To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Merron on 8 June 2026 (HL57), on what specific date the current national contract for the learning from lives and deaths – people with a learning disability and autistic people reviews (LeDeR) programme expire; and whether that contract will...

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Merron on 8 June 2026 (HL57), on what specific date the current national contract for the learning from lives and deaths – people with a learning disability and autistic people reviews (LeDeR) programme expire; and whether that contract will...

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to continue the LeDeR programme beyond the expiration of its current national contract; and, if they have no such plans, what alternative framework they will implement to ensure continued oversight, review and learning from the deaths of people with a learning disability...

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to continue the LeDeR programme beyond the expiration of its current national contract; and, if they have no such plans, what alternative framework they will implement to ensure continued oversight, review and learning from the deaths of people with a learning disability...

To ask His Majesty's Government what is their current assessment of the percentage of "avoidable deaths" among those with a learning disability following the revision to the data published in the 2026 LeDeR report; and how this corrected figure will influence the targeted interventions within the NHS 10-Year Health Plan.

To ask His Majesty's Government what is their current assessment of the percentage of "avoidable deaths" among those with a learning disability following the revision to the data published in the 2026 LeDeR report; and how this corrected figure will influence the targeted interventions within the NHS 10-Year Health Plan.

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps NHS England has taken to audit the "automated data process" introduced in Spring 2023; and how it has validated the permanent rectification of the technical defects in mortality data which necessitated the withdrawal of the September 2025 LeDeR report.

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps NHS England has taken to audit the "automated data process" introduced in Spring 2023; and how it has validated the permanent rectification of the technical defects in mortality data which necessitated the withdrawal of the September 2025 LeDeR report.

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to move the LeDeR programme onto a statutory footing to mandate the implementation of its findings following the data failures and publication delays associated with the 2023 LeDeR report.

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to move the LeDeR programme onto a statutory footing to mandate the implementation of its findings following the data failures and publication delays associated with the 2023 LeDeR report.

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the withdrawal of the Learning Disabilities Mortality Review (LeDeR) report 2023 due to data quality issues; what were the specific data technicalities or defects that were not identified by NHS England or the Department of Health and Social Care;...

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the withdrawal of the Learning Disabilities Mortality Review (LeDeR) report 2023 due to data quality issues; what were the specific data technicalities or defects that were not identified by NHS England or the Department of Health and Social Care;...

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Merron on 10 November (HL11512), how many separate formal meetings involving a minister and either a senior manager or the clinical lead at NHS England with specific responsibility for the learning from lives and deaths (LeDeR) programme there have been...

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Merron on 10 November (HL11512), how many separate formal meetings involving a minister and either a senior manager or the clinical lead at NHS England with specific responsibility for the learning from lives and deaths (LeDeR) programme there have been...

My Lords, one of the problems the Minister has talked about in developing pathways is identification and data sharing. Could she be specific about the improvements that are being made within the 10-year plan to ensure that people with various learning disabilities—it is a huge umbrella term—are better identified and that that identification is shared across different health and care services?

My Lords, one of the problems the Minister has talked about in developing pathways is identification and data sharing. Could she be specific about the improvements that are being made within the 10-year plan to ensure that people with various learning disabilities—it is a huge umbrella term—are better identified and that that identification is shared across different health and care services?

To ask His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the effectiveness of learning disabilities mortality review (LeDeR) reports in improving life outcomes for people with learning disabilities.

To ask His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the effectiveness of learning disabilities mortality review (LeDeR) reports in improving life outcomes for people with learning disabilities.

My Lords, we are committed to reducing the health inequalities faced by people with a learning disability and autistic people. Through our 10-year health plan, we are working to improve access to, and quality of, care, delivering holistic, place-based support. LeDeR annual reports support this aim by compiling insights from local reviews into the deaths of people with a learning disability and autistic people. These insights help ICBs and providers to make improvements to care.

My Lords, we are committed to reducing the health inequalities faced by people with a learning disability and autistic people. Through our 10-year health plan, we are working to improve access to, and quality of, care, delivering holistic, place-based support. LeDeR annual reports support this aim by compiling insights from local reviews into the deaths of people with a learning disability and autistic people. These insights help ICBs and providers to make improvements to care.

As the Minister will know, the learning disabilities mortality review was commissioned a decade ago, yet people with learning disabilities still die more than 20 years younger than the general population, and 42% of those deaths are avoidable—twice the rate of the general population—so it is evident that the LeDeR process is not creating the systematic changes required. With that in mind, will the Minister commit to meeting me and a small group of people to explore what new enforceable systems are required to end these tragic and unacceptable early deaths?

As the Minister will know, the learning disabilities mortality review was commissioned a decade ago, yet people with learning disabilities still die more than 20 years younger than the general population, and 42% of those deaths are avoidable—twice the rate of the general population—so it is evident that the LeDeR process is not creating the systematic changes required. With that in mind, will the Minister commit to meeting me and a small group of people to explore what new enforceable systems are required to end these tragic and unacceptable early deaths?

These are indeed tragic deaths, and avoidable in a number of cases, as the noble Lord rightly says. I can do better than agree to meet him and his colleagues—I have already got agreement from Minister Zubir Ahmed, who is responsible for this area and will be very pleased to meet them.

These are indeed tragic deaths, and avoidable in a number of cases, as the noble Lord rightly says. I can do better than agree to meet him and his colleagues—I have already got agreement from Minister Zubir Ahmed, who is responsible for this area and will be very pleased to meet them.

My Lords, will the Government commit to working further with the National Mental Capacity Forum? One of the leads that comes out in this report is a failure to implement adequately, particularly in giving support to people. Parents are often very important in providing support to a person with learning difficulties, but when that person is an adult they can feel excluded, and they are often very worried as to what will happen after they have died and the person remains alive.

My Lords, will the Government commit to working further with the National Mental Capacity Forum? One of the leads that comes out in this report is a failure to implement adequately, particularly in giving support to people. Parents are often very important in providing support to a person with learning difficulties, but when that person is an adult they can feel excluded, and they are often very worried as to what will happen after they have died and the person remains alive.

I understand the point that the noble Baroness makes—it is quite right. We will continue to take account of and work to support parents and those they care for in the way that she describes. Certainly, I will also discuss with the Minister continuing the work with the organisation to which she refers.

I understand the point that the noble Baroness makes—it is quite right. We will continue to take account of and work to support parents and those they care for in the way that she describes. Certainly, I will also discuss with the Minister continuing the work with the organisation to which she refers.

My Lords, to slightly widen the Question, would the Minister look at the fact that anybody who has a communication problem has historically had very bad results, compared with the rest of the population, when dealing with the National Health Service? Those with a hearing impairment would be a classic example. Will the Government have a good look across the whole spectrum of those who have some form of communication difficulty and try to get those medical professionals briefed in different forms of communication for that very important interview?

My Lords, to slightly widen the Question, would the Minister look at the fact that anybody who has a communication problem has historically had very bad results, compared with the rest of the population, when dealing with the National Health Service? Those with a hearing impairment would be a classic example. Will the Government have a good look across the whole spectrum of those who have some form of communication difficulty and try to get those medical professionals briefed in different forms of communication for that very important interview?

Again, I certainly accept the important points that the noble Lord is making. It is unacceptable that there are health inequalities and poorer life outcomes. Indeed, action could be taken. That is why our 10-year health plan recognises these inequalities and identifies particularly those with disabilities as a priority group for more of that holistic, ongoing support. Key to that will be the development of neighbourhood services, where such groups will be prioritised.

Again, I certainly accept the important points that the noble Lord is making. It is unacceptable that there are health inequalities and poorer life outcomes. Indeed, action could be taken. That is why our 10-year health plan recognises these inequalities and identifies particularly those with disabilities as a priority group for more of that holistic, ongoing support. Key to that will be the development of neighbourhood services, where such groups will be prioritised.

My Lords, I thank the noble Lord, Lord Scriven, for shining a light on this really important issue and for repeating the stat that people with learning disabilities and autism in England die almost 20 years younger than the rest of the population. That in itself is shocking, whatever your views.

The charity Mencap has cited a number of barriers that are stopping people with learning disabilities getting good-quality healthcare. These include failures to recognise that a person with a learning disability is unwell and staff having little understanding about learning disabilities in themselves. Could the Minister update the House on what specific steps the Government are taking, and with which partners they are speaking, to address these concerns?

My Lords, I thank the noble Lord, Lord Scriven, for shining a light on this really important issue and for repeating the stat that people with learning disabilities and autism in England die almost 20 years younger than the rest of the population. That in itself is shocking, whatever your views.

The charity Mencap has cited a number of barriers that are stopping people with learning disabilities getting good-quality healthcare. These include failures to recognise that a person with a learning disability is unwell and staff having little understanding about learning disabilities in themselves. Could the Minister update the House on what specific steps the Government are taking, and with which partners they are speaking, to address these concerns?

It bears repeating that it is shocking that people are dying on average up to 20 years earlier. As I have said, that is unacceptable. We work very closely with Mencap and other organisations, but what we are doing already is, for example, to the point that the noble Lord raised, improving identification of people with a learning disability on GP registers. In particular, a reasonable adjustment digital flag is being implemented in care records to make sure that support is appropriately tailored. In other words, if we do not know who people are and where they are, we cannot provide the support. That is an unacceptable reason.

It bears repeating that it is shocking that people are dying on average up to 20 years earlier. As I have said, that is unacceptable. We work very closely with Mencap and other organisations, but what we are doing already is, for example, to the point that the noble Lord raised, improving identification of people with a learning disability on GP registers. In particular, a reasonable adjustment digital flag is being implemented in care records to make sure that support is appropriately tailored. In other words, if we do not know who people are and where they are, we cannot provide the support. That is an unacceptable reason.

My Lords—

My Lords—

Would my noble friend accept—

Would my noble friend accept—