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 for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her 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 Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department 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, 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 Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many staff network events took place in his Department in May 2025; and what the names of those events were.
Answered by Catherine West - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Staff networks are collaborative volunteer networks, organised by staff themselves rather than the department. As a result, events are organised by staff themselves, not the department and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office does not centrally record these details.
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 Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether her 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 Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
The Supreme Court ruling made it clear that the provision of single-sex spaces is on the basis of biological sex. Providers and government departments should note and follow the ruling.
It is important that we ensure dignity and respect for all. Trans people should have access to services they need but in keeping with the ruling.
The Government is considering the implications of the Court’s judgment, including what this means for Government buildings and policies, to ensure we are fully compliant with the ruling.
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 Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many staff network events took place in his Department in May 2025; and what the names of those events were.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
Staff networks are collaborative volunteer networks, organised by staff themselves rather than the department. As a result, events are organised by staff themselves, not the department. We are aware of the following events that these networks organised in May 2025.
LGBT+ Network
CO LGBT Network - Meeting, 13 May 11:30-11:55am
CO LGBT+ Network - Meeting, 20 May 3:30-4pm
CO LGBT+ Network - Meeting, 28 May 3-3:30pm
Carers Network
CO Carers Network - Virtual Coffee Session, 20 May 12-1pm
Menopause Network
Menopause - Support Group, 20 May 11-12pm
Menopause - Support Group, 27 May 11-12pm
Asked by: Esther McVey (Conservative - Tatton)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how many staff network events took place in his Department in May 2025; and what the names of those events were.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
DESNZ values our Staff Networks, who support colleagues in line with our ‘Inclusive’ Value. The following two Staff Network events took place in May 2025: ‘A listening circle for Trans* colleagues and allies’ and ‘Managing Pain and Fatigue at Work and Beyond’.
Asked by: Esther McVey (Conservative - Tatton)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many staff network events took place in her Department in May 2025; and what the names of those events were.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The information you have requested is not held centrally, as staff networks are collaborative volunteer networks, organised by staff themselves rather than the department. This would include site-specific networks. Gathering this data would incur disproportionate costs.
While some networks are organised centrally, there is no requirement for network groups across the organisation to be formally recorded or registered. Networks can be based on location, team structure and development as well as areas of diversity, health and inclusion. Some centrally organised networks may hold information but this does not provide a full picture of all network events during May 2025.