5 APPG memberships (as of 12 Feb 2025)
Hong Kong, International Freedom of Religion or Belief, North Korea, Uyghurs, Yazidis28 Former APPG memberships
Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Bangladesh, British Council, Burma, CAFOD, Conception to Age Two - First 1001 Days, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Dying Well, Egypt, Eritrea, Haiti, Hazaras, Hormone Pregnancy Tests, International Law, Justice and Accountability, Jazz, Liverpool City Region, Maldives, Pakistan, Pakistani Minorities, Public Accountability, Religion or Belief, Rohingya, Sudan and South Sudan, Tibet, Uganda, War Crimes, Water and Sanitation in the Third World, West PapuaDivision Voting information
Debates during the 2024 Parliament
Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.
Sparring Partners
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
(22 debate interactions)
Department Debates
(18 debate contributions)
(15 debate contributions)
(14 debate contributions)
(5 debate contributions)
Legislation Debates
(8,646 words contributed)
Lords initiatives
These initiatives were driven by Lord Alton of Liverpool, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.
9 Bills introduced by Lord Alton of Liverpool
The Bill failed to complete its passage through Parliament before the end of the session. This means the Bill will make no further progress. A Bill to make provision for the regulation of the re-export of military equipment and goods further to their original exportation from the United Kingdom.
Thursday 27th January 2011
A Bill to provide for the High Court in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and the Court of Session in Scotland to make preliminary determinations concerning the undertakings made by the United Kingdom as a Contracting Party to the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (“Genocide Convention”) under international law; for the referral of such determinations to relevant international courts or organisations; for response to reports on genocide; and for connected purposes.
A Bill to amend the Mesothelioma Act 2014.
Friday 20th November 2015
A Bill to provide for the High Court in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and the Court of Session in Scotland to make preliminary determinations concerning the undertakings made by the United Kingdom as a Contracting Party to the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (“Genocide Convention”) under international law; for the referral of such determinations to relevant international courts or organisations; for response to reports on genocide; and for connected purposes.
A Bill to prohibit the falsification of slavery and human trafficking statements; to establish minimum standards of transparency in supply chains in relation to modern slavery and human trafficking; to prohibit companies using supply chains which fail to demonstrate minimum standards of transparency; and for connected purposes
A bill to provide for the High Court of England and Wales to make a preliminary finding on cases of alleged genocide, crimes against humanity or war crimes; and for the subsequent referral of such findings to the International Criminal Court or a special tribunal
A Bill to provide for the High Court of England and Wales to make a preliminary finding on cases of alleged genocide; and for the subsequent referral of such findings to the International Criminal Court or a special tribunal.
Monday 13th June 2016
A bill to amend the Mesothelioma Act 2014.
Thursday 17th July 2014
First reading took place on 21 January. This stage is a formality that signals the start of the Bill's journey through the Lords.Second reading - the general debate on all aspects of the Bill - is yet to be scheduled.The 2013-14 session of parliament has prorogued and this Bill will make no further progress. A bill to amend the Mesothelioma Act 2014
Tuesday 21st January 2014
Lord Alton of Liverpool has not co-sponsored any Bills in the current parliamentary sitting
Latest 50 Written Questions
(View all written questions)The Government continues to look at ways to make sure the government’s digital communications better reflect the way the public now consumes information online. The policy around the use of TikTok on government devices hasn’t changed.
Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Cabinet Office does not collect this data centrally. Where an essential business requirement necessitates the use of TikTok, this is managed through a formal exemptions and approvals process which takes place at departmental level.
Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The restriction on use of the TikTok app on government devices remains in place. Where an essential business requirement necessitates the use of TikTok, this is managed through a formal exemptions and approvals process.
In March 2023 the previous government introduced a precautionary ban on the TikTok application on government electronic devices following a security review. This review looked at the potential vulnerability of government data on government devices and risks around how sensitive information could be accessed and used.
Restricting use of the TikTok application on government devices is a prudent, proportionate measure to protect government device data. This data can be sensitive, particularly in relation to ministers' devices given the sensitive nature of their role.
All government organisations and their Arm's Length Bodies are required to control which third-party applications are permitted for use on their corporate devices under the cross-government Mobile Device Management policy. We keep our cyber security policies under constant review.
Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal
Public procurement is a key lever for enabling delivery of the Government’s missions, both in terms of sourcing the goods and services required by the public sector but also in using procurement policy to drive up standards.
The government will be ensuring that the powers in the Procurement Act are utilised to support the new government’s priorities. New measures in the Act, which are due to come into force in October 2024, strengthens the rules on disregarding bids and excluding suppliers where there is evidence of modern slavery. This will apply even in circumstances where there has not yet been a conviction or technical breach of an international treaty.
Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Under the previous government the then Department for International Trade (DIT) ran Project Defend from April 2020 to March 2021 when the project closed.
We recognise the importance of strengthening the resilience of UK supply chains to boost our preparedness for potential disruptions and shocks, Further consideration will be given to this in our forthcoming Trade Strategy. More widely, we are carrying out a full and comprehensive audit of the UK’s interests with regards to China, which will bring a consistent, long-term and strategic approach.
Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
No UK business should be complicit in forced labour. Under Section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015, businesses who operate in the UK and have a turnover of £36m or more are required to report annually on the steps they have taken to prevent modern slavery in their supply chains.
This Government will stand firm on human rights in China, including the repression of people in Xinjiang and will continue to hold China to account. The Government continues to review how we can best tackle forced labour in supply chains and continues to consider measures that would improve supply chain transparency and traceability.
Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Discussion among CPTPP Members is progressing on how to take forward accession applications. The UK and other CPTPP members have reaffirmed on several instances that the CPTPP is open to Accession Requests by economies that can satisfy the “Auckland Principles”, namely being able to meet the agreement’s high standards, having a track record of compliance with trade commitments, and commanding consensus of the Parties. It is right that we work within the principles of the group to achieve a consensus decision, rather than providing our own individual narrative on the applications of specific economies.
Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
In November 2023, the British Representative in Taipei and the Taipei Representative in the UK signed an Enhanced Trade Partnership (ETP) Arrangement setting out the UK and Taiwan’s priorities for the future cooperation, including an energy and net zero pillar. The Government regularly promotes international business opportunities to UK firms and has previously supported business delegations to Taiwan. UK Export Finance, the Government’s credit agency, has also provided over £900million of financing to Taiwanese offshore wind projects, supporting Taiwan’s energy transition and UK businesses.
Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The UK operates one of the most transparent export licensing systems in the world. There is a long record of the UK granting licences for exports of controlled goods to Taiwan, on a case-by-case basis, where those applications are consistent with the Strategic Export Licensing Criteria.
The Department for Business and Trade provides advice and support to prospective exporters of controlled goods where there is a reasonable expectation of securing licenses, but the support will vary with an individual case’s circumstances.
Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
This Government is clear that no company in the UK should have forced labour in its supply chain. The Department for Business and Trade will work with international partners to understand the impact of measures to combat forced labour.
There are a wide range of priorities the Department need to consider within our trade strategy. The Department's trade strategy will be growth-based, and aligned with its industrial strategy, as well as wider foreign-policy and economic security objectives.
It is important that the Department take a strategic approach to trade policy development that considers how its economic objectives can be achieved through the use of trade levers while being aligned with its values and our geo-strategic positioning.
Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
3 Department for Energy Security & Net Zero Questions
(View all Lord Alton of Liverpool's DESNZ questions)The Government recently set out its Clean Power 2030 Action Plan, which requires significant deployment of solar electricity. Developing sustainable, diverse and resilient solar supply chains, free from forced labour, is an absolute priority for this Government and the solar industry.
The Government does not hold data on the supply chains of individual businesses and therefore cannot provide details of overall expenditure or quantities of Chinese imports of solar panels. As Great British Energy will be operationally independent, it will be for the company to determine the projects and technologies it chooses to invest in, in accordance with its objectives.
Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government takes reports of complaints very seriously. Compliance with biomass sustainability criteria is a priority and Ofgem as the independent regulator is responsible for ensuring generators’ compliance. Ofgem’s recent investigation found that whilst Drax complied with sustainability standards, it had failed to report data accurately. This is a serious matter and the Government expects full compliance with all regulatory obligations. Drax’s subsequent £25 million redress payment underscores the robustness of the regulatory system.
Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The reasons for the Secretary of State’s planning decision on the Mallard Pass project are set out in the Decision Letter. Ethical procurement is considered at paragraphs 4.104-109.
The consent requires the applicant to submit a list of suppliers to be made available to the local planning authorities, and to upload their modern slavery and human trafficking statement annually to the Home Office Register to enable monitoring [paragraph 4.105].
Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Higher education (HE) institutions in England are autonomous bodies and it is for them to assess whether applications for fees which do not meet the criteria for automatic home fee status should be reduced or waived in line with individual circumstances. The department has not made an assessment on the number of international students that have successfully had their fees waived.
There are a range of resources and support for international students looking for scholarships, which can be found on the UK Council for International Student Affairs website and the British Council’s Study UK page.
Many HE institutions in the UK offer a range of bursaries and scholarships to international students and the department encourages students to contact their institution to find out what support may be available. We have not carried out an assessment of the number of university scholarships or bursaries available to prospective students on British National (Overseas) visas.
Minister of State (Education)
Higher education (HE) institutions in England are autonomous bodies and it is for them to assess whether applications for fees which do not meet the criteria for automatic home fee status should be reduced or waived in line with individual circumstances. The department has not made an assessment on the number of international students that have successfully had their fees waived.
There are a range of resources and support for international students looking for scholarships, which can be found on the UK Council for International Student Affairs website and the British Council’s Study UK page.
Many HE institutions in the UK offer a range of bursaries and scholarships to international students and the department encourages students to contact their institution to find out what support may be available. We have not carried out an assessment of the number of university scholarships or bursaries available to prospective students on British National (Overseas) visas.
Minister of State (Education)
The government has made significant strides to protect our values against those who do not respect the UK’s fundamental rights and freedoms, or whose strategic intent is hostile to UK interests. The department has committed, in the Integrated Review Refresh, to review the full set of legislative and other provisions designed to protect our academic sector, in order to identify what more the department could or should be doing.
The department recognises the potential for overseas interference in our higher education (HE) sector and we are committed to ensuring ways to increase transparency, improve HE providers’ overall resilience and economic security, whilst respecting the autonomy of universities.
A key part of the department’s International Education Strategy is diversification. Our universities must ensure they have appropriate processes in place to manage risks associated with dependence on a single source of funding, whether that is from a single organisation or a single country. The Office for Students, the regulator of HE in England, monitors the risk of over-reliance on overseas income at a sector level.
Minister of State (Education)
The content of textbooks is a matter for individual publishers. The department does not play a role in prescribing or authorising the books that schools can use. It is for schools to determine what curriculum resources they use, and to use their judgement in assessing their content.
Minister of State (Education)
6 Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Questions
(View all Lord Alton of Liverpool's Defra questions)Defra monitors animal disease outbreaks worldwide and assesses the risk that they might enter the United Kingdom (UK) through legal or illegal trade in animal products. Its team of veterinary and risk experts provide rapid outbreak assessments to inform import decisions and enforcement action and undertake full qualitative risk assessments in certain cases. These assessments are published on gov.uk at www.gov.uk/government/collections/animal-diseases-international-monitoring.
Meat imported commercially via Border Control Posts is subject to local authority-led official controls to ensure that it complies with UK import conditions. The Home Office’s Border Force has lead responsibility for identifying and seizing meat imported illegally other than via Border Control Posts.
To further mitigate the risks, it is illegal in the UK to feed catering or domestic food waste to livestock, including pigs.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
We have made no formal assessment of the paper by Svensson et al.
All primates are protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), ensuring any international trade in these species is sustainable. Each year thousands of illegal products containing endangered species are seized by Border Force. These seizures are quantified in the UK’s annual illegal trade report to CITES and made available in the CITES Illegal Trade Database.
The UK is committed to combatting the illegal wildlife trade (IWT), including through our Illegal Wildlife Trade Challenge Fund and through the National Wildlife Crime Unit’s Strategic Assessment for Wildlife Crime which aims to support UK and Global enforcement responses to IWT.
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Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government published the UK Food Security Report 2024 last week and remains committed to protecting our biosecurity and will maintain the appropriate level of controls to achieve this in accordance with the Border Target Operating Model. Please also see the Border Target Operating Model web page on gov.uk for detailed information on the rationale for border controls (at Final_Border_Target_Operating_Model.pdf).
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government appreciates and values the vital work of the horticulture industry, and we welcomed the Committee’s report ‘Sowing the seeds: A blooming English horticultural sector. As part of our mission-driven government we are currently considering how we can achieve our ambitious, measurable and long-term goals for all our farming sectors.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government expects all UK businesses to respect human rights in line with the OECD Guidelines for Responsible Business Conduct and the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.
We work to maintain high standards on the information that is provided on food labels so that consumers can have confidence in the food they buy. When the country of manufacture of a processed food, such as tomato puree, is provided on the label, the label must also show if the origin of the primary ingredient (the tomatoes in this case) is different. In any case, all information must be accurate and not mislead.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
His Majesty's Government have no plans to restrict cargo operations between Xinjiang and UK airports. The decision to operate particular routes is a commercial decision for airlines.
Minister of State (Department for Transport)
The Equality Act 2010 and the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 require employers to make reasonable adjustments and to ensure the health, safety and welfare of their employees. These legal provisions mean that, in appropriate cases, a dedicated person or point of contact may be required for employees with Down’s Syndrome.
DWP’s efforts to ensure that all disabled people can thrive in work include a digital information service for employers to help them support disability at work and the Disability Confident scheme. The Department’s specialist initiatives for jobseekers and employers alike includes Disability Employment Advisers in Jobcentres, and Access to Work grants which can help with the costs of support.
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
12 Department of Health and Social Care Questions
(View all Lord Alton of Liverpool's DHSC questions)The NHS Business Services Authority publishes statistics for anti-depressants prescribed in England that are then dispensed in the community in England, Scotland, Wales, the Isle of Man, or the Channel Islands. The following table shows the total number of items for antidepressants, British National Formulary section 0403, dispensed to patients aged under 18 years old and patients aged under 25 years old, which includes the items for under 18 year-olds, for the financial years 2015/16 to 2023/24, and a year-to-date figure for 2024/25:
Financial year | Aged under 18 years old | Aged under 25 years old |
2015/16 | 312,113 | 2,477,798 |
2016/17 | 332,706 | 2,759,953 |
2017/18 | 346,126 | 2,910,607 |
2018/19 | 367,850 | 3,202,784 |
2019/20 | 393,762 | 3,525,602 |
2020/21 | 406,391 | 3,890,347 |
2021/22 | 437,365 | 4,170,154 |
2022/23 | 448,515 | 4,119,463 |
2023/24 | 435,992 | 4,033,211 |
April to September 2024 | 176,082 | 1,911,788 |
Total | 3,656,902 | 33,001,707 |
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The NHS Business Services Authority publishes statistics for anti-depressants prescribed in England that are then dispensed in the community in England, Scotland, Wales, the Isle of Man, or the Channel Islands. The Office for National Statistics publishes estimates of population. Data for 18 to 24 year-olds specifically is not published, but data for 15 to 24 year-olds is available. The following table shows the total number of male and female patients aged 15 to 24 years-old prescribed antidepressants, British National Formulary section 0403, and that number as a percentage of the estimated mid-year population, in the first financial quarter of each year from 2015 to 2023:
Mid-year population year | Financial quarter | Identified patients | Mid-year population estimate | Percentage |
2015 | 2015/16 Q1 | 240,392 | 6,838,939 | 3.5% |
2016 | 2016/17 Q1 | 277,747 | 6,789,198 | 4.1% |
2017 | 2017/18 Q1 | 288,848 | 6,705,571 | 4.3% |
2018 | 2018/19 Q1 | 306,444 | 6,667,086 | 4.6% |
2019 | 2019/20 Q1 | 332,886 | 6,649,338 | 5.0% |
2020 | 2020/21 Q1 | 332,336 | 6,607,988 | 5.0% |
2021 | 2021/22 Q1 | 383,737 | 6,638,826 | 5.8% |
2022 | 2022/23 Q1 | 382,009 | 6,746,650 | 5.7% |
2023 | 2023/24 Q1 | 369,270 | 6,861,435 | 5.4% |
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is responsible for ensuring that medicines, medical devices, and blood components for transfusion meet applicable standards of safety, quality, and efficacy. The MHRA rigorously assesses the available data, including from the Yellow Card scheme, and seeks advice from the Commission on Human Medicines, the MHRA’s independent advisory committee, where appropriate, to inform regulatory decisions, including amending the product information.
The MHRA has received a total of 2,911 reports through the Yellow Card scheme for all antidepressant medications between 1 January 2024 and 31 December 2024. The following table shows the number of United Kingdom Yellow Card reports received for adverse reactions, suspected to be associated with antidepressants, in 2024:
Drug substance | Total number of reports |
Agomelatine | 9 |
Amitriptyline | 337 |
Citalopram | 267 |
Clomipramine | 3 |
Dosulepin | 2 |
Doxepin | 3 |
Duloxetine | 270 |
Escitalopram | 160 |
Fluoxetine | 246 |
Fluvoxamine | 5 |
Imipramine | 5 |
Lofepramine | 6 |
Mianserin | 2 |
Mirtazapine | 333 |
Nortriptyline | 34 |
Paroxetine | 46 |
Phenelzine | 3 |
Sertraline | 868 |
Tranylcypromine | 1 |
Trazodone | 38 |
Tryptophan | 40 |
Venlafaxine | 240 |
Vortioxetine | 69 |
It is important to note that the inclusion of a particular report on the MHRA’s Yellow Card system does not necessarily mean that the adverse reactions reported have been caused by the suspect drug. Additionally, the number of reports received should not be used as a basis for determining the incidence of a reaction, as neither the total number of reactions occurring, nor the number of patients using the drug, is known. Some antidepressants are licensed for several different mental health conditions and may be recommended before other treatments in clinical guidance. It is therefore important not to compare numbers of reports for each antidepressant, as usage will differ.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) does not hold data on anti-depressant prescriptions authorised by psychiatrists specifically, but does hold data for the following three categories: hospital prescriber; general practitioner prescriber; and additional prescriber.
This answer is based on the information extracted from the NHSBSA’s ePACT2 database, using British National Formulary section 0403 for antidepressant drugs, prescribed in England.
The following table shows the total number of prescriptions for antidepressant items prescribed to patients aged 18 years old and under, by prescriber type, for the financial years 2015 to 2024, and the financial year to date for 2024/25, from April to October:
Financial year | General practitioner prescriber | Hospital prescriber | Additional prescriber including non-medical prescriber | Total items |
2015/16 | 515,803 | 8,737 | 8,873 | 533,413 |
2016/17 | 551,901 | 6,143 | 11,056 | 569,100 |
2017/18 | 580,772 | 5,853 | 14,254 | 600,879 |
2018/19 | 611,785 | 7,150 | 17,681 | 636,616 |
2019/20 | 640,218 | 11,832 | 23,367 | 675,417 |
2020/21 | 648,252 | 11,334 | 30,274 | 689,860 |
2021/22 | 702,546 | 12,975 | 33,895 | 749,416 |
2022/23 | 720,132 | 16,917 | 36,994 | 774,043 |
2023/24 | 692,467 | 20,393 | 38,775 | 751,635 |
2024/25 | 384,561 | 14,755 | 24,381 | 423,697 |
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
NHS England’s regional teams are working closely with the integrated care boards to ensure that appropriate action is being taken to address and mitigate the issues identified within each declared critical incident, including at the Royal Liverpool Hospital. This includes actions to support the flow of patients through the hospital and the reprioritising of resources to support urgent and emergency care.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is committed to supporting innovation and the development of new, safe, and effective medicines. Officials in the Department are working closely with the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) to explore the use of bacteriophages, also known as phages.
Although there are currently no licensed bacteriophage medicines in the United Kingdom, patients may still access them as part of a clinical trial, as unlicensed medicines, or as medicines prepared under the supervision of a pharmacist.
The MHRA is actively developing non-binding, regulator-agnostic information to help innovators understand what type of quality, safety, and efficacy data is needed by regulators to evaluate phage products for market authorisation.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
In the United Kingdom there are two authorised products containing bupropion. The first contains bupropion hydrochloride and is prescribed to help individuals stop smoking, when they also have motivational support, for instance through a stop smoking programme. The second is a combination product containing bupropion hydrochloride and naltrexone hydrochloride, and is prescribed in obese or overweight adults to manage weight, together with a reduced calorie diet and physical exercise.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has received three Yellow Card reports of sexual dysfunction related reactions suspected to be associated with bupropion hydrochloride, the single constituent, and one Yellow Card report of sexual dysfunction for the combination product, bupropion hydrochloride and naltrexone hydrochloride, between 1 January 2014 and 29 October 2024.
The following table shows the number of suspected Yellow Card reports of sexual dysfunction related reactions and bupropion containing products received by the MHRA between 2014 and 2024:
Year | Reports of sexual dysfunction single constituent bupropion | Reports of sexual dysfunction combination product bupropion and naltrexone |
2014 | 0 | 0 |
2015 | 0 | 0 |
2016 | 0 | 0 |
2017 | 0 | 0 |
2018 | 0 | 0 |
2019 | 0 | 0 |
2020 | 1 | 1 |
2021 | 0 | 0 |
2022 | 1 | 0 |
2023 | 0 | 0 |
2024 | 1 | 0 |
Source: data provided by the MHRA.
Note: the data includes reactions grouped under the Medical Dictionary for Regulatory Activities’ (MedDRA) Higher Level Terms: erection and ejaculation conditions and disorders; orgasmic disorders and disturbances; sexual and gender identity disorders NEC; sexual arousal disorders; sexual desire disorders; sexual dysfunction NEC; sexual function and fertility disorders NEC; and spermatogenesis and semen disorders.
Persistent sexual dysfunction does not represent a specific medical condition, so this precise term is not a category available to undertake a structured search of the MHRA’s Adverse Drug Reaction database, and would rely on manual assessment of individual cases. The structured data field search terms are drawn from the regulatory drugs dictionary, MedDRA, or from terms adopted in clinical coding guidance such as the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders or the International Classification of Diseases.
It is important to note that the inclusion of a particular report on the MHRA’s system does not necessarily mean that the adverse reactions reported have been caused by the suspect drug. Additionally, the number of reports received should not be used as a basis for determining the incidence of a reaction, as neither the total number of reactions occurring, nor the number of patients using the drug, is known.
The product information, which includes the patient information leaflet, for single constituent bupropion reflects the data currently available, and does not include sexual dysfunction as a possible side effect. The product information for the combination bupropion and naltrexone product contains the terms loss of libido, libido disorder, and erectile dysfunction. As with other medicines, the safety of bupropion is kept under review by the MHRA, and consideration will be given to any emerging evidence on this issue.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The attached table shows the number of prescriptions issued for buproprion and the net ingredient cost (NIC) from 2014 to 2023, and from January to August for 2024, as this is the latest data available.
Based on the information within the Prescription Cost Analysis published statistics from the NHS Business Services Authority, there are two chemical formulations that include buproprion, those being: bupropion hydrochloride; and the combination of naltrexone and buproprion. It should also be noted that the total NIC shown in the attached table is the basic price of the prescribed medicine before discounts, dispensing costs, or fees. This includes items that have been dispensed in the community in England regardless of where prescribed.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
We are taking the findings and recommendations made in independent reviews and reports into maternity services, including the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust, very seriously. This includes the need to develop and sustain a culture of safety, learning, and support within the National Health Service, which has formed part of NHS England’s Three year delivery plan for maternity and neonatal services. We will carefully consider the findings of the Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust when it reports next year.
It is right that where people have been negligently harmed by the NHS, they are able to receive appropriate compensation. It is the role of NHS Resolution (NHSR) to manage clinical negligence claims against the NHS in England. NHSR is accountable to the Department, and its performance is subject to regular review. However, NHSR is responsible for its own management of individual claims. The Government has not made a general assessment of the role claimants lawyers play in NHS litigation claims.
NHSR has a responsibility to resolve claims promptly and fairly, and to defend unmeritorious claims to secure NHS resources. The large majority of claims, 81%, are settled without court proceedings.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The following table shows the total number of items issued for trazodone from 2014 to 2023, and from January to May 2024:
Year | Total number of items |
2014 | 1,050,069 |
2015 | 1,083,974 |
2016 | 1,112,437 |
2017 | 1,133,363 |
2018 | 1,157,717 |
2019 | 1,168,715 |
2020 | 1,191,060 |
2021 | 1,226,973 |
2022 | 1,238,983 |
2023 | 1,281,049 |
2024 | 553,866 |
Source: data was provided by the NHS Business Service Authority, based on information within the Prescription Cost Analysis published statistics, using British National Formulary chemical substance trazodone hydrochloride.
Note: items have been dispensed, but not necessarily prescribed, in England.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is responsible for ensuring medicines, medical devices, and blood components for transfusion meet applicable standards of safety, quality, and efficacy. The MHRA rigorously assesses the available data, including from the Yellow Card scheme, and where appropriate it seeks advice from its independent advisory committee, the Commission on Human Medicines, to inform on regulatory decisions, including the amending of product information.
The MHRA has received a total of 20 Yellow Card reports of sexual dysfunction related reactions, suspected to be associated with trazodone, between 1 January 2014 and 29 July 2024. This includes reactions grouped under the medical dictionary’s (MedDRA) Higher Level Terms, which are more specific than sexual dysfunction and persistent sexual dysfunction, and include erection and ejaculation conditions and disorders, orgasmic disorders and disturbances, sexual arousal disorders, and others. The following table shows the number of spontaneous suspected Yellow Card reports of sexual dysfunction related reactions suspected to be associated with trazodone in the United Kingdom, received by the MHRA each year from 2014 to 2024:
Year | Reports of sexual dysfunction |
2014 | 1 |
2015 | 2 |
2016 | 2 |
2017 | 1 |
2018 | 1 |
2019 | 2 |
2020 | 2 |
2021 | 1 |
2022 | 5 |
2023 | 2 |
2024 | 1 |
Source: data provided by the MHRA.
“Persistent sexual dysfunction” does not represent a specific medical condition, so this precise term is not a category available for a structured search of the MHRA’s Adverse Drug Reaction database. The structured data field search terms are drawn from the regulatory drugs dictionary, MedDRA, or from terms adopted in clinical coding guidance such as The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fifth Edition, or the International Classification of Diseases 11th Revision. A search of the database would therefore rely on manual assessment of individual cases.
It is important to note that the inclusion of a particular report on the MHRA’s system does not necessarily mean that the adverse reactions reported have been caused by the suspect drug. Additionally, the number of reports received should not be used as a basis for determining the incidence of a reaction, as neither the total number of reactions occurring, nor the number of patients using the drug, is known.
The product information for trazodone, which includes the patient information leaflet, reflects the data currently available, and does not include sexual dysfunction as a possible side effect but does include priapism, the prolonged erection of the penis. The Summary of Product Characteristics for healthcare professionals states that there have been reports of priapism which have required surgical intervention, or led to permanent sexual dysfunction. Patients developing priapism should stop using trazodone immediately.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The following table shows the number of items issued for vortioxetine and the net ingredient cost (NIC) from 2014 to 2023, and from January to May of 2024:
Year | Items issued | Total NIC |
2014 | 0 | £0 |
2015 | 74 | £2,068.11 |
2016 | 12,736 | £298,577.07 |
2017 | 43,023 | £987,197.31 |
2018 | 80,922 | £1,877,715.10 |
2019 | 134,351 | £3,127,305.68 |
2020 | 193,682 | £4,553,134.74 |
2021 | 248,533 | £5,720,498.19 |
2022 | 290,907 | £6,859,280.34 |
2023 | 339,017 | £8,188,709.76 |
2024 | 156,164 | £3,787,227.18 |
Total | 1,499,409 | £35,401,713.48 |
Source: data provided by the NHS Business Services Authority, based on information within the Prescription Cost Analysis published statistics, using British National Formulary chemical substance vortioxetine.
Note: items have been dispensed, but not necessarily prescribed, in England.
"Persistent sexual dysfunction" does not represent a specific medical condition, so this term is not a category available for a structured search of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency’s (MHRA) Adverse Drug Reaction database. The structured data field search terms are drawn from the regulatory drugs dictionary, the medical dictionary (MedDRA), or from terms adopted in clinical coding guidance such as The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fifth Edition, or the International Classification of Diseases 11th Revision. A search of the database would therefore rely on manual assessment of individual cases.
The MHRA has received a total of 29 Yellow Card reports of sexual dysfunction related reactions, suspected to be associated with vortioxetine, between 1 January 2014 and 21 July 2024. This includes reactions grouped under MedDRA Higher Level Terms, which are more specific than sexual dysfunction and persistent sexual dysfunction. The following table shows the number of spontaneous suspected Yellow Card reports of sexual dysfunction related reactions suspected to be associated with vortioxetine in the United Kingdom, received by the MHRA each year from 2014 to 2024:
Year | Reports of sexual dysfunction |
2014 | 0 |
2015 | 0 |
2016 | 2 |
2017 | 1 |
2018 | 1 |
2019 | 0 |
2020 | 7 |
2021 | 6 |
2022 | 3 |
2023 | 6 |
2024 | 3 |
Source: data provided by the MHRA.
The inclusion of a particular report on the MHRA’s system does not necessarily mean that the adverse reactions reported have been caused by the suspect drug. Additionally, the number of reports received should not be used as a basis for determining the incidence of a reaction, as neither the total number of reactions occurring, nor the number of patients using the drug, is known.
Sexual dysfunction was assessed as part of the clinical studies to support the authorisation of vortioxetine. The clinical studies indicated that doses between 5 milligrams and 15 milligrams did not show a difference from placebo in relation to the risk of sexual dysfunction. However, the 20 milligram dose was associated with an increase in sexual dysfunction. This information was included in the Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC) for healthcare professionals for all strengths of vortioxetine since authorisation in 2021. The SmPC and patient information leaflet were subsequently updated in April 2024 to list sexual dysfunction as a possible side effect for all strengths, following reports of sexual dysfunction associated with doses below 20 milligrams.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
12 Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Questions
(View all Lord Alton of Liverpool's FCDO questions)Progress has been made towards the elimination of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), and a girl is a third less likely to undergo FGM today compared to 30 years ago. Since 2013, UK programmes have helped over 10,000 communities, representing over 27 million people, pledge to abandon FGM.
However, population growth in high prevalence countries means that despite this progress, the number of girls at risk is growing. There are 230 million women and girls alive today who have undergone Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and 4.2 million girls are at risk of undergoing FGM every year. We must work 27 times faster to eliminate FGM by 2030.
Our main investments to end FGM are as follows: The UK is investing up to £35.5 million in the Africa-Led Movement to End FGM programme which operates in Kenya, Senegal, Somalia, and Ethiopia. We contribute towards the UNICEF/UNFPA Joint Programme for the Elimination of FGM which operates in 18 countries. The UK is also investing up to £20 million towards the Sudan Free of FGM: Phase II programme.
Overall, in 2024-25, the UK spent at least £13.1 million on ending FGM. The UK's spend on FGM in 2025-26 is yet to be finalised.
Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Progress has been made towards the elimination of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), and a girl is a third less likely to undergo FGM today compared to 30 years ago. Since 2013, UK programmes have helped over 10,000 communities, representing over 27 million people, pledge to abandon FGM.
However, population growth in high prevalence countries means that despite this progress, the number of girls at risk is growing. There are 230 million women and girls alive today who have undergone Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and 4.2 million girls are at risk of undergoing FGM every year. We must work 27 times faster to eliminate FGM by 2030.
Our main investments to end FGM are as follows: The UK is investing up to £35.5 million in the Africa-Led Movement to End FGM programme which operates in Kenya, Senegal, Somalia, and Ethiopia. We contribute towards the UNICEF/UNFPA Joint Programme for the Elimination of FGM which operates in 18 countries. The UK is also investing up to £20 million towards the Sudan Free of FGM: Phase II programme.
Overall, in 2024-25, the UK spent at least £13.1 million on ending FGM. The UK's spend on FGM in 2025-26 is yet to be finalised.
Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Progress has been made towards the elimination of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), and a girl is a third less likely to undergo FGM today compared to 30 years ago. Since 2013, UK programmes have helped over 10,000 communities, representing over 27 million people, pledge to abandon FGM.
However, population growth in high prevalence countries means that despite this progress, the number of girls at risk is growing. There are 230 million women and girls alive today who have undergone Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and 4.2 million girls are at risk of undergoing FGM every year. We must work 27 times faster to eliminate FGM by 2030.
Our main investments to end FGM are as follows: The UK is investing up to £35.5 million in the Africa-Led Movement to End FGM programme which operates in Kenya, Senegal, Somalia, and Ethiopia. We contribute towards the UNICEF/UNFPA Joint Programme for the Elimination of FGM which operates in 18 countries. The UK is also investing up to £20 million towards the Sudan Free of FGM: Phase II programme.
Overall, in 2024-25, the UK spent at least £13.1 million on ending FGM. The UK's spend on FGM in 2025-26 is yet to be finalised.
Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Foreign Secretary spoke to President Kagame to urge Rwanda to de-escalate this conflict and return to negotiations. We made clear that an attack on Goma would provoke a strong response from the international community. The Foreign Secretary spoke with President Tshisekedi to express his deep concern about M23 and the Rwandan Defence Force's advances. I have spoken to the Rwandan Foreign Minister and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) Foreign Minister to urge both countries to return to the negotiating table. The UK condemns the occupation of Goma and other territories in eastern DRC by M23 and Rwandan Defence Forces as an unacceptable breach of DRC's sovereignty and the United Nations Charter, which poses a fundamental risk to regional stability. The humanitarian situation is now critical, with hundreds of thousands of people re-displaced, acute food insecurity and an increased risk of violence against civilians, especially women and girls. More than 800,000 people in the area who were prioritised for support may no longer receive vital food and nutritional assistance.
Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The UK Government is committed to supporting Nigeria to address security challenges, including intercommunal violence, through the UK-Nigeria Security and Defence Partnership (SDP). The UK-Nigeria SDP works with Nigeria's security forces to tackle violence against civilian communities. Additionally, our Strengthening Peace and Resilience programme ('SPRiNG') is working to reduce rural violence in northwest and north-central Nigeria, including by supporting collaboration and productive livelihoods for both farmers and pastoralists, and strengthening conflict early warning, management and response.
Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Dialogue on human rights, including Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB), is a vital part of the UK's partnership with Nigeria. The UK Government was an active participant in Nigeria's Universal Periodic Review at the UN Human Rights Council in January 2024 and recommended that the Nigerian Government ensures that the human rights of those accused of blasphemy are protected and that those responsible for blasphemy related mob-killings are held accountable. The UK Government proactively raises cases where blasphemy legislation has been used to restrict human rights with the Nigerian authorities. More broadly, the UK Government funds the provision of legal and judicial expertise to make legislative changes to protect FoRB, including addressing blasphemy laws. The right of individuals to express their beliefs or non-belief is essential to a free and open society.
Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The UK Government strongly condemns the abduction and continued captivity of children by Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa (ISWA) in North East Nigeria, and has repeatedly called for their release. This includes the 2014 kidnapping of the Chibok schoolgirls, around 90 of whom are understood still to be missing, as well as Leah Sharibu, who has remained in Islamic State West Africa captivity since 2018. The UK Government has raised Leah's case with the Government of Nigeria, and I will continue to raise this important issue in my future engagements with them. More broadly, we continue to support the Government of Nigeria to tackle insecurity and prevent further kidnappings, which includes support to Nigeria's anti-kidnap cell, through the UK-Nigeria Security and Defence Partnership.
Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The UK Government is committed to supporting Nigeria to address security challenges including violent extremism and intercommunal violence, which continue to impinge on the rights of Nigerians to Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB). The UK is providing £38 million in programming to support locally led solutions in Northern Nigeria tackle the root causes of this violence. Through our UK-Nigeria Security and Defence Partnership, we also engage with Nigerian security actors to address these complex issues. The UK Government also funds the provision of legal and judicial expertise to make legislative changes to protect FoRB, including addressing blasphemy laws. The right of individuals to express their beliefs or non-belief is essential to a free and open society. Our dialogue on human rights, including FoRB, will remain an important part of the UK's partnership with Nigeria.
Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
UK Government officials and I regularly raise the impact of insecurity on communities across central and northern Nigeria, underlying the need to bring perpetrators to justice, with the Nigerian Government. Most recently, I raised the importance of Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) and resolving intercommunal conflict and tensions when I met with the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives in Nigeria in January. Through our UK-Nigeria Security and Defence Partnership, we also engage with Nigerian security actors to address complex issues including the timely, effective and human rights-compliant investigation of, and prosecutions for, terrorism crimes.
Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
In the Financial Year 2024/25, UK humanitarian support to Nigeria totalled £33.5 million in life-saving assistance. We have reached approximately one million people with our Humanitarian and Resilience Programme (HARP), reducing mortality and increasing resilience for people with the most severe humanitarian needs in Nigeria. At present, this humanitarian aid is not targeted at Benue, Kaduna or Plateau states.
Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The International Criminal Court (ICC) is an impartial, professional and independent court. It is a court of last resort, which is complementary to national legal systems, undertaking investigations only when national authorities are unable or unwilling to do so. In 2024 , the ICC Deputy Prosecutor visited Nigeria and stressed that the ICC would move forward with an investigation if the Nigerian authorities did not bridge existing impunity gaps. The UK Government is committed to supporting the ICC internationally and it is for the ICC Prosecutor to determine the focus of his investigations in accordance with his mandate. It is important that all criminal proceedings are taken forward impartially and independently by the Court under the framework of the Rome Statute. The UK Government respects the independence of the Court.
Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)