Creon

Lord Kamall Excerpts

Thursday 5th June 2025 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Merron (Lab)]

I can say to my noble friend that serious shortage protocols are a tool that we have and use to manage and mitigate medicine and medical devices shortages. They enable community pharmacists to supply a specified medicine or device in accordance with a protocol rather than a prescription, with the patient’s consent, without needing to seek authorisation from the prescriber. They are used in cases of serious shortage, and we develop those protocols with input from expert clinicians. In addition, we are currently examining options around pharmacists’ flexibilities, including how any risks could be managed, and further details will be set out on this. I hope this gives some reassurance to my noble friend.

[Lord Kamall (Con)]

My Lords, we know that these unexpected shortages occur from time to time, and that this obviously causes patients to worry. As the Minister said, I understand the advice is that alternative therapies are available but may not be sufficient for all patients. Given this, can the Government reassure patients that they are confident that those who cannot turn to alternative therapies will be able to get the appropriate doses of Creon that they require? Also, do the Government have any idea, or have they been given any indication, of when they expect this particular shortage to end?

[Baroness Merron (Lab)]

The supply situation has improved since last year and there is now sufficient stock of lower-strength Creon to meet normal demand. There are still some supply constraints, as I have said, with the higher-strength product stock, but stock is regularly being delivered to pharmacies. As we have discussed, alternative products and unlicensed imports are also available. I totally accept that patients may have concerns, and that is why we have worked closely to keep in communication with patients to assure them that they will not be going without the medication they need. For example, it may be that lower strength in multiple provision can be made, or there are the alternatives that I have described. If any noble Lords are aware of real-life examples of shortages, I would be grateful to hear about them, because we believe that we have made the arrangements, and I can reassure noble Lords that these very important medicines are being provided to those who need them.

--- Later in debate ---

[Baroness Merron (Lab)]

The noble Baroness puts forward an interesting perspective. There will always be a number of matters that are outside any Government’s control. What is in the Government’s control is what action we can take. In terms of alternatives to Creon, for example, supplies of Nutrizym have more than doubled since last year, and Essential Pharma has also secured additional manufacturing capacity for Pancrex. In May last year, pancreatin preparations—the active ingredient in the medicine we are talking about—were added to the list of medicines that cannot be exported from the UK or hoarded in order to reserve supplies. These actions, along with some of the ones that I have just mentioned and more, all show a very active government position.

[Lord Kamall (Con)]

My Lords, since we have a bit of time, perhaps I may be allowed a supplementary. Given that part of the answer is to import unlicensed medicines, what quality-control procedures are there in place to ensure that people can be reassured that these unlicensed medicines are suitable and fit for patients?

[Baroness Merron (Lab)]

It would not be possible to prescribe them if they were not fit and safe for use. I am grateful to the noble Lord for allowing me to make that reassurance. There is very clear information on ordering and prescribing unlicensed imports on the NHS Specialist Pharmacy Service website, should the noble Lord or any other person wish to be reassured of what that means.

Primary and Community Care

Lord Kamall Excerpts

Thursday 5th June 2025 Lords Chamber

[Lord Kamall (Con)]

My Lords, we on these Benches welcome the Government’s stated commitment to innovation in primary care and the commitment to continue the rollout of community diagnostic centres, which were started by the previous Government. However, unfortunately, last year the Patients Association highlighted barriers to the rollout of point-of-care diagnostics, particularly in rural areas. Is the Minister aware of those concerns, and what plans does the department have to tackle those barriers?

[Baroness Merron (Lab)]

Our commitment to moving towards a neighbourhood health service obviously allows for attention to be given to different circumstances, including in rural areas. It will mean that more care can be delivered locally and that problems can be spotted earlier, including any problems with rollout. We will shortly provide details of a national neighbourhood health implementation programme. We liaise with various groups, including the Patients Association, and I am grateful for their input and for flagging up any difficulties, which we absolutely seek to resolve.

Young Children: Convenience Foods

Lord Kamall Excerpts

Wednesday 4th June 2025 Lords Chamber

[Lord Kamall (Con)]

My Lords, when there are concerns about nutritional content, there are three, perhaps more, possible approaches. First, you could ban the product, although prohibition does not always work. Secondly, you could try nudging consumers towards healthier choices—maybe by taxation or restrictions. Thirdly, you could work with local community organisations. In addition to family hubs and Start for Life, many local community non-state civil society organisations work with local families to help them cook and eat healthily together as a family. Given what has been mentioned already, will the Minister tell us what work the Government are doing with such local community organisations, apart from Start for Life and family hubs, to make sure that civil society is playing its role in educating our children?

[Baroness Merron (Lab)]

On the three ways forward that the noble Lord identified, the approach often has to be a mix of all three. It is the balance that is the point under debate, and it has to be informed by evidence. I certainly share the noble Lord’s view about the importance of civil society and working with community groups. Indeed, my department, but also the Department for Education and other departments, have worked closely with community groups in order to advance the policies and practices we need to improve the health of the youngest in our communities.

Health: Ultra-processed Food

Lord Kamall Excerpts

Tuesday 3rd June 2025 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Merron (Lab)]

First, I do not accept that the advertising restrictions represent any watering down. In May, a Written Ministerial Statement set out, to the noble Baroness’s point, that the Government will provide a brand exemption in legislation. The restrictions will come into force officially on 5 January. I realise that the noble Baroness regards this as not the position that she would choose, but I believe that it will provide certainty for businesses to invest in advertising campaigns with confidence and encourage them to develop more healthy products—that is the situation that we want—as well as protecting UK children from the harms of junk food advertising.

[Lord Kamall (Con)]

I thank the Minister for the answers that she has given so far on the evidence, because it is really important that any policy in this area is evidence led. When I looked at the British Heart Foundation website, I saw that it said that additives in ultra-processed foods

“could be responsible for negative health effects”

and that the

“actual processing of the food could … make a difference”.

It also says:

“Another … theory is that … ultra-processed foods could … affect our gut health”.


But what it says overall is that there is insufficient evidence here. We really need more research to be done. We are not sure whether it is something in the ultra-processed foods or the processing itself that makes them unhealthy. The Minister has touched on this already. We have talked about the timeframe for research, but when people are looking for a source to consider the dangers, or otherwise, of ultra-processed foods, are there any particular websites or sources that the Government could point people to, so that people are more aware of and more educated on the research on ultra-processed foods?

[Baroness Merron (Lab)]

The important point that the noble Lord raises is that our role is to encourage people to ensure that they are choosing a healthy diet and can achieve a healthy diet. As the noble Lord said, the word “could” is a bit of a problem. That is why we continue to invest in research and, as I say, work closely with the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition.

Doncaster Royal Infirmary

Lord Kamall Excerpts

Monday 12th May 2025 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Merron (Lab)]

My noble friend is right about the effects of a poor estate. In addition to productivity, it very much affects safety, staff working conditions and capacity. The benefits are considerable, as she identifies—and indeed as the noble Lord, Lord Darzi, identified. I assure my noble friend that we are working across government—including with the Treasury and, to the right reverend Prelate’s point, with the local ICB and trust—to tackle this. My noble friend is aware that this Government committed nearly £20 million from the critical infrastructure risk fund to the hospital’s NHS foundation to move a section to the ground floor—not the part to which my noble friend referred, but it shows the seriousness with which we are taking this.

[Lord Kamall (Con)]

My Lords, the injection of capital to Doncaster Royal Infirmary is welcome. When the CQC inspected DRI in 2024, it found that the hospital

“did not have enough maternity staff with the right qualifications, skills, training, and experience to keep women safe from avoidable harm”.

While the Government develop their 10-year and workforce plans, what action are they taking in the meantime to address safety concerns from a lack of adequate staffing in maternity services? While we are on the subject, given the recently announced crackdowns on immigration and that many people who work in our health and care system are immigrants, how do the Government intend to encourage more British workers to fill vacancies in health and social care?

[Baroness Merron (Lab)]

On that point, I feel that the Government taking the backlog very seriously, against the background of what we have inherited, will make conditions far better for staff, which will make it a far more attractive place to work. That will be reflected when we report on the workforce plan. To the point about maternity, we are recruiting extra midwives and we are looking extremely closely at how we can better support best practice—as I saw just last week—how we can extend that and how we can bring better patient safety measures into the system. I am afraid that it is another area that we inherited in a difficult position, but noble Lords can be assured that we are working on it. I look forward to updating your Lordships’ House.

Care Quality Commission: Mental Health Care Waiting Times

Lord Kamall Excerpts

Thursday 8th May 2025 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Merron (Lab)]

As the noble Baroness says, it is very important that people use the right support. Otherwise, there is immense danger in going for what is perhaps less suitable. To my knowledge, we have not made a particular assessment, but I will pick up the noble Baroness’s point, because it is very right. On a more positive note, we are—and I am particularly—looking at what support we can develop in a digital and online sense to support people, not just on waiting lists but to prevent ill health and assist in their recovery.

[Lord Kamall (Con)]

My Lords, given that there is a waiting list for mental health care, including community-based services, and given the many competing demands on public finances, what can the Minister tell the House about conversations that her department and local ICBs may well be having with local community non-state civil society organisations, including those that offer music, art, talking drama, dance and other therapies, to help those on the waiting list?

[Baroness Merron (Lab)]

As the noble Lord is aware, I regard the contribution of the community sector—the third sector—as absolutely crucial here. I personally work very closely, like the department more generally, both to improve our practice and to recognise the difference that the creative arts, for example, can add to people’s mental well-being, as the noble Lord says.

Medical Devices (Amendment) (Great Britain) Regulations 2025

Lord Kamall Excerpts

Tuesday 6th May 2025 Grand Committee

Finally, I think that the Minister said that existing EU regulations will remain in force in Northern Ireland, but will that not potentially create trade barriers across the Irish Sea, although—I accept—it will prevent them occurring between Northern Ireland and the EU? Therefore, would not a UK-EU-wide regulation make much more sense in future?

[Lord Kamall (Con)]

My Lords, I thank the Minister for introducing this statutory instrument. I want to be clear that we on these Benches recognise the need for this measure, since, without it, key regulatory provisions would expire at the end of this month, as the Minister explained. That would create uncertainty and risk disruption to the oversight of medical devices in Great Britain.

We understand that this instrument is, in essence, a stopgap, as the Minister said, and that the MHRA’s consultation, particularly with small and medium-sized enterprises and clinicians, demonstrated strong support for continuity. But while the measure preserves the status quo for now, it has provoked some questions about the Government’s long-term strategy. I am grateful to the Minister for reassuring us that this is definitely a temporary stopgap and that they are looking for a longer-term and more pro-innovation solution than when we were in the EU.

As the Minister said, this revokes the sunset clauses in four areas in particular: performance standards for diagnostic devices, electronic instructions for use, the regulation of devices containing animal tissue and the designation and oversight of approved bodies. These are not mere technical footnotes; they are essential to ensuring safety, clarity and public confidence in the medical device sector, so we understand that revoking their expiry is necessary to avoid disruption.

Can the Minister add any more detail at this stage to what she has already said? This first phase, focusing on pre-market regulation, is expected in 2026. What further reforms are expected to follow? I know that she explained some of that in brief—I suspect that she did not elaborate as much as she could have for reasons of time—but can she say a bit more about the future plans for this regulation? If she cannot now, perhaps she will write to me, because that was a very welcome move. I was going to ask lots of questions about whether the short-term fix will remain in place for the long term, but the Minister has reassured us. Nevertheless, perhaps she could set out some more details either today or in writing.

I do not believe in regulatory divergence for divergence’s sake, but let us be clear that neither should we agree with regulatory alignment for the sake of regulatory alignment. I understand the concerns of the noble Lord, Lord Rennard, but I recall that, when I was a Health Minister, many a supplier—regardless of whether they supported the UK leaving or remaining in the EU —asked me, “Now that we’ve left, can we take advantage of our independence and develop a more pro-innovation approach than the EU?” In technology—I spent 14 years in the European Parliament—the EU was known as an area for regulation; if you wanted innovation, that was in the US. We have to get a better balance between the two. Whereas the EU focuses more on the precautionary principle and less on innovation, perhaps we can get a better balance in this country, so that we do not align for alignment’s sake.

The Minister also mentioned Northern Ireland. As we know, as a result of what noble Lords, said there are some concerns in Northern Ireland but, given that the EU is seen as an area generating regulation, should the EU impose additional regulatory burdens on businesses in Northern Ireland? What steps will the Government take to support them to protect their competitiveness? That is one of the concerns I know from the most pro-innovation businesses in Northern Ireland.

Finally, on international trade, not strictly within the remit of these regulations, so I hope the Minister and her officials will forgive me—this does not have to be answered straight away—has the Minister or the department assessed the impact of recent US tariffs on medical device imports? Does the UK import a substantial number of medical devices from the US? I know that we talked about the importance of the US as an export market. Will these tariffs have an impact on medical devices from the US, particularly those that have been made with components imported from outside the US into the US before being re-exported? Does that have a price implication? Have the Government made any assessment of the implications for availability, cost and affordability, particularly for NHS procurement? Clearly, as the noble Lord, Lord Rennard, and others said, there is the impact on medical device suppliers exporting to the USA. Has any assessment been made of that market? Across the House, we all want a thriving life sciences sector in this country, but we should be assessing the impact of the proposed tariffs. I know some of them have been in abeyance.

I recognise that I have asked many questions, and I do not expect the Minister to have all the answers straight away, despite the advances of iPad technology and wireless communication. Maybe one day that will extend to telepathy. Perhaps the Minister can write to me on the questions that she is unable to answer today. In drawing my remarks to a close, I will be clear that noble Lords on these Benches support this measure as a necessary step to prevent regulatory disruption, but the real test follows. I hope the Minister, in answering the questions, is able to share a clear timeline for the programme for reform as we hopefully move towards a more pro-innovation approach.

[Baroness Merron (Lab)]

I am grateful to noble Lords for their valuable contributions and the way in which they have raised issues relating not just to the statutory instrument before us but this whole area of important work. I am also grateful for the support more broadly on the need to get the legislation right in order to protect patients, get the best medical technology within our grasp and support innovation. I am sure we will return to this subject. I will respond to a number of the points, and I will come back to noble Lords on anything significant that I have not responded to.

I reiterate that this SI is essential if we are going to prevent what I would call significant disruption. The words used were “a stopgap”. I think that is a fair legal term in this setting. It will preserve the status quo as we progress to more comprehensive regulation, which I know is what noble Lords are interested in.

The noble Baroness, Lady Finlay, asked for an assurance that we would not jeopardise not just the European market but other markets because we need to export technology. That is a fair point. I can say in response that over recent years we have learned important lessons from the implementation of new medical devices regulations in the EU as well as the global approach to regulation. How has this informed our approach to regulatory reform? It is why the Government are taking a phased approach to the delivery of these regulations to support the sector and adapt to the changes. It is also the reason why we are in continued discussion and are working closely with the sector.

We recognise the benefit of international harmonisation of medical device regulations in order to reduce, as we would all like, unnecessary regulatory burden or duplication of assessment for manufacturers, which is something that has been raised many times with me and I am sympathetic to. This means that, where sensible, we will align with the regulations of other jurisdictions, including those in the EU. Any reform to assimilated law will be to support domestic priorities and the Government’s national health and economic growth missions.

The noble Lord, Lord Rennard, raised a number of points. He raised the issue of products being subject to EU and UK regulations and whether this would make tech companies less likely to innovate. I believe the noble Lord also argued that we should be in line with the EU, and he raised the important issue of Northern Ireland. On these points, we will seek to align with international best practice and EU regulations where they are sensible, support manufacturers and support where we want to get to on patient safety and the contribution of medical technology.

On Northern Ireland, the MHRA is the competent authority for devices placed on the Northern Ireland market. It continues to have oversight of medical devices across the whole of the UK. We will continue to monitor any risks to the supply of devices to the whole of the UK market. I can give the assurance that, at present, the supply is stable and processes are in place to identify alternatives if needed. My final reassurance is that the SI before us today will not have any impact on the supply of devices to Great Britain or Northern Ireland.

The noble Lord, Lord Kamall, also raised a number of key points and requested more detail on what further reforms are expected to follow. He also raised regulatory alignment, making the point that, in his opinion, the EU can be more cautious and asking how we as a country can be more innovative. The noble Lord also asked about Northern Ireland and about the impacts that US tariffs have in respect of medical devices.

On plans for regulatory reform, the MHRA has published plans to introduce several SIs to amend the framework for medical devices. The post-market surveillance SI, which will come into force in June as noble Lords may recall, represented the first significant step in this reform. That legislation will put in place strengthened legal requirements for how manufacturers monitor and report on their devices once they are being used.

In November last year, the MHRA launched a consultation on further aspects of regulatory reform which will inform a subsequent pre-market SI that introduces, among other things, a new international reliance scheme, measures to improve traceability of implantable medical devices, more risk-proportionate changes to the classification of certain devices and the prohibition of misleading claims. We expect that legislation to come into force in 2026. I think that all those will put us in a much better place than we are currently, because they will allow us to keep pace with changes in the market.

The MHRA also continually monitors the UK’s medtech landscape for developments that could affect patient safety and the implementation of regulations. Details of further regulatory proposals will be communicated when available, and I look forward to bringing those before your Lordships’ House.

On US tariffs, there are ongoing discussions, and I will not seek to pre-empt them. The MHRA will monitor any impacts once they become clearer. That is very much under a watching brief.

I hope I have demonstrated the need for these regulations, not just for the public currently but as being key to the forthcoming 10-year plan. I hope that the Committee will agree that we are continuing with this assimilated law to prevent significant disruption to the current framework and to ensure that patients, device users and the economy are all protected.

Prosthetics for Amputees

Lord Kamall Excerpts

Thursday 1st May 2025 Grand Committee

[Lord Kamall (Con)]

My Lords, I congratulate my noble friend Lord Mackinlay of Richborough for securing this debate. I also pay tribute to him for his courage in the various battles he has faced in recent years, and for his determination to come back and return to public life. I have to say that I am simply in awe of him, but I hope that does not come across as patronising or putting him on a pedestal either. Based on his own experience, he is fighting for the causes dear to him, and he can talk about it in a meaningful way based on his own experience.

I also thank my noble friend Lord Shinkwin for warning us about placing disabled people on a pedestal, something that I think we ought to be aware of, and for adding the issue of orthotics to this debate, which is very important. I thank my noble friend Lord McColl for explaining his experience. I think in those days the official term was artificial limbs, when he worked on that group, when asked by the Prime Minister at the time, Margaret Thatcher. I thank the noble Baroness, Lady Ludford, for sharing her experience based on diabetes and living with someone with diabetes.

I have two early experiences of prosthetics or artificial limbs—whatever language it was, given that I was born in the late 1960s—and one is storybooks and Long John Silver. In some ways, from what my noble friend Lord Mackinlay said, the service has not really moved on from that. We talk about Captain Hook and people are still being asked to have hooks. The second experience was a friend of my brother who was deaf and had type 1 diabetes. During the time we knew her she went blind, lost limbs and sadly died far too early. I really relate to the point the noble Baroness made. One of the issues for all type 1 diabetics—I say that, having a type 1 diabetic in my family—is to look after your limbs and the extremities of your body and get regular check-ups, as well as controlling and monitoring sugar.

Having heard the speakers, I think this is a matter of both policy and principle. Ensuring that amputees receive timely and appropriate prosthetics is more than simply a healthcare issue; it is a matter of dignity, independence and fairness. Those who require access to these services are those who have faced illness, trauma and those who may have suffered injuries while serving their country in many ways. My noble friend rightly raised the issues with current NHS provision of prosthetics. In this speech, I will look at two main challenges.

First, there is the issue of the workforce, which seems ironic; I see a smile from the Minister. As my noble friend said, skilled prosthetists are not being replaced quickly enough. The provision of high-quality prosthetic care is heavily reliant on a skilled workforce. I thank my noble friend for going into the details and making us all understand the importance of that. My noble friend highlighted training deficits in the field of prosthetics and orthotics. Noble Lords will know that Health Education England has acknowledged these challenges and is working to improve the education and training of prosthetists and orthotists.

I remember, when I was a Minister, the noble Baroness who is now the Minister and others rightly raised issues about the workforce and workforce planning. After pressure from noble Lords at the time, including from the noble Baroness who is now the Minister, the previous Government eventually published the NHS Long Term Plan to address some of these workforce challenges. But in this area, if we look at the numbers, the baseline training intake for 2022 was 57. The workforce plan looked to increase that to 89 per intake. It identified that between 25% and 50% of prosthetists could be trained via the apprenticeship route as part of an expansion of apprenticeships for allied health professionals. This is, as anyone can see, only part of the solution, and there is always more that needs to be done.

Can I ask the Minister to inform noble Lords how the Government will build on some of that work? Going from 57 to 89 clearly, for many, is not enough. What work is being done and what thought is being given to increasing that capacity and to making it an attractive career? One hears about the latest technology being used, such as computer aided design, so maybe there is a way of attracting the best engineering students who may never have thought about going into that career. They may have thought about designing cars or aeroplanes, but they might realise that they could put their skills to good use in improving the health, well-being and mobility of many of our citizens.

I know that the 10-year plan is going to be published at some stage. I am not necessarily asking the Minister to tell us what is in the plan, but does she know what consideration is being given to this specific area in the plan? If so, can she share that with the Committee at the moment?

The second issue to highlight, clearly, is inequality of care. Concerns have been raised. Some noble Lords have raised their concerns around a postcode lottery of care for amputees; others have raised other issues. As noble Lords have said, there have been innovations in the technology and expansions in access. Other noble Lords have referred to the NHS providing multi-grip bionic arms since 2022, using electrical impulses from the brain to control movement and representing what is considered the cutting edge of that technology.

However, we have to confront a painful irony: we can have the best technology out there but it is not much good if people cannot get it in the first place or have to jump through a number of hoops to do so. My noble friend Lord Mackinlay spoke about the stages that one has to go through before qualifying for the very latest technology; I wonder whether we can look at those. Is there a cost involved in patients going through all those stages? Could getting them to that final stage be more cost effective? Hopefully, the technology is always evolving anyway, but could we get them to the last stage quicker, rather than them having to jump through all those stages? Is there a way of making it more efficient?

As my noble friend Lord McColl said, it is about looking at the best technology in the world. Rather oddly, I remember a very interesting man I met. He used to be the rabbi of Richmond Synagogue, and he and I got on very well. As a sideline, he started a business based on the latest Israeli technology on prosthetics. In the end, the rabbi gave up, and he and his company developed to sell prosthetics based on Israeli technology to countries in central Asia. I noticed that he is still doing that; it just shows that there is really good technology around the world. It is great that Britain could be at the leading edge, I hope, but it is important that, when you need these devices—limbs or prosthetics—you get the latest ones. It is all very well us being proud of them being built in Britain or whatever, but surely it is better to get the latest technology.

We also understand—this is one of the challenges that we faced in government—the issues of funding for a trained workforce and the extra, increasing demands on health and social care. How do we challenge those? We know that, for example, veterans have in many cases been able to receive care due to dedicated funding streams—we pay tribute to those programmes and support both their continuation and their strengthening—but we have to ask: what can be done for civilians? What can be done for children and the elderly, who face longer-term waits or limited options? In one region, an amputee may receive a personalised limb with integrated sensors; in another, in certain circumstances, they might wait months for a basic replacement. Do the Government know about or understand the reasons for some of these disparities? Have they looked into disparities and understood them, or is it simply about having the workforce in the right area? Is it about the way in which resources are allocated? What steps are the Government taking to reduce some of this unequal geographic access to prosthetics? One of the challenges when I was a Health Minister was that there were always health variances. In some cases, they were the same for all types of health, but, in other cases, it was specific to a particular health or care issue.

This is not just about prosthetics and orthotics; it is also about opportunity. It is about having the ability to walk your child to school or to return to work. It is about having the ability not just to live but to survive—indeed, to thrive—having gone through a very traumatic experience. It is important, whatever our politics, that we think about how we can empower individuals to live their fullest lives. For amputees, that power begins with access to the right limb or limbs at the right time and with the right support. Our amputees deserve no less.

I look forward to the response from the Minister.

Dementia and Alzheimer’s Treatments

Lord Kamall Excerpts

Thursday 1st May 2025 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Merron (Lab)]

We are abolishing NHSE. It is the biggest quango, and we are finding immense duplication. At this stage, I cannot comment on the exact matter to do with the team, but I can say that dementia work continues to be a very high priority, as I hope the noble Lord heard from my commitment to the noble Lord, Lord Evans. Indeed, we are keen to support not just those at risk of dementia but those who care for them. This is an expanding area of work. We have much good practice to draw on and we are extremely active, as the noble Lord has heard, in developing research to move further forwards more quickly.

[Lord Kamall (Con)]

My Lords, I thank my noble friend Lord Evans for raising this issue. We know that, often when a new drug is developed, even though some patients may benefit, it may initially be too expensive for NICE to recommend, based partly on a cost-benefit analysis. We know that eventually the price falls to a level which the NHS can afford and which can then be seen as good value for taxpayers. Given that this happens with many new drugs, have the Government considered convening a group of philanthropists, foundations, charities and other civil society organisations that might be willing to fund treatment for some, if not all, patients when new but expensive breakthrough drugs such as those my noble friend Lord Evans referred to are available but are considered too expensive initially?

[Baroness Merron (Lab)]

We are very open to all sorts of creative ways of dealing with the matter, but it is important to say on the drugs that we are discussing that lecanemab and donanemab can only slow the progression of the disease by between four and six months. The challenge is not just whether it is available on the NHS but how helpful it is. We have a lot of progress to make, and that is why we are committed to ensuring that new treatments can quickly become available and that prevention is key.

Self-harm: Young People

Lord Kamall Excerpts

Monday 28th April 2025 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Merron (Lab)]

The right reverend Prelate makes some key points. I can certainly assure her that I am working with the MoJ on the area she describes, where risk is indeed high, despite the numbers. We must be very alert to that.

[Lord Kamall (Con)]

My Lords, we all know the importance of evidence in driving and developing better policy. Regarding the data, what do we know, what gaps in knowledge are the Government aware of and what are they doing to fill those gaps to drive better policy?

As an aside, how is the department working with, say, local community civil society projects, which may well be working in local communities with people who have self-harmed and survived or who are in danger of self-harming?

[Baroness Merron (Lab)]

The role of civil society is crucial. I have had a number of very helpful meetings and visits, including most recently with the Samaritans. We very much believe that that sector supports the delivery of not just the national suicide prevention strategy, of which tackling self-harm is part, but tackling self-harm where it is not linked directly with suicide.

I refer the noble Lord to the work being undertaken by the multi-centre study of self-harm, which I know will be of interest. It has a long-standing research programme to keep an eye on—more than keep an eye on—and examine self-harm trends, and the findings also inform NICE clinical guidance. Recent research has looked at different ethnic minority groups, the characteristics and outcomes for children under 13 who self-harm, and patterns and risk factors for self-harm among university students—and that is just a snapshot.