First elected: 4th July 2024
Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.
e-Petitions are administered by Parliament and allow members of the public to express support for a particular issue.
If an e-petition reaches 10,000 signatures the Government will issue a written response.
If an e-petition reaches 100,000 signatures the petition becomes eligible for a Parliamentary debate (usually Monday 4.30pm in Westminster Hall).
These initiatives were driven by Anna Dixon, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.
MPs who are act as Ministers or Shadow Ministers are generally restricted from performing Commons initiatives other than Urgent Questions.
Anna Dixon has not been granted any Urgent Questions
Anna Dixon has not been granted any Adjournment Debates
Anna Dixon has not introduced any legislation before Parliament
Right to Manage and Leasehold Bill 2024-26
Sponsor - Rachel Blake (LAB)
Office of the Whistleblower Bill 2024-26
Sponsor - Gareth Snell (LAB)
This Government is committed to ending pay discrimination at work. The plan to Make Work Pay includes clear action to strengthen the right to equal pay. We will put in place measures to ensure that outsourcing of services can no longer be used by employers to avoid paying equal pay, and improve enforcement by establishing an Equal Pay Regulatory and Enforcement Unit. As set out in the King’s Speech in July, the upcoming Equality (Race & Disability) Bill will also extend the right to make equal pay claims to ethnic minority people and disabled people. These steps will apply across both the public and private sectors.
The government expects people who provide goods, services, and facilities to members of the public, to anticipate the requirements of disabled customers and the adjustments that may have to be made for them, in line with the Equality Act 2010.
In April, the Minister of State for Social Security and Disability and the Economic Secretary to the Treasury jointly wrote to UK Finance, the leading trade association for the UK banking sector, to urge further progress on ensuring touchscreen card terminals remain accessible for blind and partially sighted consumers. As well, the British Standards Institution has developed and published a British Standard that provides guidelines for the adoption of an inclusive approach to the design of products.
The Consumer Protection Act, which contains our product liability legislation, has been in place since 1987 and my department is indeed undertaking a review of it, during which we will consider all aspects, including those claim limits my Honourable friend mentions. Following this review, should we believe changes are needed, we will bring forward the necessary primary legislation to ensure our laws remain up to date and fit for the future.
I pay tribute to the vital efforts of foster carers, who carry out a challenging role that requires skill, dedication and love. The government will ensure more children can receive loving care in foster families.
We will work with councils and fostering services to ensure foster carers receive the support they need and deserve, but there are no plans to give worker status to foster carers.
The Government is investing £1.14 billion over 30 years (£38 million annually) towards West Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority’s local economic priorities, including business support. The UK Shared Prosperity Fund also provides £83 million for West Yorkshire, including support for rural businesses in Shipley.
For small businesses across the country, we will deliver on commitments to boost exports, improve access to finance, stamp out late payment practices and open up competition for public procurement contracts. The department also provides support through Help to Grow Management, the Business Support Service and network of Growth Hubs – including the West Yorkshire Business Support Service.
The Government fully supports the accelerated deployment of rooftop solar panels, which will be critical to achieving clean power by 2030.
From next year, Future Homes and Buildings Standards will ensure that all newly-built houses and commercial buildings are fit for a net zero future. The Government will encourage the installation of solar panels on these developments, where appropriate. The Department is working closely with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government as they develop these standards.
The Government recently announced the re-establishment of the Solar Taskforce and publication of the Solar Roadmap will follow shortly, setting out recommendations on how we and industry will work together to achieve our ambition to radically increase deployment by 2030. Alongside that, Government recently concluded its latest Contracts for Difference round, where a record 3.3GW of solar capacity was secured.
The Government is committed to the Strategic Spatial Energy Plan (SSEP). The SSEP will support a more actively planned approach to energy infrastructure across England, Scotland and Wales, across land and sea. The Secretary of State and Head of Mission Control also wrote to the ESO on 23rd August to formally commission advice regarding the key requirements for the Government to meet its clean power commitment by 2030.
It is the Government’s priority to build support for developments by ensuring communities directly benefit. We are reviewing how to most effectively deliver community benefits for communities living near new energy infrastructure.
The Government is committed to improving mobile coverage across the UK. Ofcom’s recent coverage reporting shows that 99% of Shipley has 4G geographic coverage from all four mobile operators. Non-standalone 5G is available from at least one mobile operator outside 99% of premises.
I am aware that Ofcom’s coverage data does not always reflect consumers’ experience of mobile networks at a local level, and I am intent on ensuring Ofcom takes all necessary steps to improve its accuracy.
Our ambition is for all populated areas to have high-quality standalone 5G by 2030, and we are committed to ensuring we have the right policy and regulatory framework to support investment and competition.
The Government supports the Arts Councils of each UK nation and Ireland and the British Film Institute in launching All In, a free, UK wide arts access scheme. This scheme will help remove barriers for disabled, deaf and neurodivergent people in music venues, festivals, theatres, museums, galleries, libraries and more. It will introduce the UK and Ireland’s first set of industry standards to improve access to arts and culture as well as launch new digital tools to support accessible ticket booking. Work so far has included consultation with potential users, as well as feasibility studies to inform how the scheme can address access barriers faced by disabled audience members.
The Office for Equality and Opportunity has also appointed David Stanley as Disability and Access Ambassador for arts and culture - to drive improvements in the accessibility and quality of services and facilities in the sector for disabled people, helping to ensure businesses are doing all they can to support disabled customers.
We are continuing to support Arts Council England’s (ACE’s) Supporting Grassroots Music Fund (SGMF), which as well as aiming to bolster the grassroots music ecosystem, aims to promote inclusivity within the sector. For example, through support from the SGMF, a music venue in Bristol has become the first grassroots music venue in the country to secure an Attitude is Everything Gold Award, a widely-coveted Industry award, given only to those that show a significant and ongoing commitment to improving accessibility.
The 37 academy trusts listed in the October 2024 publication on GOV.UK were engaged with on executive pay to ensure compliance with the Academy Trust Handbook.
The Academy Trust Handbook requires that:
Following provision of evidence from the academy trusts, all 37 were found to be compliant with the Academy Trust Handbook.
No claims to the adoption and special guardianship support fund (ASGSF) were rejected as a result of the total fund limit being reached in 2024/25.
Applications exceeding £3,000 were made for 4,832 children in 2024/25. This figure may include some double counting, if more than one application exceeding £3,000 was made for the same child, as could be the case if an application for match-funding was being made.
However, the department’s systems do not enable it to make an accurate calculation of the number of children for whom two or more separate applications under £3,000 were made, but which together totalled more than £3,000. This could, as a result, lead to some under-counting of children in this category.
The scheme administrator has made significant progress to reduce the backlog of Cash Equivalent Transfer Value (CETV) figures that built up whilst the necessary guidance was developed following the Transitional Protection (McCloud) remedy taking effect.
The backlog of 3,062 at the end of October 2024 has been reduced to 472 as of 3 June. The current outstanding figure includes recent applications and as such there will always be a number of outstanding CETVs at any given time.
The scheme administrator is now working through the more complex cases for members who have not retired who have scheme flexibilities to take account of, which must be processed clerically as a result.
Addressing the remainder of the backlog remains a key priority for both the department and the scheme administrator and it is anticipated that these outstanding cases will be completed before October 2025.
I refer my hon. Friend, the Member for Shipley to the answer of 17 December 2024 to Question 18517.
The department has provided funding to Oak National Academy (Oak), a non-departmental public body, to provide free, optional and adaptable curriculum and lesson resources for primary and secondary school teachers. These resources are available on Oak’s website at: https://www.thenational.academy/.
The government has commissioned an independent review of Oak. The review will include an assessment of whether Oak is delivering services that meet the needs of teachers and young people.
The department keeps all aspects of apprenticeships policy under review, including the English and mathematics requirements, to make sure it is striking the right balance in equipping apprentices with the right skills, without putting up unnecessary barriers to starting or completing an apprenticeship.
More widely, the government will be transforming the apprenticeships levy into a new growth and skills levy, which will offer greater flexibility to employers and learners and align with the government’s Industrial Strategy. Skills England will be working closely with employers, training providers, unions and other key partners to identify priority skills gaps, helping to ensure that levy-funded training delivers value for money, meets the needs of business and helps kick start economic growth. Details on Skills England engagement plans will be set out in due course.
The department’s home to school travel policy aims to make sure that no child is prevented from accessing education by a lack of transport. Local authorities must arrange free home to school travel, at the start and end of the school day. This is for children of compulsory school age, (5 to 16), who attend their nearest school and would not be able to walk there because of the distance, their special educational needs, disability or mobility problem, or because the nature of the route means it would be unsafe for them to do so.
At their discretion, some schools may choose to organise their own school travel, which they may or may not charge for. Local authorities may also choose to meet their statutory responsibilities for arranging school travel through local arrangements with schools in some cases. I am keen to understand how well home-to-school transport supports children to access educational opportunity and will be working with departmental officials on this.
This is a matter for His Majesty’s Chief Inspector at Ofsted, Sir Martyn Oliver. I have asked him to write to my hon. Friend, the Member for Shipley directly and a copy of his reply will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
Supply teachers perform a valuable role and make an important contribution to the smooth running of schools by filling posts on a temporary basis and covering teacher absences.
Schools and local authorities are responsible for the recruitment of their supply teachers. Local authority supply pools are one of the approaches to providing supply teachers, and local authorities have the autonomy to decide whether to operate supply teacher pools.
The department, in conjunction with the Crown Commercial Service, has established the agency supply deal, which supports schools to obtain value for money when hiring agency supply teachers and other temporary school staff. More information is available here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/deal-for-schools-hiring-supply-teachers-and-agency-workers.
Guidance on ‘Understanding Student Living Costs’ from the Student Loans Company is available on GOV.UK and reviewed on a regular basis. More information on this guidance can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/understanding-student-living-costs. This guidance makes it clear that students are expected to make up the difference between the maintenance loan amount available to them and their total living costs.
Students supplement their living costs support through a variety of means, including parental support, part-time employment, or savings. Students’ living costs vary widely, according to their individual circumstances and where they study and reside, so it is not possible to provide a single figure for any parental contribution.
Students can also find more information about some of the alternative sources of funding, and guidance on how to budget for university, at Student Space here: https://studentspace.org.uk/.
The government does not set or recommend pay in further education (FE). This remains the responsibility of individual colleges who are free to implement pay arrangements in line with their local needs.
The department recognises the vital role that FE teachers play in developing the skills needed to drive the government’s missions to improve opportunity and economic growth. That is why the department is investing around £600 million across the 2024/25 and 2025/26 financial years. This includes extending retention payments of up to £6,000 after tax to eligible early career FE teachers in key subject areas. The department also continues to support recruitment and retention with teacher training bursaries worth up to £30,000 tax-free in certain key subject areas, and with support for industry professionals to enter the teaching workforce through the Taking Teaching Further programme.
My right hon. Friend, the Chancellor for the Exchequer, has announced a Budget on 30 October to be followed by a multi-year Spending Review in the spring of next year. Decisions about future post-16 funding and capital programmes will be subject to the outcomes of these fiscal events.
Reforming children’s social care is critical to deliver the government’s Opportunity Mission, to ensure that no child or young person’s background limits their ambition or life chances.
The department recognises that children in care and care leavers have poorer outcomes than their peers across all aspects of their lives, and wants all those who are in care or leaving care to have stable homes, access to health services, support to build lifelong loving relationships, and help to engage in education, employment and training.
In the King’s Speech, the government committed to introduce a Children’s Wellbeing Bill, which will allow the government to take forward the legislative changes needed to improve the children’s social care system for children in care and care leavers, including through a clearer focus on improving the support provided by government departments and relevant public bodies.
This government is committed to improving mental health and wellbeing support for all children and young people. This is critical to breaking down barriers to opportunity and learning.
The right support should be available to every young person that needs it, which is why this government will provide access to specialist mental health professionals in every school. We will also be putting in place new Young Futures hubs, including access to mental health support workers, and will recruit an additional 8,500 new mental health staff to treat children and adults.
Mental Health Support Teams (MHSTs) currently cover 44% of children and young people in schools and colleges across England. These MHSTs have three core functions: i) to deliver evidence-based early interventions for emerging and actual mental health issues, 1-1 and in groups, ii) to support a school or college’s mental health lead to embed an effective approach to promote and support mental health and wellbeing, and iii) to advise school and college staff, and liaise with external specialist services, to help pupils and learners to get the right timely support and stay in education.
Data specifically on how many schools and colleges in Shipley constituency work with an MHSTs is not currently available. As of April 2024, 28% of pupils and learners in Bradford local authority are in schools and colleges that work with an MHST, compared to 44% nationally: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/transforming-children-and-young-peoples-mental-health-provision.
A resource hub for mental health leads and a targeted mental wellbeing support toolkit are available on the Mentally Healthy Schools platform. Data is available at a local authority level on the schools and colleges that have taken up the offer of the department’s funded mental health lead training grant. By the end of March 2024, 73% of schools and colleges in Bradford local authority had claimed a senior mental health leads training grant, compared to 74% nationally.
Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission are jointly responsible for inspecting local area arrangements for children and young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).
Bradford last received an area SEND inspection in March 2022, during which inspectors identified five areas of significant weakness:
The local area was required to produce a written statement of action to explain, to Ofsted and the department, how they would address these areas of weakness.
Following the inspection outcome, the department has worked closely with its partners in NHS England to monitor, support and challenge the local area partnership in making the necessary improvements. The City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council is also receiving additional support from a specialist SEND advisor, and the department will continue to work with the Council and relevant stakeholders to support them in improving SEND services and provision in Bradford.
High needs funding is increasing to over £10.5 billion for the 2024/25 financial year. Of this, through their dedicated schools grant for the 2024/25 financial year, Bradford is receiving a high needs funding allocation of £122.3 million. This funding will continue to help with the costs of supporting children and young people with SEND.
The Government recognises well-managed grouse shooting can be an important part of a local rural economy, providing direct and indirect employment. We also appreciate that many people hold strong views on the issue of grouse shooting and there is evidence to suggest a link between it and crimes against birds of prey as well as potential risks to biosecurity. Work will continue to ensure a sustainable, mutually beneficial relationship between grouse shooting, biosecurity and conservation.
For too long, water companies have discharged unacceptable levels of sewage into our rivers, lakes and seas. That is why we are placing water companies under special measures through the Water (Special Measures) Bill, including giving environmental regulators powers to impose penalties on the civil standard of proof, in addition to new automatic penalties. The regulators will also be able to recover costs for a much greater range of enforcement activities.
In October 2024, the Secretary of State, in conjunction with the Welsh Government, also launched an Independent Commission on the water sector regulatory system. This is a wide-ranging review to fundamentally transform how our water system works and clean up our rivers, lakes and seas for good.
Defra is continuing to work with His Majesty’s Treasury regarding continued reinvestment of the water company fines and penalties on water environment improvement.
For too long, water companies have discharged unacceptable levels of sewage into our rivers, lakes and seas. That is why we are placing water companies under special measures through the Water (Special Measures) Bill, including giving environmental regulators powers to impose penalties on the civil standard of proof, in addition to new automatic penalties. The regulators will also be able to recover costs for a much greater range of enforcement activities.
In October 2024, the Secretary of State, in conjunction with the Welsh Government, also launched an Independent Commission on the water sector regulatory system. This is a wide-ranging review to fundamentally transform how our water system works and clean up our rivers, lakes and seas for good.
Defra is continuing to work with His Majesty’s Treasury regarding continued reinvestment of the water company fines and penalties on water environment improvement.
The Government is aware of fake and fraudulent websites relating to Clean Air Zone payments and takes this matter very seriously. We continue to monitor this issue and take appropriate action. The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) investigates reports of organisations which act illegally or are actively misleading users about their services. Where appropriate such sites can be and are taken down promptly. The DVLA uses its external communication channels, including social media, to remind motorists that GOV.UK is the only website for government motoring services and provide advice on how to report suspected scams.
The Water Restoration Fund, which launched under the previous Government in April this year, is currently being examined carefully by the relevant Ministers.
The Government has taken immediate and substantial action to address water companies who are not performing for the environment or their customers. In July, we announced swift action to begin resetting the water sector, including ringfencing vital funding for infrastructure investment and placing customers and the environment at the heart of water company objectives.
In September, Government introduced the Water (Special Measures) Bill to parliament to give regulators new powers to take tougher and faster action to crack down on water companies damaging the environment and failing their customers. These are the first critical steps in enabling a long-term and transformative reset of the entire water sector.
I would also refer the hon. Member to the Written Statement made by the Secretary of State on 18 July, HCWS3.
My department is developing our Road Safety Strategy and will set out more details in due course.
THINK!, the Government’s flagship road safety campaign, aims to reduce the number of people killed and seriously injured on the roads in England and Wales by changing attitudes and behaviours among those at most risk. The primary audience for THINK! is young men aged 17-24, who are four times more likely to be killed or seriously injured on the road than drivers aged 25 and over. The campaign targets priority issues such as drink driving and speeding, as well as communicating key policy interventions.
The Secretary of State has made no assessment of the potential implications of motor insurance terms allowing providers to retain up to 90 percent of refunds on cancellation, or the potential merits of reforming this practice.
Motor insurers are responsible for setting the terms and conditions of the policies that they offer. The Government does not generally intervene or seek to control the market.
The UK motor insurance market is very competitive and shopping around for the best possible option before making decisions is likely to benefit customers.
The Department has been considering all the views expressed in response to our consultation and is currently working through the policy options and the appropriate means of delivering them. As soon as the Government has decided its preferred way forward, we will announce the next steps and publish our formal response.
Affordability is one of our key objectives – so that prices are kept, wherever possible, at a point that works for both passengers and taxpayers. We are committed to reviewing the overcomplicated fares system with a view to simplifying it and will explore the options for expanding ticketing innovations like digital pay as you go, and digital season tickets across the network.
The Disabled Persons Railcard offers discounts of a third off most rail fares for people with a disability that makes travelling by train difficult. As with other railcards, Disabled Persons Railcards can be purchased with either a one or three-year validity.
The terms and conditions for the English National Concessionary Travel Scheme (ENCTS) are set out in legislation. This includes a requirement that the maximum expiry date that can be set on ENCTS passes is five years.
The child maintenance calculation is designed to be fair for the paying parent, while ensuring they contribute a significant proportion of their income to support their children.
A banding system ensures that the very lowest earners and those on prescribed benefits pay a flat rate of £7 per week. Those that can afford to make a bigger contribution do so at a rate that reflects what they earn.
For child maintenance calculation purposes, a paying parent who is in receipt of Universal Credit and also has earned income will not be considered as being in receipt of benefit. Their liability to pay child maintenance will therefore be calculated based upon the income they receive.
The department is reviewing the calculation to make sure it is fit for purpose. This has included updating the underlying research and considering how we ensure the calculation reflects current and future societal trends.
Regulations to provide additional transitional protection for those in receipt of Enhanced Disability premium came into force on 14th February 2024 for eligible customers to Universal Credit.
The Department is fully committed to identifying and paying eligible customers who have already moved to Universal Credit.
This is a highly complex issue and work is continuing at pace on the solution to make back payments and monthly payments is expected to commence in a controlled manner in Quarter 1 of 2025, subject to payment accuracy assurances being satisfied.
The Department for Work and Pensions are responsible for the disability benefits that provide a passport to the Motability Scheme. The Scheme is operated by the Motability Foundation.
Should an individual choose to join the Motability Scheme, then Scheme customers can apply to Motability Foundation for a means tested grant that can help towards the cost of an advance payment on a vehicle including wheelchair accessible vehicles.
Tackling child poverty is at the heart of this Government’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity and improve the life chances of every child.
The Child Poverty Taskforce has started work and will explore all available levers to drive forward short and long-term actions across government to reduce child poverty. The Child Poverty Strategy will be published in the Spring and is UK-wide.
In September, the Taskforce heard from local leaders about the challenges faced in their communities, and how it can best work with Mayors, local authorities and other bodies to develop innovative solutions to tackle child poverty. This marked the first of a series of thematic sessions with key organisations, charities and experts on specific topics that will help to shape the strategy.
In November 2023, DWP instigated a peer review of The Pensions Ombudsman (TPO), that considered organisational structure, performance, waiting times and efficiencies. Following the ensuing recommendations, TPO commissioned an internal review which has resulted in their Operating Model Review (OMR).
TPO has begun implementing improvements to its Operating Model enhancing effectiveness and ensuring cases are closed as early as possible. Engaging and influencing the wider pensions industry remains a vital part of TPO strategy. The recent ‘How to avoid the Ombudsman’ session run by its Stakeholder Engagement team demonstrates TPO willingness to engage industry to reduce the number of complaints it receives.
DWP has invested substantial additional funding to TPO’s baseline over the SR period to expand headcount to support the reduction in waiting times.
It is important that the Adult Social Care Relative Needs Formula accurately reflects the relative need for services to ensure funding is allocated to the places that need it most and to enable all local authorities to focus on improving adult social care outcomes.
The Department commissioned independent academics at the Adult Social Care Research Unit to develop an update to the current Adult Social Care Relative Needs Formula. This update reflects a more up to date assessment of relative adult social care need in England and is being consulted on as part of the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government’s Local Government Funding Reform consultation. The Adult Social Care Research Unit’s research report is available at the following link:
https://ascru.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/2025_06_16_Revision-of-ASC-RNF-2024.pdf
It is important that the Adult Social Care Relative Needs Formula accurately reflects the relative need for services to ensure funding is allocated to the places that need it most and to enable all local authorities to focus on improving adult social care outcomes.
The Department commissioned independent academics at the Adult Social Care Research Unit to develop an update to the current Adult Social Care Relative Needs Formula. This update reflects a more up to date assessment of relative adult social care need in England and is being consulted on as part of the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government’s Local Government Funding Reform consultation. The Adult Social Care Research Unit’s research report is available at the following link:
https://ascru.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/2025_06_16_Revision-of-ASC-RNF-2024.pdf
We are working closely with local commissioners to deliver mental health support teams in schools in England so they cover 100% of pupils by 2029/30. NHSE have estimated that around 2,400 Education Mental Health Practitioners (EMHP) are placed throughout the 600 current operational Mental Health Support Teams. Actual numbers will vary slightly at a local level, according to need. The average coverage of schools per team can change from year to year and an extensive independent evaluation is due to publish in 2026 that will inform future roll-out.
EMHP undertake a year-long training course to qualify. They can train for a postgraduate or graduate diploma, depending on whether they already have a degree qualification.
Annual National Health Service day-to-day spending will increase by £29 billion in real terms, via a £53 billion cash uplift, by 2028/29, compared to 2023/24. This will take the NHS resource budget to £226 billion by 2028/29, the equivalent to a 3% average annual real terms growth rate over the Spending Review period.
In the Spending Review announcement, we have confirmed that we will fulfil the Government’s commitments to recruit an additional 8,500 mental health staff by the end of the Parliament.
Following the Manchester Arena Inquiry Volume Two report recommendations the government committed to develop an Event Healthcare Standard. This guidance will support the Care Quality Commission’s regulation of the provision of treatment of disease, disorder, or injury rather than first aid.
The Event Healthcare Standard will be written by an authorship group, made up of clinicians and experts from within the healthcare sector, sports and events industries. The authorship group is also overseen by a review panel of experts and stakeholders also made-up healthcare providers, sports and events industries. We aim to publish the standard in the middle of 2026.
The Government will continue to engage with stakeholders within the health, sports and events sector as work on the standard progresses.
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is assessing how well local authorities in England are delivering their duties under Part 1 of the Care Act 2014, including their duties relating to unpaid carers. This means that the CQC is looking at how local authorities are supporting unpaid carers in their area.
All 153 local authorities in England are being assessed, with ratings and reports available on the CQC’s website. The assessments identify local authorities’ strengths and areas for improvement, facilitating the sharing of good practice and helping us to target support where it is most needed.
The Government recognises the challenges facing the adult social care system. That is why the Government is launching an independent commission into adult social care as part of our critical first steps towards delivering a National Care Service.
The commission will start a national conversation about what working age adults, older people, and their families expect from adult social care, including exploring the needs of unpaid carers, who provide vital care and support.
There are ongoing global supply issues with some medications used to treat diabetes, and we continue to work closely with industry partners to improve the situation. Supplies of Rybelsus, which is an oral semaglutide available in tablet form, have been boosted to support demand from new patients with type 2 diabetes, as well as those unable to obtain their existing treatment. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency’s regulatory approval of Mounjaro, an injectable medicine for adults with type 2 diabetes, has brought an additional treatment option to the United Kingdom’s market. We have provided advice for healthcare professionals on how to manage patients requiring these medicines whilst there are shortages, and are keeping this under review as the situation evolves. The Department has also added some of these products to the list of medicines that cannot be exported from, or hoarded in, the UK.
The guidance is clear that medications licensed to treat type 2 diabetes should not be prescribed for weight loss, except where specifically licenced for this use. Any patient who is worried about their condition, or access to these medications, should speak to their clinician in the first instance.
The Department monitors and manages medicine supply at a national level, so that stocks remain available to meet regional and local demand. Information on stock levels within individual pharmacies is not held centrally.