Lord Polak:

Speech in Lords Chamber - Thu 27 Nov 2025
Crime and Policing Bill

"I rise to speak to my Amendment 286A, which proposes to fill gaps in Clause 79 so we can hold accountable all those who go out of their way to conceal the horrendous crime of child sexual abuse. This amendment is supported by multiple child protection organisations, including the NSPCC, …..."
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Speech in Lords Chamber - Thu 27 Nov 2025
Crime and Policing Bill

"My Lords, I too support the noble Lord, Lord Randall, on Amendment 247A. I had the fortune of meeting Claire Wright over a year ago, and she explained to me what Hope and Homes for Children was doing as a charity. I too was bowled over by it, because it …..."
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Division Vote (Lords)
24 Nov 2025 - Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill - View Vote Context
Lord Polak (Con) voted Aye - in line with the party majority and against the House
One of 184 Conservative Aye votes vs 0 Conservative No votes
Vote Tally: Ayes - 200 Noes - 244

Speech in Lords Chamber - Fri 21 Nov 2025
Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill

"My Lords, I want to respond to the noble Lord, Lord Griffiths, who is a member of the Labour Party. With respect, I would like the Committee to listen...."
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Speech in Lords Chamber - Fri 21 Nov 2025
Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill

"I will. I was given six months to live 37 years ago. I do not often share this personal issue. I stand here today as living proof that prognosis is not certainty. Estimates are sometimes wrong and sometimes wildly wrong. That experience shapes my approach to this legislation and underlines …..."
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Speech in Lords Chamber - Fri 21 Nov 2025
Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill

"It is a shame, because I have a particular and important point to raise in response to the noble Lord, Lord Griffiths...."
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Speech in Lords Chamber - Fri 21 Nov 2025
Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill

"My Lords—..."
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Speech in Lords Chamber - Wed 19 Nov 2025
Gaza and Sudan

"My Lords, I refer the House to my entry in the register of interests. In the Statement, the Foreign Secretary talked about the Manama dialogue in Bahrain. I was there, and I congratulate the Foreign Secretary for publicly calling for intense efforts to address the crisis in Sudan. She did …..."
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Written Question

Tumours: Research

Wednesday 19th November 2025

Asked by: Lord Polak (Conservative - Life peer)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to assess the NHS’s capacity for fresh freezing of tumour and other tissue samples, and the impact of this capacity on improving access to innovative cancer testing and treatments.

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

Pathology services in England are delivered through 27 regional pathology networks, and offer a comprehensive range of tests, including the analysis of brain tissues.

Fresh-freezing, also referred to as snap-freezing, is a standard technique used by pathology networks to preserve tissue architecture without chemical fixatives, allowing for subsequent molecular or histological analysis, typically supporting research or advanced diagnostic applications.

Individual pathology services maintain their own standard operating procedures (SOPs) for fresh tissue samples and for the snap-freezing of tissue samples. These SOPs outline local capabilities and practices.

Information on the number of NHS trusts in England that have facilities for fresh freezing brain cancer tissue samples is not currently collected. However, the extent to which fresh freezing is used across NHS trusts is likely to vary depending on the availability of neurosurgery services.