Oral Hormone Pregnancy Tests

Thursday 19th March 2015 Ministerial Corrections

The following is an extract from Topical Questions to the Secretary of State for Health on 24 February 2015.

[Graeme Morrice (Livingston) (Lab)]

T7. My constituent Wilma Ord was prescribed Primodos in the 1970s, an oral hormone pregnancy testing pill that she blames for her daughter’s birth defects. As the Secretary of State is aware, it was announced back in October that an inquiry would be established to look into the whole issue. What progress has been made in setting up the inquiry and what assurances can he give my constituent, and the many other women and families affected throughout the country, that the inquiry will be fully comprehensive, transparent and independent?

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health (George Freeman)]

I am delighted to report that I have met colleagues from across the House and patient representatives of that campaign on a number of occasions. We have appointed the chair and made sure that the terms of reference for the inquiry are clear and comprehensive. It is not, I stress, a judicial inquiry; it is a medical inquiry looking at the evidence.

[Official Report, 24 February 2015, Vol. 593, c. 194.]

Letter of correction from George Freeman:

An error has been identified in the response I gave to the hon. Member for Livingston (Graeme Morrice) during Topical Questions to the Secretary of State for Health.

The correct response should have been:

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health (George Freeman)]

I am delighted to report that I have met the all-party parliamentary group on oral hormone pregnancy tests about the inquiry. We have appointed the chair and made sure that the terms of reference for the inquiry are clear and comprehensive. It is not, I stress, a judicial inquiry; it is a medical inquiry looking at the evidence.