Written questions by Andrew.

What meetings or engagements Ministers or senior officials from his department have had with any of the following patient organisations to discuss newborn screening: (a) Genetic Alliance UK (b) UK LSD Collaborative (c) UK Newborn Screening Collaborative (d) ArchAngel MLD Trust (e) MPS Society (f) MLD Support Association UK (g) SMA UK (h) Immunodeficiency UK (i) Alex, The Leukodystrophy Charity (j) Metabolic Support UK, since July 2024.

The Government remains committed to improving the lives of people living with rare diseases through the UK Rare Diseases Framework, which includes faster diagnosis as one of its four priorities.In all aspects of population and targeted screening, ministers are advised by the UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC). When assessing the case for newborn screening for rare diseases, as with all other diseases and conditions, the UK NSC uses internationally recognised criteria and a rigorous evidence review and consultation process. It is only where the UK NSC is confident that the offer to screen provides more good than harm that a screening programme is recommended. When the UK NSC makes a screening recommendation, ministers are then asked to consider and make a decision on whether to accept the recommendation.This year, the UK NSC secretariat carried out a review of the committee’s stakeholder engagement strategy and activities. The review included an online survey and three focused stakeholder discussion groups that were attended by a total of 17 external stakeholders, including seven representatives of patient organisations representing rare diseases affecting newborns. The UK NSC stakeholder strategy is being updated to incorporate their valuable feedback and is expected to be published in early 2026.Although the Department screening team supporting the UK NSC has limited capacity to meet with individual stakeholders, they actively involve and engage with stakeholders and partners in other ways. For example:a representative of Genetic Alliance UK sits on the UK NSC Blood Spot Task Group;the CEO of SMA UK is on the SMA Partnership Board;a representative from Immunodeficiency UK is on the Severe Combined Immunodeficiency In Service Evaluation board; andthe following organisations all contributed to the metachromatic leukodystrophy (MLD) screening consultation earlier this year: ArchAngel MLD Trust; MPS Society; MLD Support UK; LSD Collaborative; Alex, The Leukodystrophy Charity; and the UK Newborn Screening Laboratory Network.The Department screening team meets regularly with the Department’s rare diseases team to discuss overlapping areas of work. The rare diseases team have working relationships with the wider rare diseases community and junior officials have met with Genetic Alliance UK.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of (a) the Government’s plans to bring NHS England into the Department of Health and Social Care and (b) the planned 50% reduction in integrated care board staffing on those boards’ capacity to safeguard children, including their effective participation in multi-agency child protection teams proposed in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill.

The Government will publish an impact assessment of its plan to bring NHS England into the Department alongside the primary legislation to enact this reform. We do not expect the integration to have an impact on the capacity of integrated care boards (ICBs) to safeguard children, as the existing safeguarding functions of ICBs will be retained.To ensure ICBs maintain effective safeguarding functions throughout the reform, NHS England has shared best practice on safeguarding with ICBs earlier this year. In November 2025, NHS England also published a strategic commissioning framework for ICBs with a focus on collaboration with local government and wider system partners.Safeguarding partners, including health, have a legal duty to work together to safeguard and promote children’s welfare, including through the proposed Multi Agency Child Protection Teams. There is no intention to change this duty through the ICB reform.

Whether her Department plans to (a) merge and (b) align the (i) Section 1 (firearms) and (ii) Section 2 (shotgun) licensing systems in the Firearms Act 1968.

We will be undertaking a public consultation later this year on the greater alignment of the controls on shotguns with other firearms.The Government response to the 2023 firearms licensing consultation, published on 13 February this year, included a commitment to having a consultation on strengthening the licensing controls on shotguns, in the interests of public safety.We will carefully consider the views put forward to the consultation after it is completed, before deciding what further action to take.

What assessment the UK Health Security Agency has made of the fatality rate associated with invasive Candidozyma auris infection.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) routinely monitors the candidozyma auris situation in England and shares information with hospitals and health system partners so they can put in place timely measures to protect patients.There is no published UKHSA data on fatality associated with invasive candidozyma auris infection, however the UKHSA is closely monitoring situation in England with improved surveillance, including the attributable and all-cause mortality for candidozyma auris.Candidozyma auris cases have increased in the United Kingdom in recent years. Our most recent epidemiological commentary states that between January 2013 and April 2025 inclusive, a total of 800 candidozyma auris cases, both infections and colonisations, where people are carrying the organism on their skin without any symptom or illness, were reported in England. Reassuringly, the vast majority of these are colonisations, with 87% being colonised, 12% being invasive, and 1% of an unknown specimen type. Colonisation without invasive infection has a negligible risk of negative health outcomes. The UKHSA is currently validating a process for reporting mortality figures as part of future routine data releases. Further information and guidance is available on the candidozyma auris collection page, at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/candidozyma-auris

For what reason Candidozyma auris was added to schedule 2 of the Health Protection (Notification) Regulations in April 2025;and if he will publish any public health risk assessments informing that decision.

Candidozyma, formerly Candida, auris is an emerging multi-drug resistant fungal pathogen. Candidozyma auris is becoming more widespread globally, can result in serious infections in vulnerable individuals, and has been associated with outbreaks in healthcare settings that have resulted in substantial service disruption. The addition of candidozyma auris to the Health Protection (Notification) Regulations as a notifiable organism under Schedule 2 enables the UK Health Security Agency to more closely monitor this pathogen and inform public health action to limit its spread within the United Kingdom. The Health Protection (Notification) (Amendment) Regulations 2025 Impact Assessment, a copy of which is attached, highlights that testing for candidozyma auris would be conducted within National Health Service and private laboratories. The burden on laboratories for additional testing is likely to be low, as testing is straightforward.

What steps he is taking to help tackle travel costs for (a) children and (b) young people under 25 with cancer; and whether he plans to include policies on this matter within the national cancer plan.

Since its launch on 4 February 2025, the Children and Young People Cancer Taskforce has been exploring opportunities for clinical and non-clinical improvement across a range of areas via a series of monthly taskforce meetings. To date, these meetings have focused specifically on developing a clear set of commitments for inclusion in the National Cancer Plan.The Department is aware of the unique challenges that children aged up to 16 years old and young adults under 25 years old with cancer face and the work of the taskforce has focused on both of these patient groups.The taskforce has considered opportunities for improving early detection and diagnosis, genomic testing and treatment, research and innovation, and patient experience, which includes issues like travel. This is in recognition of the fact that the cost of travel is an important issue for many young cancer patients and their families.NHS England and the integrated care boards are responsible for commissioning and ensuring the healthcare needs of local communities are met, including providing support for travel. The National Health Service in England runs the Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme (HTCS) to provide financial assistance for travel to a hospital or other NHS premises for specialist NHS treatment or diagnostics tests when referred by a doctor or other primary healthcare professional. Patients who do not qualify for the HTCS and who are on a low income may be able to claim the costs from the Department for Work and Pensions through Universal Credit or Personal Independence Payment. There are also a number of United Kingdom charities who provide support, including financial support, for patients with cancer.The National Cancer Plan, due for publication early next year, will set out further details on the work of the taskforce and Department’s plans to improve outcomes for children and young people with cancer. Our goal is to reduce the number of lives lost to cancer over the next 10 years, for all patient groups, including children and young people.

What recent work the Children and Young People’s Cancer Taskforce has undertaken in relation to the national cancer plan; and how recommendations from the Taskforce will be reflected in that plan.

Since its launch on 4 February 2025, the Children and Young People Cancer Taskforce has been exploring opportunities for clinical and non-clinical improvement across a range of areas via a series of monthly taskforce meetings. To date, these meetings have focused specifically on developing a clear set of commitments for inclusion in the National Cancer Plan.The Department is aware of the unique challenges that children aged up to 16 years old and young adults under 25 years old with cancer face and the work of the taskforce has focused on both of these patient groups.The taskforce has considered opportunities for improving early detection and diagnosis, genomic testing and treatment, research and innovation, and patient experience, which includes issues like travel. This is in recognition of the fact that the cost of travel is an important issue for many young cancer patients and their families.NHS England and the integrated care boards are responsible for commissioning and ensuring the healthcare needs of local communities are met, including providing support for travel. The National Health Service in England runs the Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme (HTCS) to provide financial assistance for travel to a hospital or other NHS premises for specialist NHS treatment or diagnostics tests when referred by a doctor or other primary healthcare professional. Patients who do not qualify for the HTCS and who are on a low income may be able to claim the costs from the Department for Work and Pensions through Universal Credit or Personal Independence Payment. There are also a number of United Kingdom charities who provide support, including financial support, for patients with cancer.The National Cancer Plan, due for publication early next year, will set out further details on the work of the taskforce and Department’s plans to improve outcomes for children and young people with cancer. Our goal is to reduce the number of lives lost to cancer over the next 10 years, for all patient groups, including children and young people.

What policies on (a) children and (b) young people under 25 he plans to include within the national cancer plan for England.

Since its launch on 4 February 2025, the Children and Young People Cancer Taskforce has been exploring opportunities for clinical and non-clinical improvement across a range of areas via a series of monthly taskforce meetings. To date, these meetings have focused specifically on developing a clear set of commitments for inclusion in the National Cancer Plan.The Department is aware of the unique challenges that children aged up to 16 years old and young adults under 25 years old with cancer face and the work of the taskforce has focused on both of these patient groups.The taskforce has considered opportunities for improving early detection and diagnosis, genomic testing and treatment, research and innovation, and patient experience, which includes issues like travel. This is in recognition of the fact that the cost of travel is an important issue for many young cancer patients and their families.NHS England and the integrated care boards are responsible for commissioning and ensuring the healthcare needs of local communities are met, including providing support for travel. The National Health Service in England runs the Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme (HTCS) to provide financial assistance for travel to a hospital or other NHS premises for specialist NHS treatment or diagnostics tests when referred by a doctor or other primary healthcare professional. Patients who do not qualify for the HTCS and who are on a low income may be able to claim the costs from the Department for Work and Pensions through Universal Credit or Personal Independence Payment. There are also a number of United Kingdom charities who provide support, including financial support, for patients with cancer.The National Cancer Plan, due for publication early next year, will set out further details on the work of the taskforce and Department’s plans to improve outcomes for children and young people with cancer. Our goal is to reduce the number of lives lost to cancer over the next 10 years, for all patient groups, including children and young people.

What recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Education on cross-Government implementation of (a) proposals for a national evidence-based digital parenting offer and (b) other policies within the Best Start in Life strategy.

Giving all babies and children the best start in life is the foundation of the Opportunity Mission and the first step towards delivering the Government’s commitment to raise the healthiest generation of children ever.My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education and I have a shared ambition to ensure that every child has a happy, healthy start to life, regardless of background. We discuss the collective progress on delivering policies within the Best Start in Life Strategy through a range of forums, including Opportunity Mission Board meetings and during bilateral conversations.Together, we recognise the critical role that high-quality, evidence-based parenting support plays in improving childhood outcomes. This includes supporting the Plan for Change target for a record 75% of five-year-olds to reach a good level of development by 2028. In line with this, we continue to discuss the progress made towards delivering a national digital parenting offer, as committed to in the Best Start in Life Strategy.I look forward to continuing the close collaboration with my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education as we work together to deliver our shared ambitions.

What assessment she has made of the potential merits of supporting the roll-out of evidence-based parenting programmes through the Start for Life offer to all local authorities.

The government has confirmed over £500 million of funding allocated for the delivery of Best Start Family Hubs, which includes funding for parenting programmes.Through these Hubs, all local authorities will deliver parenting evidence-based interventions (EBIs) for families with 3 to 4-year-olds from April 2026. The department will be sharing a ‘menu’ of EBIs that has been developed in collaboration with expert partners and informed by sources such as the Foundations Guidebook and Nesta’s Call for Evidence. The ‘menu’ will preference EBIs that have undergone the most rigorous evaluation, to reflect our ambition to support local authorities to invest in programmes most likely to have the greatest impact. This will ensure that parenting support is rooted in robust evidence.

What steps his Department is taking to minimise wastage of covid-19 vaccine doses during autumn 2025; and whether he plans to review eligibility guidance to allow unused doses to be administered to people under 75 clinically suitable to receive them.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is responsible for the procurement, storage, and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines. The UKHSA seeks to minimise wastage by ensuring that the volumes of COVID-19 vaccine that are procured are in line with forecasted demand.NHS England is committed to minimising vaccine waste across all COVID-19 vaccine suppliers. National and regional teams work closely with vaccination providers on a very regular basis to monitor stock levels and to ensure vaccines are used within the shortest possible timeframe.The Government is committed to protecting those most vulnerable to COVID-19 through vaccination, as guided by the independent Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI). The Government has accepted JCVI’s advice on eligibility for the autumn 2025 COVID-19 vaccination programme and has no plans to review eligibility for this campaign. As for all vaccines, the JCVI keeps the evidence under regular review.

What assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of (a) EU-derived clinical hour requirements for nurse education and (b) the regulatory framework for nurse education (i) in general and (ii) compared with (A) Australia and (B) other international models.

To be able to legally work as a nurse in the United Kingdom, individuals must be fully registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). The NMC sets the standards that must be met by domestic and international nurses and midwives wishing to be added to the UK register. The NMC sets these standards to ensure registrants are safe to practise and patients receive a high standard of care.The NMC is updating its pre-registration education programme standards to allow more students to join its register with the skills for safe and effective care. In January 2025, the NMC’s Council approved five key areas for its pre-registration practice learning review. Consultations on changes will take place in early 2026, with new standards effective by September 2026.In 2023, legislative changes made by the Department to the NMC’s regulatory framework provided the regulator with full flexibility to recognise qualifications for international applicants from around the world. Our regulatory reform programme will further modernise the regulatory frameworks for all the UK healthcare professional regulators, starting with the General Medical Council. This will guide reforms for other healthcare regulators, including the NMC, with plans for implementation within this Parliament.

What the planned training intakes are for (a) medical school places, (b) GP trainee places, (c) nurses, (d) nursing associates, (e) midwives, (f) pharmacists and (g) dentists in (i) 2025, (ii) 2026, (iii) 2028 and (iv) 2031.

In England, the Office for Students (OfS) sets the maximum fundable limit for medical school and dental school places. For the 2025/26 academic year, the OfS has published its intake target at 8,126 for medical school places and 809 for dental school places, as set out on their website, at the following link:https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/for-providers/finance-and-funding/medicine-and-dentistry-funding/medical-and-dental-maximum-fundable-limits/This limit is confirmed on an annual basis. General practice training places are set out annually by NHS England.Undergraduate training places for nurses, nurse associates, midwives, and pharmacists are not centrally commissioned by the Government, instead they are determined by local employers and education providers who decide the number of learners they admit based on learner demand and provider capacity funding.The Government is committed to publishing a 10 Year Workforce Plan which will ensure the National Health Service has the right people in the right places, with the right skills to care for patients, when they need it.

What engagement his Department has had with (a) universities and (b) higher education providers in developing the new NHS workforce plan.

The Government is committed to publishing a 10 Year Workforce Plan which will ensure the National Health Service has the right people in the right places, with the right skills to care for patients, when they need it.We have engaged with a range of partners on shaping the upcoming workforce plan, including universities and higher education providers.We welcome the fact that so many valued stakeholders are keen to engage in the plan’s development. On 26 September 2025, we launched a formal call for evidence, which provides stakeholders the opportunity to contribute directly to the plan’s development. This closed on 7 November 2025.The Department of Health and Social Care engages closely with the Department for Education on a wide range of matters, including the upcoming workforce plan.

What the (a) anticipated and (b) actual level of demand for health services was in 2025–26; and whether the actual level of demand has increased in line with the trends since the end of the pandemic.

Demand and costs for health services in 2025/26 was assessed and agreed with HM Treasury through the 2021 Spending Review negotiations, which are not published, as per standard practice. The national analysis takes into account the effect of population ageing and wider demographic changes, and also a range of estimates to understand how particular demand increases will affect the National Health Service, for example the cost of introducing new drugs, treatments, and policies designed to make sure patients are assessed and receive care in the most appropriate setting, for example through neighbourhood health models.The 2025/26 operational planning guidance sets out the need for integrated care boards and trusts to deliver targets across primary, community, and acute care, including mental health services. It sets out the expectation for NHS organisations to reduce their cost base by at least 1% and to achieve 4% improvement in productivity, in order to deal with demand growth within the finances available and ensure effective demand management.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure that Learning Disability Nursing is adequately supported within the new NHS workforce plan.

The Government is committed to publishing a 10 Year Workforce Plan which will ensure the National Health Service has the right people in the right places, with the right skills to care for patients, when they need it. We are working through how the plan will articulate the changes for different professional groups, including by engaging with a wide range of partners and valued stakeholders.

What steps his Department is taking with the Department for Education to support the delivery of the NHS workforce plan.

The Government is committed to publishing a 10 Year Workforce Plan which will ensure the National Health Service has the right people in the right places, with the right skills to care for patients, when they need it.We have engaged with a range of partners on shaping the upcoming workforce plan, including universities and higher education providers.We welcome the fact that so many valued stakeholders are keen to engage in the plan’s development. On 26 September 2025, we launched a formal call for evidence, which provides stakeholders the opportunity to contribute directly to the plan’s development. This closed on 7 November 2025.The Department of Health and Social Care engages closely with the Department for Education on a wide range of matters, including the upcoming workforce plan.

With reference to the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan fact sheet, published on 30 June 2023, whether it is his policy to provide £2.4 billion funding for additional education and training places for healthcare professionals over the five years to 2028-29; and how much funding he plans to provide for this purpose in each financial year.

The Government has been clear that the 2023 Long Term Workforce Plan was undeliverable and based on outdated models of care. We have committed to publishing the 10 Year Workforce Plan in spring 2026, which will represent a departure from previous plans and which will instead set out action to create a sustainable workforce that is fit for the future.The 10 Year Workforce Plan will ensure the National Health Service has the right people in the right places, with the right skills to care for patients, when they need it. We are working through how the plan will articulate the changes for different professional groups, and the consequent funding arrangements for education and training in the years covered by the 2025 Spending Review. We are committed to working with partners to ensure the plan meets its aims and will engage independent experts to make sure the plan is ambitious, forward looking, and evidence based.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact on the NHS workforce of financial pressures faced by higher education institutions providing healthcare education.

No assessment has been made.We work closely with the Department for Education on a wide range of matters, including healthcare education and training funding. Matters relating to the income of universities are the responsibility of the Department for Education.Latest figures from the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) for 2025 show that acceptances to undergraduate nursing and midwifery courses at English providers have increased by 1% when compared to the same point last year, and by 5% compared to pre-pandemic numbers (2019). These are not final numbers. We are awaiting end of cycle data to be published by UCAS later this year to confirm final numbers.The total number of publicly funded students that can start medical courses each year is limited and is set by the Government. Each medical school is issued with an expected maximum intake for the year. The Office for Students runs an annual data survey that monitors provider recruitment against these targets. In the five most recent years for which final data is available, universities have met this limit, with medicine remaining a competitive course.The Government is committed to publishing a 10 Year Workforce Plan to create a workforce ready to deliver the transformed service set out in the 10-Year Health Plan. The 10 Year Workforce Plan will ensure the National Health Service has the right people in the right places, with the right skills to care for patients, when they need it.

Whether she plans to maintain levels of VAT relief available on vehicles purchased by disabled people through the Motability scheme.

The Government keeps all taxes under review, and the Chancellor makes decisions on tax policy at fiscal events in the context of the overall public finances.