Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department attaches provisions on (a) mentoring and (b) role modelling in its funding of UK sports bodies.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

The Department does not attach provisions on mentoring and role modelling in its funding of UK sports bodies. All DCMS funds to sports bodies go through UK Sport and Sport England.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what funding she has allocated to paternity leave for each professional tier of each sport.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

The Government does not allocate funding to the staffing of professional sport.

UK Sport does fund the performance programmes of Olympic and Paralympic sport, but does not allocate specific funding for paternity or maternity leave. Funding is delegated to National Governing Bodies (NGBs) to manage in line with the needs of their programmes.

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 support the use of evidence-based off-label medicines where there is no commercial incentive for a pharmaceutical company to seek a marketing authorisation.

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

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is an executive agency of the Department of Health and Social Care and regulates medicine, medical devices and blood components for transfusion in the UK. The MHRA is responsible for ensuring medicines meet appropriate standards of safety, quality, and efficacy.

In the UK, off-label prescribing refers to the use of a licensed medicine outside the terms of its marketing authorisation, such as for a different condition, dose, or age group. The MHRA regulates the licensing, safety and quality of medicines and monitors adverse effects but does not control medical practice. Responsibility for off-label prescribing lies with the prescriber, who must ensure it is in the patient’s best interests, supported by evidence, and discussed with the patient.

The General Medical Council (GMC) provides professional standards, while NHS trusts and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) may set local or national policies to guide safe and appropriate use.

Where there is no commercial incentive for a pharmaceutical company to seek a marketing authorisation, the use of independent, evidence-based guidelines (such as those developed by NICE, professional bodies, or specialist societies) can support clinical decision-making and standardise safe practice. Published research, systematic reviews, and expert consensus also provide a foundation for justifying off-label use in areas such as paediatrics, oncology, and rare diseases.

Thus, the MHRA oversees the medicine itself, while prescribers, the GMC, and the NHS govern how off-label prescribing is carried out in practice, supported by independent clinical evidence and guidelines when licensing is not pursued.

The MHRA encourages Marketing Authorisation Holders to vary their licences when there is sufficient evidence to change the indication approved. The MHRA will reach out to ask companies to assess when appropriate. This does not indicate that the MHRA will approve the licence, but are prepared to assess the evidence provided.

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 engage with the pharmaceutical industry on price negotiations relating to Enhertu; and if he will take steps to help ensure that Enhertu becomes an (a) affordable and (b) accessible treatment option for patients with HER-2 low (i) metastatic and (ii) unresectable breast cancer.

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

Decisions on whether new medicines should be routinely funded by the NHS in England are made on the basis of recommendations from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) following an evaluation of a treatment’s costs and benefits. These are very difficult decisions to make, and it is important that they are made independently and on the basis of the available evidence.

NICE has been able to recommend Enhertu in advanced breast cancer for treating HER2-positive unresectable or metastatic breast cancer after one or more anti-HER2 treatments, and for treating HER2-positive unresectable or metastatic breast cancer after two or more anti-HER2 therapies.

On 29 July 2024, NICE published final guidance on Enhertu for use in the treatment of HER2-low metastatic breast cancer, and it was unable to recommend this life-extending treatment. The only obstacle to access for NHS patients to Enhertu is price, and the Secretary of State met the manufacturers of Enhertu, AstraZeneca and Daiichi Sankyo, to encourage them to re-enter discussions with NHS England with a view to reaching a price at which NICE would be able to recommend Enhertu. However, despite NICE and NHS England offering unprecedented flexibility, the companies were unable to offer Enhertu at a cost-effective price. NICE’s guidance will therefore remain unchanged, however, the door remains open for the companies to enter into a new NICE appraisal if they are willing to offer Enhertu at a cost-effective price.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of animal import standards on (a) animal welfare and (b) British farmers.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

As set out in the trade strategy, we recognise concerns about methods of production, such as sow stalls and battery cages, which are not permitted in the UK. While methods vary in line with different climates, diseases and other contextual reasons, we will always consider whether overseas produce has an unfair advantage and any impact that may have. Where necessary, we will be prepared to use the full range of powers at our disposal to protect our most sensitive sectors including permanent quotas, exclusions and safeguards.

We will always maintain UK levels of statutory protection in relation to human, animal or plant life or health, animal welfare, and the environment.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department attaches provisions on paternity and parental leave when allocating grants to organisations.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

The Department does not include clauses within grant offer letters requiring organisations to adopt specific policies related to paternity or other forms of parental leave as such a requirement would likely go beyond the obligations which can be enforced by the terms and conditions of a grant. Grants are an investment in a specific project which is being run by the grant recipient rather than for the wider operation of an organisation.

The Department also does not require organisations to have specific paternity or other forms of parental leave policies in place when bidding for grants.

In the event that it became apparent that a grant recipient was not operating within its legal obligations in regard to paternity or other forms of leave then the Department could consider terminating the relevant grant agreement under clause 54 of the standard grant agreement which includes illegal activity as an event of default and therefore a reason for grant termination.

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 the potential merits of providing free prescriptions for inhalers to people with asthma who are moving into adulthood.

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

There are no plans to review the list of medical conditions that entitle someone to apply for a medical exemption certificate.

There are extensive arrangements in place in England to ensure that prescriptions are affordable for everyone. Approximately 89% of prescription items are dispensed free of charge in the community in England, and there are a wide range of exemptions from prescription charges already in place for which those with asthma may be eligible. Eligibility depends on the patient’s age, whether they are in qualifying full-time education, whether they are pregnant or have recently given birth, or whether they are in receipt of certain benefits or a war pension.

People on low incomes can apply for help with their health costs through the NHS Low Income Scheme, which provides help based on a comparison between a person’s income and their requirements.

People who need to pay and who need many prescription items could save money with a prescription prepayment certificate (PPC). PPCs allow people to claim as many prescriptions as needed for a set cost. An annual PPC costs £114.50 and will save money if they need 12 or more items in 12 months. To help spread the cost, people can pay for an annual PPC through 10 monthly direct debits, which works out as just over £2 per week. A three month PPC for £32.05 is also available.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to the Independent Expert Panel on Corporate Re-domiciliation report, published on 14 October 2024, whether he plans to consult on the proposed UK corporate re-domiciliation regime.

Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

In a written statement on 14 October 2024, the Department welcomed the Independent Expert Panel’s report and committed to consulting on the design of a proposed corporate re-domiciliation regime for the UK, in due course, as part of wider company law reform.

Found: , Media and Sport Committee members present: Dame Caroline Dinenage (Chair); Mr Bayo Alaba; Mr James Frith

Found: class="govuk-table__cell">14/05/2025

Found: Train Standard 12.1 Nil return Nil return 12.1 Henrietta Hughes 14/05/2025 14/05/2025 Meeting with James Frith