Asked by: David Davis (Conservative - Goole and Pocklington)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with health leaders on the arrangements in place across NHS Trusts for overseeing incidents involving the handling of miscarriage tissue.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Human Tissue Authority (HTA) has no plans to establish a single national protocol governing the handling or testing of miscarriage tissue, nor to establish a single national protocol for the communication of information regarding miscarriage tissue for parents beyond the current guidance.
However, the HTA guidance on the sensitive handling of pregnancy remains was updated following a recommendation of the Pregnancy Loss Review. It applies to any health service or organisation involved in managing pregnancy loss or termination of pregnancy, and should be used to inform policies and procedures governing the disposal of pregnancy remains resulting from pregnancy loss or termination of pregnancy. The HTA guidance is available at the following link:
It includes information on developing a disposal policy, communicating information, staff training, and disposal options, including maintaining records of how and when the pregnancy remains were disposed of.
Asked by: David Davis (Conservative - Goole and Pocklington)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with NHS leaders regarding the mandatory training required for staff involved in the handling of miscarriage tissue.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Human Tissue Authority (HTA) has no plans to establish a single national protocol governing the handling or testing of miscarriage tissue, nor to establish a single national protocol for the communication of information regarding miscarriage tissue for parents beyond the current guidance.
However, the HTA guidance on the sensitive handling of pregnancy remains was updated following a recommendation of the Pregnancy Loss Review. It applies to any health service or organisation involved in managing pregnancy loss or termination of pregnancy, and should be used to inform policies and procedures governing the disposal of pregnancy remains resulting from pregnancy loss or termination of pregnancy. The HTA guidance is available at the following link:
It includes information on developing a disposal policy, communicating information, staff training, and disposal options, including maintaining records of how and when the pregnancy remains were disposed of.
Asked by: David Davis (Conservative - Goole and Pocklington)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he intends to establish a single national protocol governing the communication of information regarding miscarriage tissue to parents.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Human Tissue Authority (HTA) has no plans to establish a single national protocol governing the handling or testing of miscarriage tissue, nor to establish a single national protocol for the communication of information regarding miscarriage tissue for parents beyond the current guidance.
However, the HTA guidance on the sensitive handling of pregnancy remains was updated following a recommendation of the Pregnancy Loss Review. It applies to any health service or organisation involved in managing pregnancy loss or termination of pregnancy, and should be used to inform policies and procedures governing the disposal of pregnancy remains resulting from pregnancy loss or termination of pregnancy. The HTA guidance is available at the following link:
It includes information on developing a disposal policy, communicating information, staff training, and disposal options, including maintaining records of how and when the pregnancy remains were disposed of.
Asked by: David Davis (Conservative - Goole and Pocklington)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he intends to establish a single national protocol governing the handling and testing of miscarriage tissue.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Human Tissue Authority (HTA) has no plans to establish a single national protocol governing the handling or testing of miscarriage tissue, nor to establish a single national protocol for the communication of information regarding miscarriage tissue for parents beyond the current guidance.
However, the HTA guidance on the sensitive handling of pregnancy remains was updated following a recommendation of the Pregnancy Loss Review. It applies to any health service or organisation involved in managing pregnancy loss or termination of pregnancy, and should be used to inform policies and procedures governing the disposal of pregnancy remains resulting from pregnancy loss or termination of pregnancy. The HTA guidance is available at the following link:
It includes information on developing a disposal policy, communicating information, staff training, and disposal options, including maintaining records of how and when the pregnancy remains were disposed of.
Asked by: David Davis (Conservative - Goole and Pocklington)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether any subsequent meetings took place between Ministers in her Department and Cheshire Police after 12 December 2024.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
The then Minister for Policing, Crime and fire met senior representatives of Cheshire Constabulary on 12 December 2024. The meeting covered the funding for Operation Hummingbird provided through the Police Special Grant, charging for special police services and foreign national offenders.
It is not customary to publish briefing papers prepared for, or notes of, Ministerial meetings, nor any follow up correspondence.
Asked by: David Davis (Conservative - Goole and Pocklington)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, If she will publish any documents that were created for the then-Minister of State in preparation for her meeting with senior members of Cheshire police on 12 December 2024.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
The then Minister for Policing, Crime and fire met senior representatives of Cheshire Constabulary on 12 December 2024. The meeting covered the funding for Operation Hummingbird provided through the Police Special Grant, charging for special police services and foreign national offenders.
It is not customary to publish briefing papers prepared for, or notes of, Ministerial meetings, nor any follow up correspondence.
Asked by: David Davis (Conservative - Goole and Pocklington)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the (a) nature and (b) purpose was of the meeting attended by the then-Minister of State on 12 December 2024 with senior members of Cheshire police.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
The then Minister for Policing, Crime and fire met senior representatives of Cheshire Constabulary on 12 December 2024. The meeting covered the funding for Operation Hummingbird provided through the Police Special Grant, charging for special police services and foreign national offenders.
It is not customary to publish briefing papers prepared for, or notes of, Ministerial meetings, nor any follow up correspondence.
Asked by: David Davis (Conservative - Goole and Pocklington)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, If she will publish correspondence exchanged by her Department with Cheshire Police following their meeting with the then-Minister of State on 12 December 2024.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
The then Minister for Policing, Crime and fire met senior representatives of Cheshire Constabulary on 12 December 2024. The meeting covered the funding for Operation Hummingbird provided through the Police Special Grant, charging for special police services and foreign national offenders.
It is not customary to publish briefing papers prepared for, or notes of, Ministerial meetings, nor any follow up correspondence.
Asked by: David Davis (Conservative - Goole and Pocklington)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will publish (a) documents and (b) minutes created following the meeting of the then-Minister of State and Cheshire Police on 12 December 2024.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
The then Minister for Policing, Crime and fire met senior representatives of Cheshire Constabulary on 12 December 2024. The meeting covered the funding for Operation Hummingbird provided through the Police Special Grant, charging for special police services and foreign national offenders.
It is not customary to publish briefing papers prepared for, or notes of, Ministerial meetings, nor any follow up correspondence.
Asked by: David Davis (Conservative - Goole and Pocklington)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask the Solicitor General, if she will publish the number of cases and the relevant offences for cases referred to the Crown Prosecution Service's Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division in each year between 2015 and 2025.
Answered by Ellie Reeves - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) does not publish official statistics. Official statistics relating to crime and policing are maintained by the Home Office and Office for National Statistics. Official statistics relating to criminal courts including caseload, timeliness, convictions, and sentencing outcomes are maintained by the Ministry of Justice. However, since January 2020, the CPS has published quarterly bulletins of data tables and summaries of main trends as part of the CPS’s ongoing commitment to transparency on prosecution performance – available here: CPS quarterly data summaries | The Crown Prosecution Service.