Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

10-Year Health Plan: Prevention of Ill Health

Tuesday 22 July 2025 · 5 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 2 Partly answered 3 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Government committed to addressing health inequalities for rare conditions like sickle cell disorder.
  • Minister highlighted ongoing efforts to tackle obesity through regulation of junk food advertising and school food standards.
  • Government acknowledged the importance of addressing urinary tract infections and expressed willingness to explore further solutions.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Kate Osamor Labour (Co-op) Edmonton and Winchmore Hill
NHS
Context

The question addresses the impact of the 10-year health plan on preventing ill health, particularly focusing on systemic inequalities affecting sickle cell disease patients.

Question

I thank the Minister for her response. Sickle cell disease disproportionately affects people from African and Caribbean backgrounds, yet systematic inequalities persist. A recent NHS Race and Health Observatory report reveals that research funding for cystic fibrosis is 2.5 times higher, despite similar prevalence. Will the Minister commit to addressing the chronic underfunding and ensure equitable investment in research and workforce specialist training for sickle cell patients across the NHS?

Answer from The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (Ashley Dalton)

The Government are committed to addressing health inequalities experienced by people living with rare conditions such as sickle cell disorder. Pioneering research is a cross-cutting theme of the UK rare diseases framework, but we know that there are a small number of rare conditions with a large amount of research, while many more have little or no funded research. I want to confirm for my hon. Friend that the National Institute for Health and Care Research welcomes funding applications for research into all and any aspects of health or care, including sickle cell disorder.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific commitment on equitable investment in research and workforce training was not provided

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Q2 Joe Robertson Con Isle of Wight East
NHS
Context

The question challenges the effectiveness and detail of the government's plans for delivering preventative healthcare measures outlined in their 10-year health plan.

Question

The Minister talks about her 10-year health plan, with “Fit for the Future” splashed across the front cover, but really, it is a plan from “Back to the Future”, with no new ideas that have not been discussed since Alan Milburn tried to do this in the year 2000. It will only be successful if the Government deliver, but there is no detail in there on how they will deliver. Can the Minister help us: how will she deliver on the priorities, including preventive ill health? Where can we read the “how”, or is it all still fermenting in Ministers’ heads?

Answer from The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (Ashley Dalton)

We are already delivering. As I have said, the Tobacco and Vapes Bill is making its way through Parliament at the moment. We are tackling the obesity crisis through tackling junk food advertising to children. We are working on school food standards, and we are also bringing in rules around planning for junk food establishments near schools. We are supporting people to make healthier choices when it comes to alcohol, and we are tackling air pollution, which particularly affects working-class communities. The list goes on and on, and I would be more than happy to give the hon. Member another list if he needs one.

Answered
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Q3 Allison Gardner Lab Stoke-on-Trent South
NHS
Context

The question addresses the prevalence of chronic urinary tract infections, highlighting outdated diagnostic techniques and inadequate treatment that lead to recurrent health issues. It calls for updated guidelines, diagnostics, and treatments.

Question

Urinary tract infections are estimated to impact on the lives of up to 5 million women and girls. In 2023-24, there were over 679,000 hospital admissions, and in 2023, 4,323 deaths. Outdated diagnostic techniques and inadequate treatment for acute UTIs results in the condition becoming recurrent and chronic. Better education of clinical staff and updated guidelines, diagnostics and treatments can help prevent the spiral of ill health that destroys so many women’s lives. Will the Secretary of State engage with me and other campaigners to recognise chronic UTIs as a condition and work to prevent this horrendous, pervasive illness?

Answer from The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (Ashley Dalton)

I thank my hon. Friend for her question and commend the work she has done on this issue and her wonderful contribution to the Westminster Hall debate that I responded to recently. It is a really important issue and something we are keen to explore further. The Secretary of State and I would be delighted to meet with her and other campaigners.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Commitment to recognising chronic UTIs as a condition was acknowledged, but no specific action plan provided

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Q4 Andrew Mitchell Con Sutton Coldfield
NHS
Context

The question highlights the axing of the Fleming Fund and its potential impact on tackling antimicrobial resistance, which causes significant health threats.

Question

The NHS 10-year plan identifies antimicrobial resistance as<br/>“a critical threat requiring urgent action.”<br/>AMR kills 35,000 people in the UK every year and 5 million globally and rising. Why on earth are the Government covertly axing the Fleming Fund without telling Parliament? Will the Secretary of State publish an impact assessment of the effect of the Fleming Fund’s closure on our domestic health security?

Answer from The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (Ashley Dalton)

There is nothing covert about the decisions on the Fleming Fund. It has been perfectly open and clear that the existing funding has been cut. Having said that, the work and partnerships that have been developed on AMR continue. The UK continues to be a global leader on this issue, and our ambassador, Dame Sally, continues to do sterling work on it.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Commitment to transparency but no specific impact assessment was provided

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Q5 Caroline Johnson Con Sleaford and North Hykeham
NHS
Context

The question addresses the delays in publishing various healthcare plans, such as the cancer plan, maternity and neonatal plan, workforce plan, and HIV plan.

Question

Last month, the Government published their 10-year plan. It took a year to write, and it contains promises to make even more plans—a cancer plan, a maternity and neonatal plan, a workforce plan and an HIV plan—which we are still waiting for. Careful planning is important, but taking too long will delay improvements in care, so when do the Government expect to publish those plans and to start delivering?

Answer from The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (Ashley Dalton)

We are already delivering. The hon. Lady is absolutely right to identify that a number of plans are being brought forward. We take this matter very seriously, and we want to ensure that we get it right. We plan: we plan so that we perform effectively, and we plan for success. The national cancer plan will be coming later this year, and I am sure that we will be able to outline a timetable for all other plans. I assure her that planning is not doing nothing; planning is making sure that we get this right and that we deliver.

Answered
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