Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Healthy Babies Funding

Tuesday 14 April 2026 · 3 questions

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

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 1 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Government is investing 200 million in Best Start family hubs and Healthy Babies funding.
  • This funding will help integrate neighbourhood-based health services into hubs across all areas over the next decade.
  • The NHS plans to offer SMA screening to newborn babies in England in October 2026.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 John Whitby Lab Derbyshire Dales
NHS Children & Families Local Government
Context

The question follows from the initial concern about the roll-out of Healthy Babies funding to local authorities.

Question

What steps his Department is taking to increase the roll-out of Healthy Babies funding to local authorities. Sure Start delivered long-term health benefits, with the Institute for Fiscal Studies finding that it reduced hospitalisations by 50%. It is appropriate for the Department of Health and Social Care to support Best Start family hubs, and Healthy Babies funding enables this. When will Derbyshire be able to benefit from Healthy Babies funding?

Answer from Sharon Hodgson

This Government are investing £200 million in Best Start family hubs and Healthy Babies, part of an almost £1 billion package. This funding will help areas integrate neighbourhood-based health services into hubs, rolling out to all areas over the next decade.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific timeline for Derbyshire's roll-out was not addressed.

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Q2 John Whitby Lab Derbyshire Dales
NHS Children & Families
Context

The question follows from the initial concern about the roll-out of Healthy Babies funding to local authorities.

Question

Sure Start delivered long-term health benefits, reducing hospitalisations by 50%. It is appropriate for the Department of Health and Social Care to support Best Start family hubs. Healthy Babies funding enables this. When will Derbyshire be able to benefit from Healthy Babies funding?

Answer from Sharon Hodgson

This Government are investing £200 million in Best Start family hubs and Healthy Babies, part of an almost £1 billion package. This funding will help areas integrate neighbourhood-based health services into hubs, rolling out to all areas over the next decade.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific timeline for Derbyshire's roll-out was not addressed.

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Q3 Munira Wilson Lib Dem Twickenham
NHS
Context

A constituent's case of type 1 spinal muscular atrophy highlights the importance of newborn screening.

Question

May I welcome the Minister to her new post? The Government's support for Healthy Babies is very welcome, but the best way to keep babies with type 1 SMA healthy and help them lead normal lives is by screening them at birth. My constituent Charlie would be walking now if he had been diagnosed at birth through screening. Will the Minister consider adding SMA type 1 screening to the newborn screening schedule?

Answer from Sharon Hodgson

On 19 January, the Secretary of State met Jesy Nelson and Giles Lomax from SMA UK to discuss newborn screening for SMA. The NHS is planning an in-service evaluation offering SMA screening to newborn babies in England, brought forward to October 2026.

Answered
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