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Written Question
Pregnancy: Sodium Valproate
Wednesday 12th February 2025

Asked by: Chris Evans (Labour (Co-op) - Caerphilly)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent progress has been made by the (a) Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency and (b) the Commission on Human Medicines to (i) understand the (A) current and (B) historic risks of sodium valproate when taken during pregnancy, and (ii) in communicating these risks to (1) healthcare professionals and (2) patients.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), taking advice from the Commission on Human Medicines (CHM), has worked to raise awareness among healthcare professionals and patients of the risks of valproate when taken during pregnancy through several updates to the valproate Summary of Product Characteristics, for healthcare professionals, and the Patient Information Leaflets, as well as updates to associated educational materials as required.

The magnitude and type of risks associated with valproate use in pregnancy have been communicated in articles in the MHRA bulletin, Drug Safety Update, and via letters cascaded out through the NHS Central Alerting System. These communications have been supported by messages from the relevant professional bodies and regulatory requirements reinforced through changes to clinical guidelines and improved alerts on general practitioner prescribing systems.

The valproate Pregnancy Prevention Programme, implemented in 2018, is supported by educational materials for healthcare professionals and patients which describe the neurodevelopmental disorders and major congenital malformations associated with the use of valproate in pregnancy, and are available electronically and sent in hard copy format to healthcare professionals.

In January 2024, the MHRA communicated, in an article in a Drug Safety Update, the latest advice from the CHM, that valproate must not be started in new patients, male or female, younger than 55 years old unless two specialists independently consider and document that there is no other effective or tolerated treatment, or if there are compelling reasons that the reproductive risks do not apply. It was advised that women and girls of childbearing potential who are already receiving valproate should have their treatment reviewed by two specialists at their next annual review. The requirement for two specialists to review these patients is a one off, and subsequent annual reviews required under the Pregnancy Prevention Programme are undertaken by a single specialist.

Updated educational materials were made available to healthcare professionals and patients electronically, and sent to healthcare professionals in hard copy format, that could be provided to patients and which could support the discussions between healthcare professionals and patients.


Written Question
Care Homes: Visits
Wednesday 10th March 2021

Asked by: Chris Evans (Labour (Co-op) - Caerphilly)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to enable the re-introduction of close contact care home visits in England.

Answered by Helen Whately - Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions

New visiting arrangements have started on 8 March. Every care home should ensure that each resident can nominate one named person who can have regular, indoor visits.

Those residents with the highest care needs can also receive visits from a family member or friend who is an ‘essential care giver’. Following agreement between the care home, resident and their family or friends, these visitors will be able to visit more often in order to provide care that is critical to the resident’s immediate health and wellbeing. They will have the same testing and personal protective equipment arrangements as care home staff so that they can also provide extra support, such as help with washing and dressing or eating well.

We will assess the data and take a decision on opening up further opportunities for visiting, setting out a plan for the next phase of visits for people in residential care.


Written Question
Care Homes: Coronavirus
Friday 26th February 2021

Asked by: Chris Evans (Labour (Co-op) - Caerphilly)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will publish a timetable for the vaccination of all care home (a) residents and (b) staff in England.

Answered by Nadhim Zahawi

We met our target to offer a first vaccine to everyone in the top four priority groups, as identified by the Joint Committee of Vaccination and Immunisation by 15 February. This included all residents in a care homes for older adults and their carers.

Second vaccination visits to care homes are taking place over the next month to offer vaccinations to staff or residents who were unavailable on the day of the first visit. Everyone will receive their second dose within 12 weeks of their first.


Written Question
Horses: Slaughterhouses
Thursday 14th January 2021

Asked by: Chris Evans (Labour (Co-op) - Caerphilly)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many soliped and equidae were slaughtered for meat in UK abattoirs in each month of 2020.

Answered by Jo Churchill

The Food Standards Agency holds the following data. For each month of 2020 the following numbers of soliped and equidae were slaughtered for meat in United Kingdom abattoirs:

Month / Year

Numbers (Throughput)

January 2020

53

February 2020

123

March 2020

183

April 2020

107

May 2020

112

June 2020

65

July 2020

95

August 2020

105

Note: Numbers are recorded under one heading of ‘soliped’.

No soliped or equidae were slaughtered in Northern Ireland in 2020.


Written Question
Health: Mould
Monday 11th January 2021

Asked by: Chris Evans (Labour (Co-op) - Caerphilly)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his Department will undertake a review on the understanding, diagnosis and treatment of mould sickness in the UK.

Answered by Jo Churchill

Public Health England published a review in 2019 on bioaerosols, which include mould, related to composting and intensive farming, and their potential effects on the health of those living nearby. This followed two other reviews published in 2018.

NHS England is aware of how damp and mould can lead to respiratory problems, infections, allergies, asthma and affect the immune system. Aspergillus is a group of moulds common in the home. Most people are naturally immune and do not develop disease caused by Aspergillus. The European Respiratory Society have produced guidelines for the diagnosis and management of chronic pulmonary aspergillosis.


Written Question
Health: Mould
Monday 11th January 2021

Asked by: Chris Evans (Labour (Co-op) - Caerphilly)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his Department will make an assessment of the knowledge of mould sickness among doctors, and what steps he plans to take to improve the diagnosis of mould sickness.

Answered by Jo Churchill

Public Health England published a review in 2019 on bioaerosols, which include mould, related to composting and intensive farming, and their potential effects on the health of those living nearby. This followed two other reviews published in 2018.

NHS England is aware of how damp and mould can lead to respiratory problems, infections, allergies, asthma and affect the immune system. Aspergillus is a group of moulds common in the home. Most people are naturally immune and do not develop disease caused by Aspergillus. The European Respiratory Society have produced guidelines for the diagnosis and management of chronic pulmonary aspergillosis.


Written Question
Protective Clothing: China
Monday 14th December 2020

Asked by: Chris Evans (Labour (Co-op) - Caerphilly)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of whether personal protective equipment used in the NHS has been made by forced labour in the Xinjaing province of China.

Answered by Jo Churchill

Detailed Government guidance is provided to public sector contracting authorities on how to assess and mitigate the risks of modern slavery in procurement. Contracts routinely include clauses requiring Good Industry Practice to ensure that there is no slavery or human trafficking in supply chains. In the event that allegations of modern slavery are substantiated in relation to a supplier, we will consider all available options.


Written Question
Protective Clothing: Forced Labour
Monday 14th December 2020

Asked by: Chris Evans (Labour (Co-op) - Caerphilly)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department has taken to ensure that no personal protective equipment procured for the NHS has been made by forced labour.

Answered by Jo Churchill

Detailed Government guidance is provided to public sector contracting authorities on how to assess and mitigate the risks of modern slavery in procurement. Contracts routinely include clauses requiring Good Industry Practice to ensure that there is no slavery or human trafficking in supply chains. In the event that allegations of modern slavery are substantiated in relation to a supplier, we will consider all available options.


Written Question
Horses: Slaughterhouses
Tuesday 1st December 2020

Asked by: Chris Evans (Labour (Co-op) - Caerphilly)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many horses slaughtered in UK abattoirs in (a) 2018, (b) 2019 and (c) 2020 held horse passports issued by Weatherbys passport issuing agencies.

Answered by Jo Churchill

We are unable to provide the information requested as it is commercially sensitive.


Written Question
Horses: Slaughterhouses
Thursday 1st October 2020

Asked by: Chris Evans (Labour (Co-op) - Caerphilly)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many soliped and equidae were slaughtered at each abattoir licensed to slaughter horses in 2019.

Answered by Jo Churchill

The Food Standards Agency holds the following data.

In 2019, the numbers of soliped and equidae slaughtered at each abattoir licensed to slaughter horses was 2,146 and 24, totalling 2,170.

Notes: Numbers are recorded under one heading of ‘soliped’. No soliped or equidae were slaughtered in Northern Ireland in 2019.