Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Carla Lockhart and Yvette Cooper

Tuesday 20th October 2026 Commons Chamber

[Yvette Cooper]

My hon. Friend makes an important point about the importance of improving prostate cancer treatment, which affects so many men across the UK. We are investing £2.8 million to expand access to focal therapy in specialist centres in England, and NICE will look at the progress that is being made. We would of course be keen to work with the Scottish Government on this, and for them to be able to see the same results. It is important that we continue to improve treatment.

[Carla Lockhart (Upper Bann) (DUP)]

Scott, aged 30, is a dad, a son, a partner and a much-loved member of the Banbridge community, but he is battling grade 4 brain cancer. Brain cancer is the biggest killer of young people under the age of 40 in the UK, and survival rates are lower than the average across all cancers. Access to clinical trials is negligible, with only 2% of brain tumour patients successfully accessing them. Will the Secretary of State expand brain tumour clinical trials across the United Kingdom, and ensure fair access across all nations?

[Yvette Cooper]

I pay tribute to the hon. Lady’s constituent, who is obviously undergoing the most difficult of circumstances, and it is exactly because this is such a devastating condition that we have introduced a three-month rapid review of all the research and barriers to getting more patients into trials. We are of course keen to continue to work with the devolved Governments on this, because the research benefits us all right across the United Kingdom. We will be drawing up a framework to get drugs more quickly into trials, and to get more patients into those trials.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Carla Lockhart and Yvette Cooper

Tuesday 21st April 2026 Commons Chamber

[Yvette Cooper]

The House was not given the full information. It is important that it should be given the full information, and I have undertaken to write to the Select Committee ensuring that full, as well as accurate, information is provided.

[Carla Lockhart (Upper Bann) (DUP)]

In the UK, we pride ourselves on allowing people to practise their religion freely. Can the Minister update the House on what he is doing with any new regime in Iran to protect the rights of Christians to worship openly there?

Iran

Debate between Carla Lockhart and Yvette Cooper

Tuesday 13th January 2026 Commons Chamber

[Yvette Cooper]

We have strongly pushed for greater transparency, including in the overseas territories. My hon. Friend the Minister covering the overseas territories continues to do that with all the overseas territories. The action that some of those territories have taken has been extremely important in implementing sanctions and has demonstrated what can be done and achieved. That is one reason why we are determined to see further progress around transparency more widely.

[Carla Lockhart (Upper Bann) (DUP)]

The people of Iran have suffered for far too long. They have made it clear that enough is enough, and we stand with them. For too long, this Government have remained largely silent on the oppression of Christians in the middle east generally. Many countries, including Iran, murder and maim any person who does not conform to their dictated religion. Will the Secretary of State assure this House that in her diplomatic efforts for peace in the region, she will prioritise religious freedom and the rights of Christians to exist and practise their religion without fear of persecution?

[Yvette Cooper]

It is exactly because we take so seriously the issues around freedom of belief that we have appointed a UK envoy to keep pursuing this matter, because it is so important. These are basic rights and a basic part of our humanity for Christians and for people of all faiths and religions across not just the middle east but the world.