Rachel Gilmour MP: written questions
277 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Pain: Health ServicesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 25 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 116070More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of the provision of NHS-funded programmes for pain management, with particular relevance to those designed for chronic pain conditions.
Answer: The Department recognises the significant impact that chronic pain has on individuals and the importance of ensuring that National Health Service‑funded pain management services are effective, accessible and evidence‑based. Integrated care boards (ICBs) c...
Answered 16 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordPain: ResearchDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 25 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 116069More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of the level of funding allocated for research into chronic pain disorders.
Answer: The Department funds research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) including research into chronic pain disorders. Between 2020/21 and 2024/25, the NIHR invested £39.4 million in direct research funding in this area. Further ...
Answered 4 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordAccess to Work Programme: Multiple SclerosisDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 25 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 115960More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to ensure that the Access to Work Scheme supports people with multiple sclerosis in employment.
Answer: The support that a customer will receive from Access to Work is dependent upon their needs and circumstances at the time they make an application. Case managers will use the current guidance to ensure Access to Work principles are considered when making a...
Answered 17 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordWater: InsecticidesDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 25 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 115898More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will consider the merits of the development of an environmental quality standard for water for either Fipronil or Imidacloprid.
Answer: Environmental quality standards (EQS) are fundamental to the effective assessment and regulation of chemical impacts. This commitment has already been made in the roadmap produced by the Cross Governmental Pharmaceuticals in the Environment group. The Gov...
Answered 9 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordRespiratory Diseases: Drugs and InnovationDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 23 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 115251More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions his Department has had with the Department for Science and Technology about the potential for a respiratory Modern Service Framework to strengthen the UK’s life sciences ecosystem
Answer: The Government will consider long-term conditions for future waves of modern service frameworks (MSFs), including respiratory conditions. The criteria for determining other conditions for future MSFs will be based on where there is potential for rapid and...
Answered 3 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordRespiratory DiseasesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 23 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 115250More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of (a) the prevalence of respiratory disease and (b) the number of emergency hospital admissions for respiratory conditions in the Tiverton and Minehead cons
Answer: The Government will consider long-term conditions for future waves of modern service frameworks (MSFs), including respiratory conditions. The criteria for determining other conditions for future MSFs will be based on where there is potential for rapid and...
Answered 3 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordPainDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 20 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 114652More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of training for GPs and emergency healthcare staff to understand chronic pain conditions.
Answer: Employers in the health system are responsible for ensuring that their staff are trained to the required standards to deliver appropriate treatment for patients.General practitioners are responsible for ensuring their own clinical knowledge remains up-to-...
Answered 2 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordNHS: StaffDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 11 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 112815More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to reduce levels of burnout of NHS staff.
Answer: The health and wellbeing of all National Health Service staff is a top priority. NHS organisations have a responsibility to create supportive working environments for staff, ensuring they have the conditions they need to thrive, including access to high ...
Answered 23 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordHealth Services: WomenDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 11 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 112814More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will ensure women's health services are included in the Neighbourhood Health Service.
Answer: The 10-Year Health Plan set out our ambition for high autonomy to be the norm across every part of the country. Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for commissioning services that meet the healthcare needs of their local population and which hav...
Answered 23 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordHousingMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 11 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 112714More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what progress he has made on the long-term housing strategy; and when he plans to publish that strategy.
Answer: The government is making good progress on a long-term housing strategy and will publish it shortly.
Answered 2 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordHill Farming: FinanceDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 10 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 112464More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans her Department has to financially support upland farmers in areas such as Exmoor.
Answer: Defra is working with Dr Hilary Cottam to develop a place-based approach for what uplands communities need, co-designing solutions to specific problems. The Government recently announced the extension of the Farming in Protected Landscape (FiPL) programme...
Answered 18 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordDental Services: StandardsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 5 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 111340More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of an increase in urgent care Units of Dental Activity on trends in the level of the provision of routine and preventative NHS dental care.
Answer: We recognise that urgent, routine, and preventative dental care is important and we are taking steps to address this.We are committed to delivering fundamental reform of the dental contract before the end of this Parliament. As a first step, on 16 Decembe...
Answered 10 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordBrownfield SitesMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 19 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 106779More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what support and encouragement the Government is giving to local authorities to fast-track planning applications for developments on brownfield sites.
Answer: The National Planning Policy Framework makes clear that substantial weight should be given to the value of using suitable brownfield land within settlements to meet the need for homes and other uses. The revised Framework published on 12 December 2024 bro...
Answered 27 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordState Retirement Pensions: WomenDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 14 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 106055More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of State Pension age changes for 1950s-born women on woman in Tiverton and Minehead constituency.
Answer: All women born since 6 April 1950 have been affected by changes to State Pension age. Estimates can be made using ONS 2021 Census Data on how many women born in the 1950s resided in each constituency in that year.
Answered 21 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordSchools: Carbon EmissionsDepartment for EducationTabled 9 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 104584More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of support available to schools who wish to decarbonise their buildings but who currently do not have the means to do so.
Answer: The department recognises that decarbonising the school estate is an important part of meeting the government’s net zero commitments.The Great British Energy Solar Partnership (GBESP) programme is supporting 250 schools and colleges to decarbonise by inve...
Answered 16 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordDementia: Health ServicesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 8 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 104312More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent progress his Department has made on implementing the Dame Barbara Windsor Dementia Goals programme.
Answer: The Dame Barbara Windsor Dementia Goals programme, with up to £150 million expected to be allocated to, or aligned with it, aims to speed up the development of new treatments for dementia and neurodegenerative conditions by accelerating innovations in bio...
Answered 19 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordRivers: StandardsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 10 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 99090More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will publish the latest data on the ecological status of rivers across the UK.
Answer: The Environment Agency (EA) is preparing the next update of water body classifications which underpin river basin management plans and guide investment decisions.
Answered 16 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordFamily Courts: AppealsMinistry of JusticeTabled 10 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 99023More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he has made an assessment of the potential impact of the removal of the right of appeal escalatory route from the Family Court judges to the High Court on judicial oversight accountability.
Answer: The Government has no plans to remove any rights of appeal route from family court judges to the High Court, nor has it made an assessment of the potential impact of such a change on judicial oversight and accountability.
Answered 22 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordCancer: DiagnosisDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 8 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98093More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to improve early cancer diagnosis rates.
Answer: Early cancer diagnosis is a key priority for the Government, as the chances of survival are higher if cancer is diagnosed at an early stage.The Department recognises that cancer patients are often waiting too long for referral and treatment. As the first ...
Answered 5 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordAnimal ExperimentsDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 27 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 95285More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if she will commit to introducing Herbie's Law.
Answer: The UK’s legal framework already requires that animals are only used in science where no validated alternatives exist, and we are accelerating efforts to develop and adopt these alternatives. The Government’s new strategy sets out a long-term vision for a...
Answered 5 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordPalm Oil: Sustainable DevelopmentDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 19 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 92727More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans her Department has to promote the awareness and use of sustainable palm oil.
Answer: The Government is committed to supporting sustainable production, trade, and use of palm oil. Leading by example, the Government Buying Standards for Food and Catering Services require in-scope public sector procurers to ensure that all palm oil(including...
Answered 4 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordRobots: Regulation and SafetyDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 18 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 92403More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, further to the research and analysis entitled Rapid Technology Assessment: Humanoids, published on 10 March 2025, whether her Department plans to introduce a regulatory framework or min
Answer: The UK Government are taking robust action to ensure new and existing technologies in the UK are Secure by Design. The Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Act requires manufacturers, importers and retailers to ensure consumer IoT produc...
Answered 26 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordNHS Trusts: FinanceDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 18 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 92389More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his department is taking to help ensure trusts have sufficient access to operational capital funding to repair buildings, replace old equipment, and provide a suitable environment for pa
Answer: The Government is committed to delivering a National Health Service that is fit for the future through our 10-Year Health Plan, and we recognise the importance of supporting NHS trusts to manage and maintain their estates using operational capital allocat...
Answered 26 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordHealth and Leisure Centres: FinanceDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 18 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 92369More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the (a) adequacy of funding for leisure and health centres and (b) potential impact of those funding levels on fitness and wellbeing.
Answer: The Government recognises the importance of ensuring public access to sports facilities, including leisure centres, which are vital spaces for people of all ages to stay fit and healthy, and which play an important role within communities across the count...
Answered 26 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordCountryside: WalkingDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 10 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 89178More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of (a) Health and Safety Executive regulations on the interaction between walkers and cattle and (b) how those regulations are communicated to (i) farmers a
Answer: Health and safety legislation places a duty on farmers to manage the risk to the public from cattle as far as it is reasonable to do so. The nature of modern health and safety legislation is largely goalsetting, rather than prescriptive. This is important...
Answered 19 Nov 2025
Original Parliament record
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