Weight Loss Medication

Baroness Stedman-Scott Excerpts

Monday 21st July 2025 Lords Chamber

Asked by

[Baroness Stedman-Scott]

To ask His Majesty’s Government what plans they have to make weight loss medications available to people living with obesity who are unable to afford them privately.

[Baroness Stedman-Scott (Con)]

My Lords, in begging leave to ask the Question standing in my name on the Order Paper, I declare something of an interest, in that I have used them and they work.

[Baroness in Waiting/Government Whip (Baroness Blake of Leeds) (Lab)]

I look forward to the noble Baroness’s testimony. The obesity medicines Wegovy and Mounjaro are already available to eligible patients attending NHS specialist weight management services. In June, the NHS began making Mounjaro available through primary care. Around 220,000 adults will be considered for Mounjaro in the first three years, access being prioritised by clinical need. We are committed to expanding NHS access and will work closely with industry and local systems to identify innovative ways to do this.

[Baroness Stedman-Scott (Con)]

I thank the Minister for her Answer. Credit where it is due: achieving that number of people benefiting from weight loss jabs is absolutely terrific. I challenge the Minister—not her personally but the Government—to be a little more creative, in that there are people in this country who cannot work because of conditions resulting from obesity. If we added up the money we spent on government programmes and different drugs to compensate for that, and then looked at the cost of the drugs, we would see that it is worth a pilot scheme, to be a bit more creative; otherwise, we will know the cost of everything and the value of nothing. Will the Minister talk to our friend, the noble Baroness, Lady Sherlock, in the DWP to see whether we can get a pilot going?

[Baroness Blake of Leeds (Lab)]

I think it is fair to say that everyone knows how significant this is, not only the personal cost of not helping people, but the cost to the NHS, the economy and wider society. The truth is that around 3.4 million adults in this country could be eligible. From talking to ICBs, we know that rollout on that scale has to be taken very seriously so that the systems do not fall over. It is a priority. Other weight-loss methods are ongoing and will continue alongside, but it is something we will continue to work exceptionally hard to achieve.