Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether an update to the digital maternity record standard is planned to limit birth outcomes to coded values, and ensure that a value is included for second trimester miscarriage.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Whilst it is possible, it is not mandatory for trusts to record second trimester miscarriage through the Maternity Services Data Set (MSDS). The requirements for the next iteration for the MSDS include more detailed data collection around pregnancy outcomes, including on miscarriage. Timescales for this next iteration are yet to be confirmed.

There are no specific plans to update the Digital Maternity Record Standard at present, as the current version has yet to be fully implemented by all maternity system suppliers. However, this will be considered as part of wider maternity data architecture design work, which will also support the MSDS and the Single Patient Record.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to work with NHS England to improve the collection of data on second trimester miscarriage through the maternity services dataset.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Whilst it is possible, it is not mandatory for trusts to record second trimester miscarriage through the Maternity Services Data Set (MSDS). The requirements for the next iteration for the MSDS include more detailed data collection around pregnancy outcomes, including on miscarriage. Timescales for this next iteration are yet to be confirmed.

There are no specific plans to update the Digital Maternity Record Standard at present, as the current version has yet to be fully implemented by all maternity system suppliers. However, this will be considered as part of wider maternity data architecture design work, which will also support the MSDS and the Single Patient Record.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment have they made of how the single patient record could improve the recording of miscarriage across NHS services, and what measures are being taken to reduce the risk of ‘double counting’ the same miscarriage recorded by different services.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

It has historically been difficult to gather accurate and comprehensive data on miscarriages. While data is collected on those miscarriages that occur during hospital stays, the majority occur outside of healthcare settings, and it is the choice of the woman affected whether she discloses that information to healthcare professionals.

The planned introduction of the new Single Patient Record (SPR) is an important step towards one, comprehensive health record for every patient, and this will start with maternity. The SPR will initially capture some, though not all, miscarriage data, and we will continue to consider this as implementation progresses.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to improve the recording of miscarriage experienced by women engaged with NHS services.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

It has historically been difficult to gather accurate and comprehensive data on miscarriages. While data is collected on those miscarriages that occur during hospital stays, the majority occur outside of healthcare settings, and it is the choice of the woman affected whether she discloses that information to healthcare professionals.

The planned introduction of the new Single Patient Record (SPR) is an important step towards one, comprehensive health record for every patient, and this will start with maternity. The SPR will initially capture some, though not all, miscarriage data, and we will continue to consider this as implementation progresses.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to educate and equip healthcare professionals to engage in genomic testing for patients with pancreatic cancer.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The NHS England Genomics Education Programme provides education and training to support healthcare professionals in the use of genomic medicine. Working with the NHS Genomic Medicine Service, it delivers a national education programme designed to build genomic knowledge and skills across the healthcare workforce.

As part of this offer, the programme has developed GeNotes, a multi-professional clinical resource that supports clinicians to identify when genomic testing is appropriate, order the correct test, interpret results, and communicate them to patients. GeNotes aligns with the National Genomic Test Directory and provides both point-of-care guidance and more in-depth learning opportunities.

The resource includes educational material relevant to pancreatic cancer, including guidance to support clinicians managing patients with pancreatic cancer who may benefit from genomic testing and the interpretation of genomic results.

NHS England continues to work with healthcare professionals, academics, and professional organisations to ensure genomic education and training resources remain up to date and support the appropriate use of genomics across healthcare services.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England have to meet rare disease patient groups to discuss indication-specific pricing for multi-indication medicines as part of its work in the forthcoming Commercial Framework consultation.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

NHS England has not entered into any commercial agreements involving indication-specific pricing for kidney conditions, or for rare kidney conditions, between June 2021 and July 2026. However, during this period, NHS England has entered into three commercial agreements involving indication-specific pricing for kidney cancer indications, including renal cell carcinoma indications.

NHS England regularly engages with patient groups, including the Charity Medicines Access Coalition, Genetic Alliance UK, and the Neurological Alliance, whose members represent people living with a wide range of rare conditions. More recent engagement has included patient groups representing people with conditions such as spinal muscular atrophy, muscular dystrophy, and motor neurone disease, where National Institute for Health and Care Excellence technology appraisals have been undertaken or are ongoing.

As part of the upcoming consultation on updates to the NHS Commercial Framework for New Medicines, NHS England will seek views from a broad range of patient organisations, including those representing people with rare diseases.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many of the commercial engagements made by NHS England between June 2021 and July 2026 involving indication-specific pricing were for indications for (1) kidney conditions, and (2) rare kidney conditions.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

NHS England has not entered into any commercial agreements involving indication-specific pricing for kidney conditions, or for rare kidney conditions, between June 2021 and July 2026. However, during this period, NHS England has entered into three commercial agreements involving indication-specific pricing for kidney cancer indications, including renal cell carcinoma indications.

NHS England regularly engages with patient groups, including the Charity Medicines Access Coalition, Genetic Alliance UK, and the Neurological Alliance, whose members represent people living with a wide range of rare conditions. More recent engagement has included patient groups representing people with conditions such as spinal muscular atrophy, muscular dystrophy, and motor neurone disease, where National Institute for Health and Care Excellence technology appraisals have been undertaken or are ongoing.

As part of the upcoming consultation on updates to the NHS Commercial Framework for New Medicines, NHS England will seek views from a broad range of patient organisations, including those representing people with rare diseases.

Found: Lord Johnson of Marylebone Lord Mohammed of Tinsley Lord Mott Baroness Nichols of Selby Baroness Pidgeon

Found: member until 5 June 2026) Former Council Leader of London Borough of Bexley until 7 May 2026 Baroness Pidgeon

Found: Baroness Pidgeon and Lady Scott wanted to see decarbonisation and the modal shift advanced through

Found: Baroness Pidgeon and Lady Scott wanted to see decarbonisation and the modal shift advanced through

The Inquiry will be looking into a broad range of issues regarding children’s social care, including the changing demand for care and local authority funding, the supply of residential placements and the impact of market management measures within the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act. Additionally, the inquiry will seek evidence on fostering, workforce, and regulations, and finally the outcomes for care-experienced children.