Asked by: Esther McVey (Conservative - Tatton)
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 potential merits of new antimicrobial therapeutics developed by SMEs.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The United Kingdom’s 2024 to 2029 national action plan (NAP) to confront antimicrobial resistance (AMR) includes a commitment to work across sectors to develop new antimicrobials. The NAP also acknowledges the potential of alternative therapies, such as bacteriophage, also known as phage, therapy, in combating AMR.
NHS England launched the UK-wide subscription model for antimicrobial products in August 2024, which incentivises the development of new antibiotics through de-linking payments for products from the volumes used. This aims to provide sufficient sale revenues to make it commercially viable for a company, including small and medium sized enterprises, to bring new products to market. Furthermore, the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency is committed to working with organisations to support innovation in antimicrobial therapeutics.
Asked by: Esther McVey (Conservative - Tatton)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he plans to publish the (a) minutes and (b) outcome of the Commission on Human Medicines Antidepressant Risk Minimisation Expert Working Group meeting which took place on 1 May.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
A public assessment report will be published following the advice of the Commission on Human Medicines (CHM) to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) after the next meeting of the Antidepressant Risk Minimisation Expert Working Group (EWG) in July 2025. The public assessment report will contain the minutes of all EWG meetings and the outcome of the CHM’s advice. It is anticipated that the public assessment report will be published by the MHRA in Autumn 2025.
Asked by: Esther McVey (Conservative - Tatton)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will publish the dates of the consultation period with pharmaceutical companies, as agreed at the Commission on Human Medicines Antidepressant Risk Minimisation Expert Working Group meeting on 1 May.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) will seek the advice of the independent Commission on Human Medicines (CHM) on the final recommendations of the Antidepressant Risk Minimisation Expert Working Group, following the next meeting in July 2025.
If the CHM advises the MHRA to request changes to the antidepressant product information, the MHRA will write to all of the pharmaceutical companies affected in accordance with standard timelines and procedures for requesting variations to product information.
Asked by: Esther McVey (Conservative - Tatton)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 2 June 2025 to Question 53036 on Coronavirus: Research, when he plans to publish the audit; whether he plans to publish his Department's initial assessment of the PMCPA’s ruling; and if has made an assessment of the level of breach of the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry Code that would impact the delivery of the Moderna-United Kingdom Strategic Partnership.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Prescription Medicines Code of Practice Authority (PMCPA) is a non-governmental, self-regulatory body, which independently administers the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry Code of Practice for the Pharmaceutical Industry.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) will review the PMCPA's audit of Moderna once the report is available. This review will include consideration of the audit findings, any impacts for delivery of the Moderna-UK Strategic Partnership and next steps if required.
Asked by: Esther McVey (Conservative - Tatton)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has updated guidance on the use of single-sex facilities in response to the Supreme Court judgement in the case of For Women Scotland v The Scottish Ministers of 16 April 2025.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We will review and update policy wherever necessary to ensure it complies with the latest legal requirements. We aim to ensure appropriate facilities are available for all staff.
Asked by: Esther McVey (Conservative - Tatton)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the oral contribution of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health and Social Care in response to the Rt hon. Member for Tatton at Health Questions on 6 May 2025, when the relevant Minister will meet with the Rt hon. Member for Tatton.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
My private office has reached out to the Rt. Hon. Member for Tatton to find a time for the meeting.
Asked by: Esther McVey (Conservative - Tatton)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 13 March 2025 to Question 35647 on Coronavirus: Research, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the Prescription Medicines Code of Practice Authority case rulings with reference to (a) AUTH/3835/10/23 and (b) 0316/10/24 on the governance of the Government’s mRNA research and development partnership with Moderna.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
In April 2025, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) was made aware that Moderna was to be issued a public reprimand by the Prescription Medicines Code of Practice Authority (PMCPA) appeal board. Moderna would be subject to an audit following two recent cases where they had been ruled to have breached the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry Code.
The Government has conducted an initial assessment of the PMCPA’s ruling, and has determined that it will not impact the delivery of the Moderna-United Kingdom Strategic Partnership.
The UKHSA will work with Moderna to ensure any recommendations from the report are duly considered and implemented, and to obtain assurance that these will be upheld for the duration of the partnership.
Asked by: Esther McVey (Conservative - Tatton)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate he has made of the proportion of government health expenditure that will be spent on mental health in each year of this parliament.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Written Ministerial Statement was published on 27 March 2025. This contained information on Government health expenditure in 2024/25 and 2025/26.
No estimate has been made for the remaining years of Parliament beyond this. However, mental health remains a priority for the Government, and this is backed by our commitment to the Mental Health Investment Standard in 2025/26.
Asked by: Esther McVey (Conservative - Tatton)
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 potential impact of the increase in National Insurance Contributions on the (a) financial viability and (b) capacity of the third sector in the health sector.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government recognises the vital work carried out by voluntary organisations, including in the heath sector, and is committed to supporting small businesses and charities. That is why the Employment Allowance has been more than doubled to £10,500. As a result, over half of the businesses with National Insurance contribution (NIC) liabilities will either benefit or see no increase in their contributions. In addition, eligible businesses and charities will continue to be able to claim reliefs on employer NICs, including those for employees under 21 years old and apprentices under 25 years old. Integrated care boards have developed plans to commission services in 2025/26 from providers, both National Health Service and third sector, to best meet the needs of their local populations, in response to national planning guidance.
Asked by: Esther McVey (Conservative - Tatton)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many meetings the Minister for Mental Health has had with the Chief Executive of Mind since her appointment; and what the dates were of those meetings.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Ministerial meetings with external organisations are routinely published on the GOV.UK website on a quarterly basis.