Written questions by Raja.

What steps (a) his Department and (b) the NHS are taking to counter (i) misinformation and (ii) disinformation about vaccines.

The Government is committed to tackling vaccine misinformation, and we have highlighted our focus on this within the 10-Year Health Plan where we have committed to working with local government, civil society, voluntary organisations and community groups to support public trust in vaccines, particularly in terms of what is needed to restore childhood immunisations rates.Inaccurate information can spread easily, particularly on online platforms, and it is important that we continue to robustly counteract mis and dis information and point to science. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) closely monitors online activity, including social media and search data, to gather insights about the conversations people are having about vaccinations online, to help inform the information we provide and communications campaigns.The Department and its partners, take a broad multi-pronged approach to provide authoritative, accurate and transparent information on the benefits and risks of vaccination. For example, UKHSA and NHS England are working to ensure that health care professionals are adequately briefed and trained, with UKHSA recently updating its National Minimum Standards and core curriculum for vaccine training, published in June 2025, which set out expectations for training and competency requirements for all those delivering immunisation services.Additionally, the Department is working with UKHSA and the National Health Service to ensure that parents and patients have access to up to date and accurate information on all vaccines delivered by the NHS, and to identify and rebut false information. This includes information leaflets and promotional materials available online about different vaccination programmes, covered in a range of translations and accessible formats. Vaccination is also included in the latest Relationships, Sex and Health Education curriculum guidance from July 2025 to ensure that young people learn the facts and scientific evidence relating to vaccination and immunisation.Furthermore, the Department, UKHSA and NHS England are also delivering national communication campaigns which proactively highlight the value of vaccines and the risks associated with vaccine preventable diseases, and build confidence in vaccine efficacy and safety. Campaign activity includes paid advertising, media, stakeholder engagement and partnerships with a wide range of organisations.Whilst there is no room for complacency, UKHSA’s latest parental attitudes survey 2025, data shows that vaccine confidence remains high, with 84% of parents saying they trusted vaccines.We encourage people to speak to a trusted health professional about any vaccine concerns.

What assessment she has made of the level of variation between local authorities in the discretionary provision of free bus passes for carers of disabled people; and what steps she is taking to ensure a consistent approach across England.

The Department does not have any plans to provide advice on offering a discretionary concession to carers of disabled people, as offering this is a choice for the individual local authority to make.In the year ending March 2025, 66% of Travel Concession Authorities in England outside London offered a discretionary concession for those travelling with a disabled person. The decision on whether to offer discretionary concessions is for the local authority to make depending on their needs and circumstances.As part of the Autumn 2024 Budget, the government allocated £955 million to support and improve bus services in 25/26. This includes £712 million for local authorities, of which Leicester City Council was allocated £9.4 million. Funding allocated to local authorities to deliver better bus services can be used in whichever way they wish to improve services for passengers, which could include funding discretionary concessions.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of removing Sport England’s role as a statutory planning consultee under the Planning and Infrastructure Bill on the consideration of sporting and recreational needs in local planning decisions.

The Planning and Infrastructure Bill contains no provisions relating to the role of Sports England in the planning system. The government is committed to reviewing the existing statutory consultee arrangements to ensure they align with the government’s ambitions for growth. As per the Written Ministerial Statement I made on 10 March 2025 (HCWS510), we intend to consult on removing a limited number of statutory consultees, including Sports England. We also intend to review the range and type of planning applications on which statutory consultees are required to be consulted and consider whether some types of application could be removed, or addressed by alternative means of engagement and provision of expert advice. Further details will be set out in due course.

Whether her Department plans to issue guidance to local authorities on the discretionary provision of concessionary bus passes for carers of disabled people.

The Department does not have any plans to provide advice on offering a discretionary concession to carers of disabled people, as offering this is a choice for the individual local authority to make.In the year ending March 2025, 66% of Travel Concession Authorities in England outside London offered a discretionary concession for those travelling with a disabled person. The decision on whether to offer discretionary concessions is for the local authority to make depending on their needs and circumstances.As part of the Autumn 2024 Budget, the government allocated £955 million to support and improve bus services in 25/26. This includes £712 million for local authorities, of which Leicester City Council was allocated £9.4 million. Funding allocated to local authorities to deliver better bus services can be used in whichever way they wish to improve services for passengers, which could include funding discretionary concessions.

For what reason the Schedule documents associated with the Asylum Accommodation and Support Services contracts were removed from public view on the Contracts Finder website; and if she will take steps to make those documents available again.

We confirm the award notices Asylum Accommodation and Support Contracts are already published and available on Contracts Finder as follows:Wales AASC - Asylum Accommodation & Support Services Contract Wales - Contracts Finder(opens in a new tab)South AASC - Asylum Accommodation & Support Services Contract South - Contracts Finder(opens in a new tab)North West AASC - Asylum Accommodation & Support Services Contract NW - Contracts Finder(opens in a new tab)Midlands & Eastern England AASC - Asylum Accommodation & Support Services Contract MEE - Contracts Finder(opens in a new tab)North East Yorks & Humber AASC - Asylum Accommodation & Support Services Contract NEYH - Contracts Finder(opens in a new tab)Scotland AASC - Asylum Accommodation & Support Services Contract Scotland - Contracts Finder(opens in a new tab)Northern Ireland AASC - Asylum Accommodation & Support Services Contract NI - Contracts Finder(opens in a new tab)Due to changes in Contract management software Schedules are temporarily unavailable. This will be corrected shortly.

When the National Institute for Health and Care Research will report on its evaluation into the Sickle Cell Disorder Emergency Department Bypass Unit pilots.

The NHS England pilot (Oct 2023 - July 2025) is being independently evaluated by the Rapid Service Evaluation Team (REVAL), which is funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) and based at the University of Manchester. Preliminary findings are due in September 2025, with full results in December 2025.

Whether the Sickle Cell Disease Quality Improvement Programme will continue when the Department of Health and Social Care takes over the responsibilities of NHS England.

The Sickle Cell and Thalassaemia Quality Improvement Programme remains committed to improving outcomes and quality of life for people living with sickle cell and thalassaemia. The programme is taking targeted action to align to the commitments within the 10-Year Health Plan to reduce health inequalities nationally, to ensure people in these communities can live longer, healthier lives, spending less time in poor health.The integration of NHS England into the Department is not due to happen in this financial year, and all programmes of work will be reviewed in alignment with budget setting in future years.

What steps he is taking to improve Care Quality Commission processing times for the registration of care providers in (a) England and (b) Leicester East constituency.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) does not record registration data in the format requested, for the timeliness of registration application processing by constituency.Dr Penny Dash published her report into the CQC in October 2024. The Government accepted her findings and has since been supporting the CQC to improve rapidly, as well as holding it to account for its performance.The Department meets regularly with the CQC to review performance. The volume of registration applications and reducing the backlog of registration applications over 10 weeks old is one of the four key priorities discussed at these meetings.The CQC has been making tangible progress. For all registration application received as care providers and registered managers in England, the percentage of applications older than 10 weeks has reduced significantly, from a peak of 61.1% in May 2024, to 32.9% in July 2025, a reduction of 28.2%.

What steps his Department is taking to help improve the Care Quality Commission’s registration process times; and what assessment he has made of the potential impact of those processing times on the (a) capacity and (b) continuity of care services.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) does not record registration data in the format requested, for the timeliness of registration application processing by constituency.Dr Penny Dash published her report into the CQC in October 2024. The Government accepted her findings and has since been supporting the CQC to improve rapidly, as well as holding it to account for its performance.The Department meets regularly with the CQC to review performance. The volume of registration applications and reducing the backlog of registration applications over 10 weeks old is one of the four key priorities discussed at these meetings.The CQC has been making tangible progress. For all registration application received as care providers and registered managers in England, the percentage of applications older than 10 weeks has reduced significantly, from a peak of 61.1% in May 2024, to 32.9% in July 2025, a reduction of 28.2%.

What recent assessment he has made of the timeliness of Care Quality Commission processing of applications for registration as (a) care providers and (b) registered managers in (i) England and (ii) Leicester East constituency.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) does not record registration data in the format requested, for the timeliness of registration application processing by constituency.Dr Penny Dash published her report into the CQC in October 2024. The Government accepted her findings and has since been supporting the CQC to improve rapidly, as well as holding it to account for its performance.The Department meets regularly with the CQC to review performance. The volume of registration applications and reducing the backlog of registration applications over 10 weeks old is one of the four key priorities discussed at these meetings.The CQC has been making tangible progress. For all registration application received as care providers and registered managers in England, the percentage of applications older than 10 weeks has reduced significantly, from a peak of 61.1% in May 2024, to 32.9% in July 2025, a reduction of 28.2%.

Pursuant to the Answer of 3 March 2025 to Question 32327 on Asylum: Hotels and the Answer of 8 July 2025 to Question 63118 on Asylum: Housing, whether her Department retains data on (a) occupancy levels and (b) property capacity in relation to asylum accommodation.

Occupancy and Capacity are not terms defined within asylum accommodation contracts. Data on the number of individuals occupying asylum accommodation is published in the quarterly migration statistics.

What definition her Department uses for (a) occupancy levels and (b) property capacity in the management of asylum accommodation contracts.

Occupancy and Capacity are not terms defined within asylum accommodation contracts. Data on the number of individuals occupying asylum accommodation is published in the quarterly migration statistics.

If her Department will publish the (a) occupancy level and (b) property capacity data discussed at (i) monthly contract management meetings and (ii) quarterly boards under the asylum accommodation and support services contracts.

Occupancy and Capacity are not terms defined within asylum accommodation contracts. Data on the number of individuals occupying asylum accommodation is published in the quarterly migration statistics.

Whether her Department has used (a) occupancy level and (b) property capacity data to assess the cost-effectiveness of asylum accommodation contracts in the last 12 months.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer I gave her on 08 July 2025 to Question 63118.

What data on (a) occupancy levels and (b) property capacity is provided to her Department by accommodation providers under Asylum Accommodation and Support Services Contracts.

Occupancy and Capacity are not terms defined within asylum accommodation contracts. Data on the number of individuals occupying asylum accommodation is published in the quarterly migration statistics.

What assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of instances of pre-term infants both (a) not receiving the maternal vaccination programme for respiratory syncytial virus and (b) not being eligible for palivizumab.

The respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccination programme to protect newborn infants, via maternal vaccination, was introduced in England in September 2024, in line with independent expert advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI). The National Health Service has also offered high-risk eligible infants a monoclonal antibody called palivizumab over the RSV season since 2010, and continues to do so. Palivizumab is typically reserved for premature infants with specific major underlying medical conditions.The JCVI is aware that very premature babies are unlikely to benefit from maternal vaccination. In February 2023, the JCVI advised that existing infant risk groups eligible for RSV monoclonal antibody immunisation should preferentially be protected with nirsevimab over palivizumab. In October 2024, the committee supported work being taken forward for a monoclonal antibody programme to protect all very/extremely premature infants, ideally from 2025/26. We are exploring all options to ensure there is effective protection against severe RSV illness for all very premature infants.

What his planned timeline is for the publication of an assessment of the (a) efficacy and (b) impact of the maternal vaccination programme for respiratory syncytial virus.

The UK Health Security Agency undertakes monitoring and evaluation of immunisation programmes, including the effectiveness of vaccines. Monitoring and evaluation work has begun for the new respiratory syncytial virus programmes which launched in September 2024 to protect infants through maternal vaccination and for direct protection of older adults. Findings will be published in due course.

What steps his Department is taking to improve data transparency for vaccination uptake figures for the maternal respiratory syncytial virus vaccination programme by reducing the four-month lag in reporting.

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) maternal vaccine uptake methodology is published on the GOV.UK website, and includes an explanation of the data sources and their reporting lags, in the monthly RSV maternal vaccination coverage reports, which are available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/rsv-immunisation-for-older-adults-and-pregnant-women-vaccine-coverage-in-englandThe data collection methodology chosen ensures that robust and precise coverage estimates are calculated for the maternal programme.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of making aid available to Christian communities facing violence or persecution in central and northern Nigeria.

The UK's humanitarian support in Nigeria focuses on supporting the most vulnerable, including people and communities affected and displaced by violence and conflict. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office's Humanitarian and Resilience Programme (HARP) in Nigeria has reached approximately 1 million people, increasing resilience for people with the most severe humanitarian needs in North East Nigeria, in line with the UN Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan. Additionally, the UK's Strengthening Peace and Resilience programme ('SPRING') is working to reduce rural violence in northwest and north-central Nigeria, including supporting collaboration and productive livelihoods for both farmers and pastoralists.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of UK aid spent on supporting Christian communities facing violence or persecution in central and northern regions of Nigeria.

The UK's humanitarian support in Nigeria focuses on supporting the most vulnerable, including people and communities affected and displaced by violence and conflict. Through our Humanitarian and Resilience Programme (HARP), we have reached approximately 1 million people, increasing resilience for people with the most severe humanitarian needs in North East Nigeria. Additionally, through our Strengthening Peace and Resilience programme (SPRiNG) the UK is providing funding to help tackle the root causes of intercommunal conflict, including security, justice, and natural resource management challenges. Whilst SPRiNG is still in the early phases of implementation, its partnership with the Institute For Integrated Transitions (IFIT) has achieved some encouraging results. Mediation efforts in Nasawara State have fostered a negotiated agreement between the Bassa and Egbura People, enabling the return and resettlement of 5000 internally displaced persons (IDPs).