Written questions by Collins.

Whether his Department plans to update regulations on the (a) composition, (b) marketing and (c) labelling of commercial (i) infant and (ii) toddler foods.

Children’s early years provide an important foundation for their future health and strongly influence many aspects of wellbeing in later life. The Government has published voluntary industry baby food guidelines as part of our comprehensive strategy to give children the best start in life. The guidelines challenge businesses to reduce the levels of salt and sugar in commercial baby food and drink products aimed at those aged up to 36 months. The guidelines also set out voluntary labelling actions for industry, in addition to reinforcing legislative requirements around labelling and health and nutrition claims. This will help to support parents and carers to make informed choices about what to feed their children. Businesses have 18 months from the publication of these guidelines, therefore by February 2027, to deliver the required changes. We will monitor industry progress towards implementing the sugar, salt, and labelling guidelines. It is vital that we maintain the highest standards for foods consumed by babies and infants, which is why we also have regulations in place that set nutritional, compositional, and labelling standards for commercial baby food. These ensure that commercial baby foods are suitable for infants and young children and require businesses to ensure labelling is clear and not misleading. The regulations also set labelling standards to ensure consumers have clear and accurate information about the products they buy. The Best Start in Life health website has advice for parents and carers on successful weaning of infants to introduce healthy solid foods, and is available at the following link: https://www.nhs.uk/start-for-life/ It has been updated to provide new advice on shop-bought baby food and healthy weaning practices. The update has been made in light of the increased availability and range of commercial baby food products, highlighting the need for clear and consistent advice for parents and carers. We continue to keep these regulations under review to ensure that the composition of infant food and drinks reflects the latest scientific advice and dietary guidelines. The voluntary industry baby food guidelines should support improvements in this area.

Whether his Department plans to increase funding for newly qualified nurse positions in Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency.

On 11 August 2025, the Government announced the Graduate Guarantee for nurses and midwives. The guarantee will ensure that there are enough positions for every newly qualified nurse in England. The package of measures will unlock thousands of jobs and will ensure that thousands of new posts are easier to access by removing barriers for National Health Service trusts, creating opportunities for graduates and ensuring a seamless transition from training to employment.These new measures aim to tackle graduates’ concerns about job availability and ensure the NHS has the right staff to provide the best possible care to patients everywhere.

What steps his Department is taking to provide support for people with postural tachycardia syndrome in Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency.

Improving health outcomes for everyone living with a long-term condition, including postural tachycardia syndrome (PoTS), is a key part of the Government's mission to build an NHS fit for the future.People with PoTS can access a variety of NHS services, which are locally commissioned by integrated care boards (ICBs). ICBs are responsible for ensuring that their local area has appropriate services in place to meet the needs of their population, including those in the Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency.Many patients can be diagnosed and managed effectively within primary care. In complex cases, or where patients do not respond to initial treatment, patients may be referred to specialised cardiology or neurology services.At a national level, NHS England has made available additional support. This includes a focus on healthy working environments, tools and resources to support line managers to hold meaningful conversations with staff to discuss their wellbeing, and emotional and psychological health and wellbeing support.The three shifts outlined in the recently published 10-Year Health Plan will support people with long-term conditions, including those with PoTS, to better manage their condition and access services closer to home. For example, it will empower them to access their medical history and allow them to book and manage their appointments and medication.

Whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of conducting a national safeguarding review into the protection of disabled dependents when their sole carer is incapacitated.

Any form of abuse or neglect is unacceptable, and the Government is committed to ensuring that families have the support that they need.Under the Care Act 2014, local authorities have a statutory duty to make enquiries about safeguarding concerns and support people caring for their family and friends. The Care Act 2014 also requires local authorities to deliver a wide range of sustainable, high-quality care and support services, including support for unpaid carers.The Carer Contingency Campaign Pack: Supporting Carers and Strengthening Local Care Systems, developed by the Carers Trust with NHS England and the Health and Wellbeing Alliance, helps local carer organisations to implement Carer Contingency Plans, which are structured protocols ensuring care continuity when the carer is unexpectedly unavailable. Unpaid carers can be supported to create contingency plans to ensure the person they care for continues receiving support if they are suddenly unavailable. It includes practical tools, good practice examples, and guidance on emergency planning.We have launched an independent commission into adult social care, chaired by Baroness Casey. The Commission will start a national conversation about what care and support working age adults, older people, and their families expect from adult social care, including exploring the needs of unpaid carers who provide vital care and support.The Commission's Terms of Reference are sufficiently broad to enable Baroness Casey to define its remit to independently consider how to build a social care system fit for the future, including the safeguarding of those receiving care if the Commission sees fit.

What estimate his Department has made of the number of deaths as a result of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests in (a) 2020, (b) 2021, (c) 2022, (d) 2023 and (e) 2024.

NHS England has published the national service specification Inherited Cardiac Conditions (All Ages), that covers patients who often present as young adults with previously undiagnosed cardiac disease and families requiring follow up due to a death from this cause. This describes the service model and mandated guidelines and guidance that should be followed to support the diagnosis and treatment of patients or family members. It also includes the requirement for inherited cardiac conditions services to investigate suspected cases. Further information on the Inherited Cardiac Conditions (All Ages) service specification is available at the following link: https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/cardiology-inherited-cardiac-conditions.pdf NHS England has published a suite of national service specifications and standards for congenital heart disease, which define the standards of care expected from all organisations funded by NHS England, to support and improve the diagnosis and treatment of patients with congenital cardiac problems. There are no plans to publish further specific information on people under the age of 35 years old with cardiac abnormalities, over and above those who would be covered by the service specifications referenced above. Data shows that in 2022, there were 939 people under the age of 35 years old who died due to heart and circulatory conditions. Further information, including historic data and a breakdown of death by high level condition, is available on the British Heart Failure website, at the following link: https://www.bhf.org.uk/-/media/files/for-professionals/research/heart-statistics/bhf-cvd-statistics-compendium-2024-v3.pdf?rev=c72e2593b0ac4f2b999ad2f5999d8c07&hash=7DCC7E6832AA9495B0F5E720357DB9FB NHS England does not hold the data for the number of deaths following out of hospital cardiac arrests (OHCAs). The following table shows the number of cardiac arrest patients in England receiving an organised emergency medical services response, whether resuscitation was attempted, continued, terminated, or not attempted, the number where resuscitation was commenced or continued by an ambulance service, and the number of those with survival at 30 days, from 2020 to 2024: 20202021202220232024Cardiac arrest patients in England receiving an organised emergency medical services response, whether resuscitation was attempted, continued, terminated, or not attempted93,92095,09399,11195,22796,049Number where resuscitation was commenced or continued by an Ambulance Service30,84132,48634,19532,03132,932Number of those with survival at 30 days2,4972,7832,6602,9433,144Source: NHS England’s Ambulance Quality Indicators, available at the following link: https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/ambulance-quality-indicators/Notes:the 2020 figure is survival to discharge from hospital rather than survival at 30 days, and may be incomplete;during the COVID-19 pandemic, data suppliers in some hospitals were moved to other duties, making data on survival harder to obtain than data on deaths; anddue to a trust-wide outage of the Electronic Patient Clinical Record, data is unavailable from 1 April to 30 September 2023 for the Isle of Wight, and incomplete for the South Central Ambulance Service from July to September 2023. Publicly available data on OHCAs can also be found on the University of Warwick’s out-of-hospital cardiac arrest outcomes website, at the following link: https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/sci/med/research/ctu/trials/ohcao/

Whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of improving continuing healthcare assessments for (a) progressive supranuclear palsy and (b) corticobasal degeneration.

The Department has not made an assessment of the potential merits of improving NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC) assessments at this time, in relation to individuals with supranuclear palsy and corticobasal degeneration.Eligibility for CHC is not determined by age, diagnosis or condition, or financial means, instead it is assessed on a case-by-case basis, taking into account the totality of an individual’s needs. This ensures a person-centred approach to CHC, whereby the individual is placed at the centre of the assessment and care-planning process, and should be supported to access and follow these. We continue to work with our partners, including: NHS England, who is responsible for oversight of CHC delivery; external organisations; and people with lived experience, to seek feedback on CHC policy and implementation.

Whether he plans to review the (a) scope, (b) eligibility, (c) criteria and (d) compensation level of the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme.

I would like to express my deepest sympathies to those individuals who have experienced harm following vaccination, and to their families.Ministers continue to consider options for reforming the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme.In parallel, the Department has been working with the NHS Business Services Authority, the administrators of the scheme, to take steps to improve the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme, including through processing claims at a faster rate.

What assessment he has made of the effectiveness of Crawford & Company in administering the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme; and for what reason that company was selected to manage the process.

The NHS Business Services Authority is the administrator of the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme (VDPS). Crawford and Company provides a medical assessment service for the VDPS. Crawford and Company were awarded this contract following a formal procurement process under the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (as amended). The procurement process was open, fair, and transparent. Crawford and Company emerged as the successful bidder following an evaluation of their bid, and the contract started in March 2022, following their successful bid.Key performance indicators are in place to ensure the effectiveness of the medical assessment service, and are closely monitored via the contract. This includes a target that 95% of medical assessments are returned to the NHS Business Services Authority within 15 working days. The supplier has achieved this target since August 2023.

What training is provided to NHS continuing healthcare assessors on health needs associated with (a) progressive supranuclear palsy and (b) corticobasal degeneration.

The National Framework for NHS Continuing Healthcare and NHS-funded Nursing Care sets out the process for determining eligibility for NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC). This statutory guidance is clear that the assessment process should include someone with specialist knowledge of the individual’s condition, such as progressive supranuclear palsy or corticobasal degeneration, or have information available to them from the relevant specialists.It is important that those contributing to the assessment process have the relevant skills and knowledge. To support staff working in health and social care to apply the principles of the national framework, NHS England has developed and published a comprehensive set of online learning resources.Eligibility for CHC is not determined by diagnosis or clinical condition. It is assessed on a case-by-case basis, taking into account an individual’s needs, including ways in which these needs interact with one another.

What steps his Department is taking to support (a) research and (b) development into medical treatments for people affected by COVID-19 vaccine injury.

The Department commissions research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), and continues to welcome funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including treatments for vaccine side effects. Since the start of the pandemic, the NIHR has allocated more than £110 million of funding for COVID-19 vaccine research, including consideration of issues around vaccine safety. As part of this, the Department commissioned a £1.6 million programme of work through the NIHR, to understand the mechanisms underlying the occurrence of COVID-19 vaccine-induced thrombotic thrombocytopenia syndrome, a rare condition of blood clotting with low platelets following vaccination for COVID-19. This research was published in July 2025.In the very rare event where an individual may have suffered a severe adverse reaction to a COVID-19 vaccine, care and treatment will be best met and managed by National Health Service local specialist services, augmented as appropriate by national specialist advice.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of permitting GPs to prescribe cannabis-based medicinal products; and what plans he has to ensure NHS access to full-spectrum cannabinoid treatments for treatment-resistant epilepsy.

The conditions attached to a medicine’s marketing authorisation determine who it can be prescribed by. This may include restricting the initiation of treatments to specialist doctors, as is the case for the licensed cannabis-based medicines Sativex and Epidyolex. These are not first line treatments, and patients will be at a stage in their treatment pathway where they will be under the care of a specialist doctor before accessing these medicines.General practitioners (GPs) cannot independently prescribe unlicensed cannabis-based products for medicinal use. The law allows GPs to prescribe these products under the direction of a specialist as part of a shared care arrangement. A GP can accept ongoing shared care responsibilities once a specialist has initiated a prescription, and a patient’s clinical condition is stable. In doing so, they must accept the enhanced legal and professional responsibilities associated with prescribing an unlicensed product, and this includes accountability for the quality of the product prescribed.This restriction forms part of the checks and balances that the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs recommended the Government put in place when rescheduling cannabis-based products for medicinal use, to minimise the risk of misuse and diversion.Clinical guidelines from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) state that there is insufficient evidence to make population level recommendations for the use of unlicensed cannabis-based products for medicinal use in the treatment of patients with refractory epilepsy. NICE recommends that further research is carried out to inform future commissioning decisions in the National Health Service.Like any medicine, manufacturers of unlicensed cannabinoid treatments need to invest in research and clinical trials to prove that their products are safe and effective. In the absence of action from manufacturers, NHS England and the National Institute for Health and Care Research have agreed to over £8.5 million in funding for two world first clinical trials relating to the use of cannabis-based products for medicinal use for the treatment of drug-resistant epilepsies and neuropathic pain due to chemotherapy. Further information on the trial of medicinal cannabis for refractory epilepsies, and the trial of oral cannabinoids for the treatment of chemotherapy induced peripheral neuropathic pain is available, respectively, at the following two links:https://www.fundingawards.nihr.ac.uk/award/NIHR131309https://www.fundingawards.nihr.ac.uk/award/NIHR151052

What steps his Department is taking to improve timely access to innovative treatments for women with ovarian cancer.

The Department is committed to improving cancer care for patients across England, including those with ovarian cancer. The National Cancer Plan will include further details on how we will improve outcomes for cancer patients across the country, including patients with ovarian cancer, as well as speeding up diagnosis and access to treatment. It will ensure that more patients have access to the latest treatments and technology, and to clinical trials. These actions will help bring this country’s cancer survival rates back up to the standards of the best in the world.The Government is supporting Scott Arthur’s Private Members Bill on rare cancers. The bill will make it easier for clinical trials into rare cancers, such as ovarian cancer, to take place in England by ensuring the patient population can be easily contacted by researchers.

What steps his Department is taking to help improve survival outcomes for patients diagnosed with (a) ovarian cancer and (b) other rare and less common cancers.

The Department is committed to improving survival outcomes for all cancer types, including ovarian cancer and other rare and less common cancers, by catching it early, and treating it faster and more effectively. As a first step, the National Health Service is now delivering an extra 40,000 operations, scans, and appointments each week, to support early diagnosis and faster treatment.NHS England is continuing the roll out of community diagnostic centres to ensure that patients can access the diagnostic tests they need as quickly as possible. The NHS is also improving pathways to get people diagnosed faster once they are referred, including non-specific symptom pathways for patients who do not fit clearly into a single urgent cancer referral pathway.To ensure patients have access to the best treatment for ovarian cancer, NHS England commissioned an audit on ovarian cancer. Using routine data collected on patients diagnosed with ovarian cancer in an NHS setting as part of their care and treatment, the audits bring together information to look at what is being done well, where it’s being done well, and what needs to be improved. The audit published its report in September 2024 and officials across NHS England and the Department are considering its findings.Further actions on improving the survival of all cancers, including ovarian cancer and other rare and less common cancers, will be outlined in the forthcoming National Cancer Plan, which will be published later this year. It will seek to improve every aspect of cancer care to better the experience and outcomes for people with cancer. The goal is to reduce the number of lives lost to cancer over the next ten years, and the ambition will be set out as part of the National Cancer Plan.

Whether he plans to include targets on improving survival for (a) ovarian cancer and (b) other rare and less common cancers in the upcoming national cancer plan.

The Department is committed to improving survival outcomes for all cancer types, including ovarian cancer and other rare and less common cancers, by catching it early, and treating it faster and more effectively. As a first step, the National Health Service is now delivering an extra 40,000 operations, scans, and appointments each week, to support early diagnosis and faster treatment.NHS England is continuing the roll out of community diagnostic centres to ensure that patients can access the diagnostic tests they need as quickly as possible. The NHS is also improving pathways to get people diagnosed faster once they are referred, including non-specific symptom pathways for patients who do not fit clearly into a single urgent cancer referral pathway.To ensure patients have access to the best treatment for ovarian cancer, NHS England commissioned an audit on ovarian cancer. Using routine data collected on patients diagnosed with ovarian cancer in an NHS setting as part of their care and treatment, the audits bring together information to look at what is being done well, where it’s being done well, and what needs to be improved. The audit published its report in September 2024 and officials across NHS England and the Department are considering its findings.Further actions on improving the survival of all cancers, including ovarian cancer and other rare and less common cancers, will be outlined in the forthcoming National Cancer Plan, which will be published later this year. It will seek to improve every aspect of cancer care to better the experience and outcomes for people with cancer. The goal is to reduce the number of lives lost to cancer over the next ten years, and the ambition will be set out as part of the National Cancer Plan.

What plans his Department has to improve access to effective (a) symptom management and (b) pain relief for people with chronic urinary tract infections in Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency.

The Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency is served by the Hertfordshire and West Essex Integrated Care Board (ICB). The ICB applies the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s guidelines for the treatment of urinary tract infections (UTIs) to the treatment of chronic UTIs. The ICB has a defined care pathway which ensures that if primary care management is not sufficient, then patients are swiftly referred to specialist care for more intensive support, including further investigations and management of their symptoms and their pain.Appropriate treatment and support for people with chronic UTIs are dependent on receiving an accurate diagnosis. Diagnostic tests for chronic UTIs, such as urinalysis and urine culture, are widely available across all pathology networks in England, including Hertfordshire and West Essex. Ensuring accurate diagnostic testing not only aids more effective identification of infection but can also reduce unnecessary prescribing and overprescribing of broad-spectrum antimicrobials, and directly benefit patients in Harpenden and Berkhamsted, who will get the right treatment sooner.General practitioners can request testing for chronic UTIs via several pathways, including at point-of-care, via community diagnostic centres, or via laboratories. Laboratories across England adhere to stringent quality standards for diagnostic tests, including the UK Accreditation Standard ISO 15189, and implement robust internal and external quality assurance schemes. Together, these measures ensure the accuracy and reliability of diagnostic testing.Through the National Institute for Health and Care Research, the Department is supporting work to understand the research gaps on UTIs that matter most to patients, carers, and clinicians. This is through a James Lind Alliance Priority Setting Partnership (PSP), led by Antibiotic Research UK, Bladder Health UK, and The Urology Foundation. This partnership will publish its findings in spring 2026. The aim of the Chronic and Recurrent UTI PSP is to identify the unanswered questions about chronic and recurrent UTIs from patient, carer, and clinical perspectives and then to prioritise those that patients, carers, and clinicians agree are the most important for research to address.NHS England is also supporting research into newer, more accurate point-of-care tests for UTIs, such as via the Toucan study. Further information on the study is available at the following link:https://www.phctrials.ox.ac.uk/recruiting-trials/toucan-platform-for-uti-diagnostic-evaluation

When his Department plans to include Parkinson’s disease in the Quality and Outcomes Framework.

There are currently no plans to include Parkinson’s disease in the Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF).The indicators included in QOF are developed in accordance with National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines, and are underpinned by a robust evidence base. The QOF is reviewed annually to ensure it remains aligned with NICE guidelines.For the 2025/26 contract year, 32 out of 76 QOF indicators were retired to streamline the scheme and reduce the administrative burden on general practice.

What assessment his Department has made of the difference in patient care outcomes between (a) assigning a named GP for accountability and (b) ensuring continuity of care through an own doctor system for patients with long-term conditions.

The Government is bringing back the family general practitioner (GP) because we know that continuity of care is essential to person-centred healthcare. While all patients have the legal right to choose their GP practice and must be assigned a named GP, the current system does not guarantee that they will see the same doctor at each visit. Although practices must make reasonable efforts to accommodate patient preferences, there is currently no formal assessment of the impact of assigning a named GP on outcomes.That is why we are going further, by improving continuity of care, we aim to make it easier for patients to see the same doctor at each appointment, which is key to managing and supporting patients with long-term conditions.

If he will take steps to ensure that total triage systems in primary care do not compromise the continuity of care for patients with (a) Parkinson’s disease and (b) other chronic neurological conditions.

The triage process is designed to direct patients to the most appropriate healthcare professional based on their individual needs. This includes those who request or require continuity of care with the same general practitioner (GP), such as patients with Parkinson’s or other neurological conditions, as well as those who may be more appropriately supported by accident and emergency or pharmacy services. The system aims to accommodate a wide range of patient needs and enhance access across the broader healthcare network.To prevent digital exclusion, the GP contract clearly states that patients must always have the option to telephone or visit their practice in person. Online tools that are utilised to support ‘total triage’ should complement, not replace, traditional methods of access. Practice receptions must remain open to ensure that patients without access to telephone or digital services are not disadvantaged, especially those with conditions that require in-person support.

What plans his Department has to increase (a) awareness and (b) availability of Parkinson’s specialist nurses in primary care; and what proportion of GP surgeries have established referral pathways to such specialist support.

The Government is committed to improving care for people with neurological conditions, including those with Parkinson’s disease, and ensuring they receive the support that they need. With one in six people suffering from neurological conditions that can severely impact every aspect of their lives, it is vital we ensure that they, along with their families and carers, receive high-quality, compassionate care and access to the latest services and treatments. Having a better understanding of diseases like Parkinson’s is vital in making sure we can provide the right care at the right time.Integrated care boards (ICBs) commission secondary care neurology services and interface with primary care to ensure there is access to specialist services. Parkinson’s specialist nurses are generally based in secondary and community care settings, depending on where the ICB determines is the best service provision for their locality.All general practitioners should follow the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) clinical guideline 127 on the recognition and referral of people with suspected neurological conditions, including Parkinson’s disease. Further information on NICE clinical guideline 127 is available at the following link:https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng127Regular support with a Parkinson’s disease nurse specialist is highlighted as a key intervention in NICE guideline 71, Parkinson’s disease in adults, which is available at the following link:https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng71/

What steps his Department is taking to (a) help tackle midwifery shortages and (b) improve recruitment and retention in the NHS in (i) Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency, (ii) Hertfordshire and (c) England.

The Government is committed to tackling the issues facing the maternity workforce, to make sure we have the right people in the right place at the right time. NHS England is leading a range of initiatives to boost retention of existing staff and to ensure that the National Health Service remains an attractive career choice for new recruits. This includes building a compassionate and inclusive culture, supporting staff wellbeing, and promoting flexible working opportunities.NHS England has invested in a range of measures, such as unit-based retention leads, a midwifery and nursing retention self-assessment tool, mentoring schemes, and investment in workforce capacity. This has resulted in an increase in retention and a reduction in vacancy, leaver, and turnover rates. As of March 2025, there are a record 25,000 full time equivalent midwives in post, which is over 1,400, or 6.1%, more full-time equivalent midwives in the maternity.