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Written Question
Health Professions: Scotland
Tuesday 27th February 2024

Asked by: Alison Thewliss (Scottish National Party - Glasgow Central)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what information her Department holds on the number of Scottish citizens who worked in the NHS that emigrated in each year since 2010.

Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department does not hold the information requested.


Written Question
Health Professions: Emigration
Tuesday 27th February 2024

Asked by: Alison Thewliss (Scottish National Party - Glasgow Central)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what information her Department holds on the number of UK citizens who worked in the NHS that emigrated in each year since 2010.

Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department does not hold the information requested.


Written Question
Health Services: Women
Monday 4th September 2023

Asked by: Alison Thewliss (Scottish National Party - Glasgow Central)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the Women’s Health Ambassador for England has met with the Women’s Health Champion for Scotland.

Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)

The Women’s Health Ambassador for England has not met with the Women’s Health Champion for Scotland.


Written Question
Medicine: Research
Thursday 13th July 2023

Asked by: Alison Thewliss (Scottish National Party - Glasgow Central)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the debate of 4 July on Human-specific medical research techniques, Official Report columns 293WH to 304WH, what assessment he has made of the capability of the UK’s regulatory system to support the (a) development and (b) use of human-specific technologies in medical research.

Answered by Will Quince

As the regulator of medicines, medical devices and blood components for transfusion in the United Kingdom, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) keeps abreast of advances in human-specific technologies in medical research that are relevant to the development of medicines and medical devices. The MHRA is aware of human-specific techniques, such as organ-on-chip technologies used to better identify potential toxicity of novel medicines, and has engaged with other organisations active in this space such as the National Centre for the Replacement, Refinement & Reduction of Animals in Research who have hosted meetings on this theme. The MHRA has also provided scientific advice on the use of this technology to support proof of concept for a new medicine. That said, the MHRA does not identify those with whom it may have had discussions who are active commercially in this space.

In relation to human-specific technologies, some medicines have been developed which only have activity in humans, such as eculizumab (Soliris), tebentafusp (Kimmtrak) or CAR T cell products (for instance, Kymriah, Yescarta and Tecartus). These medicines were developed using human specific methods, however, versions of these medicines that were active in animals were, in some cases, also used. The MHRA supports the developers of these products by its offer of scientific advice services, the Innovation Office and the Innovative Licensing and Access Pathway.


Written Question
Addictions: Rehabilitation
Friday 30th June 2023

Asked by: Alison Thewliss (Scottish National Party - Glasgow Central)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of community recovery services in helping people recover from addiction.

Answered by Neil O'Brien

Community addiction recovery services include drug and alcohol treatment. In December 2021 the Government published a ten-year drug strategy which was coupled with an additional £532 million of funding over the three-year spending review period between, 2022/23, to 2024/25, for drug and alcohol treatment services. Evaluations assessing the delivery, impact, and value for money of these treatment and recovery programmes will be completed by Autumn 2025.


Written Question
Infant Foods: EU Law
Monday 6th February 2023

Asked by: Alison Thewliss (Scottish National Party - Glasgow Central)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill on the (a) Infant Formula and Follow-on Formula (England) Regulations 2007, (b) Infant Formula and Follow-on Formula (Wales) Regulations 2020, (c) Foods for Specific Groups (Infant Formula and Follow-on Formula) (Scotland) Regulations 2020 and (d) Infant Formula and Follow-on Formula Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2007; and if he will make a statement.

Answered by Neil O'Brien

Through the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill, the Government is currently reviewing which retained European Union law should be repealed, reformed or preserved. The Government continues to work with a range of stakeholders to consider impacts and ensure that current standards in patient safety and public health are maintained.

The Government continues to proactively engage the devolved governments at official and Ministerial level as part of this review.


Written Question
Healthy Start Scheme
Tuesday 20th December 2022

Asked by: Alison Thewliss (Scottish National Party - Glasgow Central)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of healthy start vouchers in the context of rising (a) food and (b) infant formula prices.

Answered by Neil O'Brien

While the Healthy Start scheme is kept under continuous review, there are no current plans to increase the value of the benefit.

In April 2021, the value of the Healthy Start benefit was raised from £3.10 to £4.25 per week, providing additional support to pregnant women and families on lower incomes to make healthy food choices. Children aged under one year old receive £8.50 per week, an increase from £6.20.


Written Question
Infant Foods
Tuesday 20th December 2022

Asked by: Alison Thewliss (Scottish National Party - Glasgow Central)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the health consequences of the watering down of infant formula.

Answered by Neil O'Brien

No recent assessment has been made.


Written Question
Healthy Start Scheme
Thursday 19th May 2022

Asked by: Alison Thewliss (Scottish National Party - Glasgow Central)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will increase the value of healthy start vouchers in response to the increasing cost of infant formula.

Answered by Maggie Throup

While there are no current plans to do so, the value of the Healthy Start scheme is kept under review. From April 2021, the value increased from £3.10 to £4.25, providing additional support to pregnant women and families on lower incomes to make healthy food choices.


Written Question
Members: Correspondence
Monday 7th March 2022

Asked by: Alison Thewliss (Scottish National Party - Glasgow Central)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he plans to respond to the correspondence from the Member for Glasgow Central on 7 January with case ref ZA25441.

Answered by Edward Argar - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

We replied to the hon. Member on 7 February 2022.