards Agency have handed out to abattoirs in England and Wales over the last (a) year, (b) 5 years and (c) 10 years.

The number of Remedial Action Notices (RANs) served in England and Wales are as follows:59 over the last year, from 1 November 2024 to 31 October 2025;176 over the last five years, from 1 November 2020 to 31 October 2025; and341 over the last seven years, from 1 November 2018 to 31 October 2025.Data is not held beyond seven years due to data retention policy.Before 2022, the reported number of RANs related to the number of breaches which were escalated to a formal notice, which may include more than one breach per RAN. This means that the numbers of RANs served may be less than the figure reported here for five years and seven years of data.

What steps he is taking to increase access to dentistry for vulnerable residents in care homes.

We recognise that certain groups of patients may be vulnerable to oral health problems and may find it difficult to access dental care. Specialised dental services are in place to provide dental treatment in several settings, including care homes, and are commissioned by integrated care boards (ICBs). The frequency of dental checks for those living in care homes will be determined by dentists on an individual basis according to need.The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guideline on oral health in care homes sets out a number of recommendations for care homes to help maintain and improve oral health and ensure timely access to dental treatment for their residents. The Government expects care homes to be following NICE guidance and recommendations in this area.More generally, we have asked ICBs to commission extra urgent dental appointments to make sure that patients with urgent dental needs can get the treatment they require. ICBs have been making extra appointments available from April 2025.The appointments are available to National Health Service patients experiencing painful oral health issues, such as infections, abscesses, or cracked or broken teeth. Appointments will be available across the country, with specific expectations for each region. These appointments are more heavily weighted towards those areas where they are needed the most.We are working with NHS England, the NHS Business Services Authority, and ICBs to set out the requirements for monitoring and reporting progress against these urgent appointments which will enable us to identify where further support is needed. These urgent appointments are available to those living in care homes.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of pharmacy closures on neighbouring community pharmacies.

Integrated care boards are responsible for ensuring adequate provision of pharmaceutical services in their areas. When a pharmacy closes, patients can choose to use a neighbouring pharmacy or a pharmacy near to where they work or shop. There is no restriction on the pharmacy they can nominate to dispense their prescription or where they can seek health advice. Patients may also choose to nominate a distance selling pharmacy who will deliver medicines to their homes free of charge.Pharmacies are paid per activity which ensures that those pharmacies get paid for the additional work they take on. Pharmacies must give a minimum of three months’ notice if they intend to close permanently. This enables nearby pharmacies to plan for any increase in their activity. Occasionally, pharmacies close unexpectedly for reasons that could not have been foreseen in advance. In areas where this causes difficulties for nearby pharmacies, integrated care boards will work with the affected pharmacies.

Whether he plans to introduce further financial support for community pharmacies required to take on additional dispensing of prescriptions following the closures of neighbouring community pharmacies.

Integrated care boards are responsible for ensuring adequate provision of pharmaceutical services in their areas. When a pharmacy closes, patients can choose to use a neighbouring pharmacy or a pharmacy near to where they work or shop. There is no restriction on the pharmacy they can nominate to dispense their prescription or where they can seek health advice. Patients may also choose to nominate a distance selling pharmacy who will deliver medicines to their homes free of charge.Pharmacies are paid per activity which ensures that those pharmacies get paid for the additional work they take on. Pharmacies must give a minimum of three months’ notice if they intend to close permanently. This enables nearby pharmacies to plan for any increase in their activity. Occasionally, pharmacies close unexpectedly for reasons that could not have been foreseen in advance. In areas where this causes difficulties for nearby pharmacies, integrated care boards will work with the affected pharmacies.

How many community hospital beds will be provided in each of the next five years in Somerset.

The number of community hospital beds operational varies over the course of the year in response to supply and demand. For example, fewer beds are needed during the summer.The Government expects neighbourhood services to be designed in a way that reflects the specific needs of local populations. While we will be clear on the outcomes that we expect, we will give significant licence to tailor the approach to local need, and while the focus on personalised, coordinated care will be consistent, the service will look different in rural communities, coastal towns, or deprived inner cities.Through our National Neighbourhood Health Implementation Programme (NNHIP), we will work with places across all systems to spread and scale up good practice and learning, create exemplars, and build the culture and capability required for delivery. This will be an inclusive large-scale change programme for all system partners.

With reference to the 10 Year Health Plan for England: fit for the future, published on 3 July 2025, what his planned timescale is for NHS Foundation Trusts to deliver additional services within communities.

As per the 10-Year Health Plan, for the very best National Health Service foundation trusts there will be a new opportunity to hold the whole health budget for a local population as an Integrated Health Organisation (IHO). The intention is to designate a small number of these new IHOs in 2026, with a view to them becoming operational in 2027.