Lords
Committee Stage
9 July 2026
Modern Service Framework for Dementia and Frailty
My Lords, I start by congratulating the noble Lord, Lord Weir, on securing this debate. It has clearly engaged so many and I, for one, am pleased about the positive reaction. He mentioned at the outset that we are all agreed. I am sure that this outbreak of unanimity is always helpful when trying to…
Lords
Proceedings
6 July 2026
8 contributions
Fracture Liaison Services
My Lords, our 10-year health plan committed to rolling out fracture liaison services nationwide by 2030 and outlines our vision for a more devolved health service. We have cut the number of NHS planning guidance targets from 130 in 2022 to 18 in 2025, and that has given local leaders greater flexibi…
The noble Lord does not need to apologise for raising this extremely important matter. I am grateful for his campaigning on this, as I am to other noble Lords. There has been a lot of progress. In answer to his first question, I believe that it is possible, not least because all but two ICBs in the …
+6 more contributions in this session
Lords
Proceedings
6 July 2026
11 contributions
National Maternity and Neonatal Investigation
My Lords, we know—and we can never acknowledge it enough—that women, babies and families across the country are being harmed, traumatised and let down by a broken system. I am grateful to both Front Benches for the way in which they have received this report and for their support, and their acknowle…
My noble friend allows me to say how grateful we are to the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists for its continuing work, as we are grateful to our many partners who are committed to driving through change. We are working particularly closely with RCOG in developing routes forward. I ag…
+9 more contributions in this session
Lords
Proceedings
2 July 2026
9 contributions
Children’s and Young People’s Mental Health Services
My Lords, we welcome the report of the Children’s Commissioner. It highlights pressures on children and young people’s mental health services, including rising demand, long waits and the need for better support for those with neurodevelopmental and SEND needs. The findings will feed into our new cro…
The mental health of children and young people is completely fundamental to the new strategy, which will cover all ages and be published later this year. But what really needs to be done, as I know the noble Baroness is aware, is to transform mental health care in this country, because the system cu…
+7 more contributions in this session
Lords
Proceedings
1 July 2026
8 contributions
Pharmacy Closures
My Lords, pharmacies are an easily accessible front door to the NHS and we understand the impact that closures may have. We have increased the community pharmacy budget by £340 million—a 10% uplift that builds on the 19% increase, which was at the time the largest uplift in the NHS. That was deliver…
We are taking a number of actions on the point that the noble Baroness rightly raises. I have spoken about the uplift on the back of a major uplift in the two years previously. For underserved areas, the pharmacy access scheme provides financial support to pharmacies in areas where there are fewer o…
+6 more contributions in this session
Lords
Proceedings
1 July 2026
8 contributions
IVF Treatment
My Lords, we are aware of the issues raised in the Lancet article regarding the effectiveness of IVF treatment add-ons. The regulator, the HFEA, provides information to patients on the effectiveness of fertility treatment add-ons through its website. In most cases, there is insufficient evidence to …
I recognise the situation that my noble friend describes and note that, while the relevant Act has provided a strong framework for over three decades, the fact is that treatment, science and societal expectations have all evolved very significantly since the last major reform in 2008. It is the case…
+6 more contributions in this session
Lords
Proceedings
30 June 2026
8 contributions
Extreme Heat: Resilience of NHS Infrastructure
My Lords, extreme heat does pose a serious risk to NHS buildings and services. All NHS organisations are required to have effective arrangements in place for adverse weather. We are supporting trusts to target the most critical estates risks with £6.75 billion over nine years, including risks that n…
The Government are indeed providing trusts with substantial investment—I mentioned just some of it—in these measures, and that is very much in line with the Government’s net-zero ambitions and intent. We are investing £155 million in solar projects and £400 million in heat decarbonisation grants acr…
+6 more contributions in this session
Lords
Proceedings
29 June 2026
4 contributions
Nottingham Maternity and Neonatal Services
My Lords, we find ourselves deeply affected, as we have heard from both Front Benches. I am grateful for the tone and for the acknowledgement of the experiences of bereaved and harmed families who are at the absolute centre of this. The noble Baroness, Lady Pidgeon, said that she could not get her h…
I certainly agree. Every woman, in the case of maternity services, deserves safe and compassionate maternity care. That is why we are so determined to drive urgent improvements in maternity services. It is worth noting that this review—the largest ever of its kind, as the noble Lord, Lord Kamall, sa…
+2 more contributions in this session
Lords
Proceedings
25 June 2026
8 contributions
Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
My Lords, we continue to promote the advice of the Chief Medical Officers in the UK that pregnant women or those planning a pregnancy should avoid alcohol, alongside promoting the NICE quality standards on FASD. We are committed to ensuring that all pregnant women with alcohol problems are supported…
My noble friend is quite right. There are tremendous opportunities to link up work on tackling foetal alcohol spectrum disorder with other parts of our work, not least the major principle of moving from treatment of sickness to prevention. I assure my noble friend that we are working across governme…
+6 more contributions in this session
Lords
Proceedings
25 June 2026
2 contributions
Healthcare Services: Acute, Primary and Community
My Lords, I congratulate the noble Baroness, Lady Janke, on securing a very important debate. I am also grateful to all noble Lords for their contributions. I recognise many of the challenges raised, which is exactly why we are taking the action that we are. I am glad that the noble Lord, Lord Evans…
I always appreciate the expertise of the noble Lord, but I have set out our approach. We are focusing on outcomes and the best way to achieve them. We keep them constantly under review and discussion, so it is not top-down but how we are going to get to the place that all noble Lords want us to get …
Lords
Proceedings
25 June 2026
8 contributions
Puberty Blockers Trial: Consent
My Lords, the PATHWAYS trial entry age was recently reviewed by the MHRA and the sponsor, resulting in a minimum age of 11 for females and 12 for males. It aims to study treatment when it is most clinically relevant while safeguarding participants. Eligibility is tightly controlled; it requires pare…
I appreciate that the noble Baroness has strong views—so do a number of noble Lords, as we heard on the Statement that I presented and responded to yesterday. On consent, I remind noble Lords that this is a sensitive, emotive and difficult subject, but that is why we have to be driven, as the previo…
+6 more contributions in this session
Lords
Proceedings
24 June 2026
PATHWAYS Study: Puberty Suppression
My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Baronesses, Lady Barker and Lady Cash, for their contributions, both of which highlight why my right honourable friend the Secretary of State led on this Statement by saying that this is
“a sensitive, emotive and difficult issue”.
He also said, which goes the p…
Lords
Proceedings
24 June 2026
9 contributions
Resistant Hypertension
My Lords, the NHS is increasing the diagnosis and detection of hypertension and is supporting the identification of resistant hypertension and its treatment. Renal denervation remains an option for some patients but is currently not widely commissioned by the NHS, in line with NICE guidance. The car…
I can indeed give the commitment to my noble friend that NHS England is currently reviewing the clinical evidence for the commissioning of renal denervation treatment, and recommendations are expected next year.
+7 more contributions in this session
Lords
Proceedings
22 June 2026
9 contributions
NHS: Dementia Treatment Trials
My Lords, across the last five financial years, the Government have spent more than £555 million on dementia research, including into dementia diagnostics and trials of potential treatments. We are working for Britain to be at the forefront of transforming treatments and a world leader in dementia t…
We do indeed, and I certainly agree with the noble Baroness. A timely diagnosis is absolutely vital to make sure that people with dementia can access everything they need, live well and remain independent for as long as possible. We are committed to recovering the dementia diagnosis rate to the nati…
+7 more contributions in this session
Lords
Proceedings
18 June 2026
9 contributions
Prostate Cancer Screening: AI
My Lords, we are committed to looking for opportunities to implement AI in cancer services, investing £113 million in the AI in health and care award. As AI in screening is still in a trial phase, it will not be used in the targeted prostate cancer screening programme when this is introduced. Howeve…
I wish the noble Lord well as he deals with the diagnosis. I am sure that many would associate with his kind comments about the NHS care he has received.
I very much agree that early diagnosis is key. That is why we have introduced the first targeted prostate cancer screening programme. It will rol…
+7 more contributions in this session
Lords
Proceedings
17 June 2026
10 contributions
Integrated Care Boards: Budgets
My Lords, integrated care boards are responsible for commissioning health services to meet local need. We do not intend to mandate a statutory minimum ring-fence for community-based transformation. Through the medium-term planning framework and the neighbourhood health framework we are requiring sys…
The noble Lord raises a good point about data. Indeed, one of the pieces of work we are doing with ICBs on how they commission services is requiring better data and data analysis. I hope the noble Lord will see the improvements, but I very much take to heart the point he makes.
+8 more contributions in this session
Lords
Proceedings
16 June 2026
6 contributions
Compassionate Use Medicine Schemes: VAT
It is important to say, first, that this is not a new policy. There is recognition that while early access and compassionate use programmes are crucial, they are voluntary for pharma companies, which are aware, as I say, that VAT is applicable in these instances; it has been in place for decades. To…
Cancer charities are important in this area, and we are certainly engaging with them; they are very invested partners. I understand why people are concerned. This is not instead of the NHS. NHS medicines are provided on the advice and guidance of NICE, and that absolutely continues. As I say, what w…
+4 more contributions in this session
Lords
Proceedings
15 June 2026
7 contributions
Rare Cancers: Diagnosis and Treatment
My Lords, improving diagnosis and treatment for rare cancer patients is a priority for this Government through the national cancer plan. The department is exploring procurement mechanisms to stimulate technological breakthroughs to tackle rare cancers with the lowest survival rates. The MHRA launche…
The noble Baroness is quite right to talk about acceleration of clinical trials; as she and your Lordships’ House will be aware, that is exactly what we are doing. Not least, our turbocharging of clinical trials has already meant that set-up now takes an average of 122 days, which is down from 169 d…
+5 more contributions in this session
Lords
Proceedings
15 June 2026
Mental Health Conditions: Diagnoses
My Lords, I congratulate the noble Baroness, Lady Maclean, on securing this timely and highly relevant debate. I thank all noble Lords for their contributions. There is not unanimity in this House on what is behind the drivers of prevalence—I will come to that shortly—but I have listened closely to …
Lords
Proceedings
20 May 2026
King’s Speech
My Lords, it is a real honour to open today’s debate on behalf of His Majesty’s Government. When it was my privilege to close the last debate on the last gracious Speech, I spoke about the Mental Health Bill and the Tobacco and Vapes Bill. I thank noble Lords across the House for their engagement an…
Lords
Proceedings
18 May 2026
9 contributions
Miscarriage Care
My Lords, miscarriage can have a devastating impact on women and their families, and we are determined that they receive the support they need. We committed in the women’s health strategy to improve care for women, including carefully considering the graded model of care for repeated miscarriage. Th…
This is an extremely important area, and I acknowledge very much that the current situation is not working for women or their families. To emphasise, we very much welcome the report from Tommy’s miscarriage centre at Birmingham Women’s and Children’s Hospital, which is about the effectiveness of its…
+7 more contributions in this session
Lords
Proceedings
18 May 2026
10 contributions
Healthy Life Expectancy: England
My Lords, the fall in healthy life expectancy over the last decade is unacceptable and underlines the scale and complexity of the challenges we face. Through the 10-year health plan, we are taking action to tackle the drivers of ill health and inequality, including reviewing the Carr-Hill funding fo…
My noble friend’s assessment of the situation is right. That is why we are working across government on the wider determinants of health, including matters such as the Warm Homes Plan and the homelessness strategy. Alongside that, the 10-year health plan focuses on prevention and narrowing inequalit…
+8 more contributions in this session
Lords
Proceedings
23 April 2026
10 contributions
Women’s Health Strategy
I thank the noble Lord and the noble Baroness on the Front Benches for their warm welcome for this renewed women’s health strategy. It represents a major shift in this country and, as the noble Lord, Lord Kamall, said, it recognises the fact that women’s voices have not been heard. It is shocking, a…
I would be pleased to. This is an important point because MSK conditions disproportionately affect women. We are investing in diagnosis, and this financial year we are funding 21 new DEXA scanners in priority locations. That will mean some 60,000 scans per year, so we will be upping the game in that…
+8 more contributions in this session