Julian Lewis Portrait

Julian Lewis

Conservative - New Forest East

8,495 (18.8%) majority - 2024 General Election

First elected: 1st May 1997


Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament
13th Jul 2020 - 30th May 2024
Liaison Committee Sub-committee on the effectiveness and influence of the select committee system
13th Feb 2019 - 6th Nov 2019
Liaison Committee (Commons)
6th Nov 2017 - 6th Nov 2019
National Security Strategy (Joint Committee)
30th Oct 2017 - 6th Nov 2019
Defence Sub-Committee
12th Sep 2017 - 6th Nov 2019
Defence Committee
12th Jul 2017 - 6th Nov 2019
Liaison Committee (Commons)
10th Sep 2015 - 3rd May 2017
Committees on Arms Export Controls
10th Feb 2016 - 3rd May 2017
Defence Committee
18th Jun 2015 - 3rd May 2017
Defence Sub-Committee
8th Sep 2015 - 3rd May 2017
National Security Strategy (Joint Committee)
30th Nov 2015 - 3rd May 2017
Committees on Arms Export Controls (formerly Quadripartite Committee)
10th Feb 2016 - 3rd May 2017
Defence Committee
3rd Nov 2014 - 30th Mar 2015
Committees on Arms Export Controls (formerly Quadripartite Committee)
3rd Nov 2014 - 30th Mar 2015
Committees on Arms Export Controls
3rd Nov 2014 - 30th Mar 2015
Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament
13th Sep 2010 - 16th Mar 2015
Shadow Minister (Defence)
10th May 2005 - 6th May 2010
Shadow Minister (Cabinet Office)
1st Jul 2004 - 10th May 2005
Shadow Minister (Defence)
1st Jul 2002 - 1st Jul 2004
Opposition Whip (Commons)
1st Jul 2001 - 1st Jul 2002
Defence Committee
3rd Feb 2000 - 29th Oct 2001
Welsh Affairs Committee
22nd Jun 1998 - 11th May 2001


Division Voting information

During the current Parliament, Julian Lewis has voted in 119 divisions, and 1 time against the majority of their Party.

26 Nov 2024 - Tobacco and Vapes Bill - View Vote Context
Julian Lewis voted Aye - against a party majority and in line with the House
One of 23 Conservative Aye votes vs 35 Conservative No votes
Tally: Ayes - 415 Noes - 47
View All Julian Lewis Division Votes

Debates during the 2024 Parliament

Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.

Sparring Partners
John Healey (Labour)
Secretary of State for Defence
(21 debate interactions)
David Lammy (Labour)
Foreign Secretary
(18 debate interactions)
Stephen Doughty (Labour (Co-op))
Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
(16 debate interactions)
View All Sparring Partners
Department Debates
Cabinet Office
(24 debate contributions)
Home Office
(21 debate contributions)
Ministry of Defence
(17 debate contributions)
View All Department Debates
View all Julian Lewis's debates

New Forest East Petitions

e-Petitions are administered by Parliament and allow members of the public to express support for a particular issue.

If an e-petition reaches 10,000 signatures the Government will issue a written response.

If an e-petition reaches 100,000 signatures the petition becomes eligible for a Parliamentary debate (usually Monday 4.30pm in Westminster Hall).

Julian Lewis has not participated in any petition debates

Latest EDMs signed by Julian Lewis

5th February 2025
Julian Lewis signed this EDM on Monday 3rd March 2025

Injury on Duty Award Scheme

Tabled by: Tom Morrison (Liberal Democrat - Cheadle)
That this House acknowledges the inherent risks undertaken by police officers, firefighters, paramedics and other members of the emergency services in the line of duty; notes that severe injuries sustained in the line of duty can prematurely end their careers; further notes with concern that current recognition for such sacrifices …
67 signatures
(Most recent: 31 Mar 2025)
Signatures by party:
Liberal Democrat: 30
Labour: 19
Democratic Unionist Party: 5
Conservative: 5
Plaid Cymru: 4
Independent: 2
Green Party: 1
Alliance: 1
27th January 2025
Julian Lewis signed this EDM as a sponsor on Tuesday 28th January 2025

Preventing sudden deaths from undiagnosed heart conditions

Tabled by: Helen Maguire (Liberal Democrat - Epsom and Ewell)
That this House notes with concern that at least 12 young people die each week in the UK from undiagnosed heart conditions, often without symptoms; highlights that these conditions can often be detected through simple electrocardiogram screenings; calls for greater awareness of cardiac health in schools, universities and grassroots sports, …
27 signatures
(Most recent: 3 Mar 2025)
Signatures by party:
Liberal Democrat: 18
Green Party: 3
Independent: 2
Labour: 2
Democratic Unionist Party: 1
Conservative: 1
View All Julian Lewis's signed Early Day Motions

Commons initiatives

These initiatives were driven by Julian Lewis, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.

MPs who are act as Ministers or Shadow Ministers are generally restricted from performing Commons initiatives other than Urgent Questions.



Latest 50 Written Questions

(View all written questions)
Written Questions can be tabled by MPs and Lords to request specific information information on the work, policy and activities of a Government Department
7th Jan 2025
To ask the Solicitor General, what the Government's policy is on the potential prosecution of UK nationals returning to the UK after serving as volunteer fighters in the Ukrainian armed forces if they hold (a) both Ukrainian and UK citizenship, (b) sole UK citizenship but born to Ukrainian parents and (c) sole UK citizenship without Ukrainian antecedents; and whether official guidance for volunteers returning to the UK is publicly available.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) travel advice to Ukraine states: 'If you travel to Ukraine to fight, or to assist others engaged in the war, your activities may amount to offences under UK legislation. You could be prosecuted on your return to the UK'. Their full advice is available here: Ukraine travel advice - GOV.UK.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), which acts independently of police and government, will consider any information that is referred by the police and any decision to prosecute will be considered on a case-by-case basis and in accordance with the Code for Crown Prosecutors.

To date, the CPS has not prosecuted any cases involving UK-linked foreign fighters in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

Lucy Rigby
Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)
18th Mar 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, on how many occasions UK National Security Advisers have appeared as witnesses in front of (a) Commons, (b) Lords and (c) joint committees in each year since 2010; and if he will list those committees.

National Security Advisers and Deputy National Security Advisers have previously appeared in front of a range of Parliamentary Committees when necessary and appropriate to do so. This includes the Commons Defence Committee, the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee, the Commons Public Accounts Commission, the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee, the House of Lords EU Sub-Committee, the Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy, and the Intelligence and Security Committee. Information on attendance at individual Committee evidence sessions is published by the relevant Committee, except in some limited circumstances on national security grounds.

Abena Oppong-Asare
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
4th Mar 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the oral contribution of the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, on 13 January 2025 on Artificial Intelligence Opportunities Action Plan, Official Report, column 61, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the (a) development and (b) deployment of AI tools to respond to emails sent to Ministers on the ability of hon. Members to hold Governments to account.

The Government continues to consider the use of artificial intelligence in all Government services. The potential impacts of using these tools in responding to correspondence from Parliamentarians and members of the public, and the implications for the function of correspondence to hold the Government to account, will form part of the Government’s ongoing considerations.

Abena Oppong-Asare
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
4th Mar 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 27 February 2025 to Question 32906 on Government Department: Telephone Services, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the removal of dedicated telephone numbers from the List of Ministerial Responsibilities on the ability of hon. Members to speak to staff in Ministers' private offices; and whether the default method of corresponding by email is the only option now available to hon. Members.

Departments publish email addresses as the first means of contacting Ministers. All departments have processes to ensure correspondence via email reaches the intended Minister or team in a rapid manner, meaning there should be no reduction in the ability of MPs to contact Ministers' private offices. MPs may, in any such email correspondence, request a phone call with a departmental official or a member of the Minister's private office.

Abena Oppong-Asare
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
24th Feb 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will list each Department which (a) continues to and (b) no longer provides telephone numbers to Members of Parliament for its (i) Parliamentary Branch and (ii) for its Correspondence Section to pursue constituents' concerns; and whether it is government policy to prevent parliamentarians being able to speak directly to ministers' Private Office staff.

The List of Ministerial Responsibilities, published on GOV.UK, provides Members of Parliament with contact details for each Government department. It provides a single point of contact for each department, through which all Members of Parliament can pursue constituents’ concerns. This policy has been in place since October 2023 and was introduced following security advice. As outlined in the Guide to Handling Correspondence, also published on GOV.UK, the default method of correspondence with Government departments is via official departmental email addresses.

Abena Oppong-Asare
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
19th Mar 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, pursuant to the Answer of 18 March 2025 to Question 37979 on Natural Gas: Imports, what the minimum safety criteria are with which a shale gas company must comply when plugging an unused well; and who monitors compliance with safety standards.

The Heath and Safety Executive and the North Sea Transition Authority are the relevant regulators for onshore shale gas extraction. They regulate compliance with the criteria set for plugging and abandoning wells at the end of their useful life.

Michael Shanks
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
13th Mar 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what recent estimate his Department has made of the (a) volume and (b) proportion of liquefied natural gas imported from the United States derived from shale gas in each of the last three years; and whether emissions created by the (i) extraction, (ii) liquefaction and (iii) transportation to the UK of that gas exceed the emissions which would be created by extracting an equivalent volume of shale gas in the UK.

Data on gas import origins (including imports of liquified natural gas (LNG) from the US) is published each month in Energy Trends table 4.4. Further disaggregation of US LNG by method of extraction is not collected or available.

The UK has no active commercial shale gas production and hence no emissions data from production to allow a comparison with emissions from imported gas.

Michael Shanks
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
13th Mar 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Defence on the potential impact of putting the UK’s shale gas wells permanently beyond use on their policies; and whether he has put contingency plans in place to replace gas imports in the event of overseas supplies being (a) reduced and (b) cut off during an international conflict.

The UK has a secure and diverse energy system. Over the past three years the market has successfully delivered sufficient supplies amidst a period characterised by high energy prices and uncertainties caused by Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine, and conflict in the Middle East. The National Emergency Plan for Downstream Gas and Electricity also sets out the arrangements for the safe and effective management of downstream gas or electricity disruption.

Decisions on whether to abandon wells are ultimately a matter for the company. Hydrocarbon wells must be safely plugged and abandoned when they are no longer in use.

Michael Shanks
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
21st Jan 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if he will take steps to ensure (a) social media companies and (b) website providers that have been found to have hosted illegal content viewed by people that have subsequently committed serious crimes face financial sanctions.

The Online Safety Act 2023 places duties on social media companies and search services. These include duties to tackle illegal content on their services. These services will need to put systems and processes in place to reduce the risk that users post this illegal content. They will also need to take it down where it does appear. If companies fail to comply with any of these duties, Ofcom has a range of strong enforcement powers, including issuing fines and applying to the court to initiate business disruption measures.

Feryal Clark
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
25th Feb 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent assessment she has made of the contribution made by the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme to the (a) repair and (b) conservation of such buildings for the use by (i) current communities and (ii) future generations; and if she will make it her policy to extend the Scheme beyond 31 March 2025.

Since 2010, the grant scheme has returned nearly £350 million to listed places of worship across the UK. This has helped protect our listed places of worship and enabled them to continue their work as centres of worship and community assets.

The scheme will now run until the end of March 2026. As was the case with previous Governments, further spending commitments are a matter for the Spending Review.

Chris Bryant
Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
11th Feb 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will commission an assessment of the value for money of vice-chancellors’ salaries in universities which are in receipt of public money.

Higher education (HE) providers are independent and therefore responsible for decisions around pay, including for Vice-Chancellors and other senior staff. The government does not have a role in intervening in pay and staffing matters.

The department acknowledges that Vice-Chancellors manage large and complex organisations, and therefore, deserve a salary that reflects the responsibilities and challenges of their roles.

However, Vice-Chancellors' salaries should not be excessive or disproportionate. Where providers are facing financial challenges, we expect them to work with staff and unions to help identify how best to reduce unnecessary spend. All efficiency measures taken by the sector should provide better long-term value both for students and for the country.

In addition, transparency is crucial for students, staff, and the public. Therefore, the Office for Students, the independent regulator in England, requires HE providers to provide and publish justifications for Vice-Chancellors' remuneration. If concerns arise regarding senior staff pay, the Office for Students has the authority to conduct independent reviews to ensure that a provider’s governance arrangements are appropriate and effective.

Janet Daby
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
10th Feb 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will expand the statutory requirements for local authorities to make mandatory the provision of free journeys for companions of people with (a) physical disabilities, (b) visual impairment and (c) learning disabilities who cannot travel on buses without those companions.

The English National Concessionary Travel Scheme (ENCTS) provides free off-peak bus travel to those with eligible disabilities and those of state pension age, currently sixty-six. The ENCTS costs around £700 million annually and any changes to the statutory obligations, such as extending the eligibility criteria, would therefore need to be carefully considered for its impact on the scheme’s financial sustainability.

Local authorities in England have the power to go beyond their statutory obligations under the ENCTS and offer additional discretionary concessions, such as offering companion passes for those travelling with someone eligible for the ENCTS.

Simon Lightwood
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
13th Jan 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether people previously diagnosed with (a) Down Syndrome and (b) other severe learning difficulties will be required to undergo a further assessment when their (i) personal independence payment and (ii) employment support allowance are migrated to universal credit.

People claiming Employment Support Allowance are being migrated to Universal Credit, but anyone on Personal Independence Payment will remain on it. Customers who move to UC following the receipt of a migration notice from ESA have their LCW or LCWRA moved with them to UC.

So, for the vast majority of cases there is no need for a new WCA.

The Work Capability Assessment is a functional assessment that applies to both UC & Employment and Support Allowance. Receipt of other benefits such as Personal Independence Payment (PIP) do not provide an automatic passport to LCW or LCWRA as the assessment criteria are different. Therefore, customers in receipt of PIP only, may be referred for a WCA if they declare a health condition when making their claim to Universal Credit.

Stephen Timms
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
26th Feb 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will publish current waiting lists totals at each of the mesh removal centres set up following the publication of the Cumberlege report; and whether mesh-damaged women are given an option to attend mesh removal centres other than ones led by surgeons who implanted their mesh originally.

Tackling waiting lists is a key part of our Health Mission and we are taking steps to return to the 18-week standard. The Elective Reform Plan sets out how the National Health Service will reform elective care services to meet the 18-week referral to treatment standard by March 2029.

There are nine specialist mesh centres across England, ensuring that women in every region with complications of mesh inserted for urinary incontinence and vaginal prolapse get the right support. Each mesh centre is led by a multi-disciplinary team to ensure patients get access to the specialist care and treatment that they need, including pain management and psychological support. NHS England publishes data on referral to treatment waiting times, which is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/rtt-waiting-times/

Data is published at the level of specialties, for example gynaecology, and is not routinely published at sub-speciality level. The most recent waiting time data held by NHS England from 2024 indicated that the average waiting time across the nine centres was 28 weeks.

The surgery to remove mesh implanted for stress urinary incontinence and vaginal prolapse is a relatively new surgical discipline. Expertise is, therefore, concentrated in a limited number of specialist centres led by a core multi-disciplinary team, including consultant specialists in urogynaecology, urology, and pain management. Patients, when requesting treatment for mesh complications, can exercise patient choice and be referred to another centre, ensuring that they can be seen by another surgeon where appropriate.

Karin Smyth
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
26th Feb 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many legal cases brought against the NHS by mesh-damaged women have been settled (a) in and (b) out of court in each of the past ten years.

NHS Resolution (NHSR) manages clinical negligence and other claims against the National Health Service in England, and while the information is not available in the format requested, they have provided the data below. This information only covers England and not the rest of the United Kingdom, and NHSR has interpreted ‘in court’ as being where the court proceedings have been served, rather than where a case has gone to trial.

Claims notified and open are not guaranteed to be settled in the same year and can take many years to be concluded. Claims notified in any given year will often relate to incidents that have occurred many years prior. Claims closed and settled in one year will often relate to claims notified in different years. Many of the claims notified will have been repudiated and settled without damages paid.

It is also possible that the same claim may appear more than once in a dataset, across different year groups, for example, where the case has been closed as unsuccessful, challenged, reopened, and closed again at conclusion.

The following table shows the number of clinical claims and incidents received between the financial years 2014/15 and 2023/24, where the claim has been identified as a vaginal mesh claim:

Year of notification

Number of claims

2014/15

5

2015/16

12

2016/17

15

2017/18

54

2018/19

70

2019/20

209

2020/21

396

2021/22

226

2022/23

166

2023/24

99

Total

1,252

Source: NHSR


In addition, the following table shows the number of clinical claims settled between the financial years 2015/16 and 2023/24 with a damages payment, where the claim has been identified as a vaginal mesh claim, broken down by litigation status:

Year of settlement and litigation status

Number of claims

2015/16

#

Litigation

#

No Litigation

#

2016/17

#

Litigation

#

No Litigation

#

2017/18

16

Litigation

8

No Litigation

8

2018/19

#

Litigation

8

No Litigation

#

2019/20

#

Litigation

11

No Litigation

#

2020/21

32

Litigation

22

No Litigation

10

2021/22

61

Litigation

19

No Litigation

42

2022/23

116

Litigation

27

No Litigation

89

2023/24

101

Litigation

22

No Litigation

79

Total

356

Source: NHSR

Finally, the following table shows the number of clinical claims settled between the financial years 2015/16 and 2023/24 with no damages paid, where the claim has been identified as a vaginal mesh claim, broken down by litigation status:

Year of settlement and litigation status

Number of claims

2015/16

#

Litigation

#

No Litigation

8

2016/17

#

Litigation

#

No Litigation

6

2017/18

#

Litigation

#

No Litigation

7

2018/19

43

Litigation

5

No Litigation

38

2019/20

#

Litigation

#

No Litigation

43

2020/21

90

Litigation

6

No Litigation

84

2021/22

167

Litigation

64

No Litigation

103

2022/23

179

Litigation

28

No Litigation

151

2023/24

120

Litigation

10

No Litigation

110

Total

678

Source: NHSR

Notes: NHSR has supressed low figures as NHSR believe that disclosure of information to a member of the public would contravene one or more of the data protection principles. In some instances, for low numbers of claims, namely fewer than 5, in each category, the likelihood exists that individuals who are the subject of this information may be identified. As this information is sensitive personal data, NHSR believes it has a greater responsibility to protect those individuals’ identities, as disclosure could potentially cause damage and/or distress to those involved. Due to small numbers in the tables, NHSR has used a ‘#’ symbol in the relevant field.

Ashley Dalton
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
26th Feb 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to commission (a) research into, and (b) training programmes for, improved techniques for removal of failed pelvic mesh implants from injured women including those removal methods developed in Missouri by Dr Dionysios Veronikis currently unavailable in the United Kingdom.

The Department, through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), is currently funding research to develop a patient-reported outcome measure (PROM) for prolapse, incontinence, and mesh complication surgery. This will enable women to self-report the ways in which any surgical treatment for these conditions, mesh and non-mesh related, has affected their quality of life. Once testing of the PROM is completed, women will be able to complete it as part of their care. It will also be suitable for use by national registries and with women taking part in clinical trials. The NIHR continues to welcome funding applications for research into any aspect of women’s health, including pelvic mesh.

NHS England has established nine specialist mesh centres across England, ensuring that women in every region with complications of mesh inserted for urinary incontinence and vaginal prolapse get the right support. Each mesh centre is led by a multi-disciplinary team to ensure patients get access to the specialist care and treatment that they need, including pain management and psychological support.

The National Health Service’s service specification sets out the standards of care expected from organisations funded by NHS England to provide specialised care. The specification for complications of mesh inserted for urinary incontinence, vaginal or internal, and external rectal prolapse states that specialised mesh centres must use trust appraisal systems to ensure that surgeons are appropriately trained, current in their practice, that they adhere to clinical and NICE guidance, comply with Pelvic Floor Registry data requirements, and report complications. The service specification is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/specialised-services-for-women-with-complications-of-mesh-inserted-for-urinary-incontinence-and-vaginal-prolapse-16-years-and-above/

Karin Smyth
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
25th Feb 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence on the use of Fenfluramine to treat Lennox Gastaut Syndrome; and what representations his Department has had from hospitals in Southampton on this matter.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) develops its guidance on new medicines independently and the Department has had no discussions with the NICE about its appraisal of fenfluramine for the treatment of Lennox Gastaut syndrome. Furthermore, I am not aware of any correspondence or representations from hospitals in Southampton on this matter.

The NICE recently published draft guidance that recommends fenfluramine for the treatment of patients meeting specific clinical criteria, and registered stakeholders now have an opportunity to appeal. The NICE currently expects to publish final guidance on 26 March 2025.

Karin Smyth
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
24th Feb 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what guidance his Department gives to medical practitioners on the (a) risks of harmful long-term effects resulting from the prescription of Lariam (Mefloquine) as an anti-malarial prophylaxis and (b) treatment recommended for alleviation of such effects when experienced by people after being prescribed Lariam.

Mefloquine, commercially known as Lariam, is effective in the prevention and treatment of malaria and is licensed for use by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) in the United Kingdom. The current product information for mefloquine states that neuropsychiatric adverse reactions may occur during treatment and includes warnings and precautions to minimise these risks. It also states that such adverse reactions may persist for months, or longer, even after discontinuation of the drug. It has not been established, however, that such adverse reactions may be permanent.

The UK was involved in the European Union’s safety review in 2013 which concluded there was a need for additional measures to strengthen the existing safety warnings for neuropsychiatric effects. A range of regulatory actions were implemented in Europe and the UK, including a letter to healthcare professionals highlighting the strengthened warnings about psychiatric effects in the product information for mefloquine, prescribing guides and checklists for healthcare professionals, and an alert card for patients. These documents are available at the following link:

https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/product/9670/smpc

An article highlighting the new advice was also published in the MHRA’s Drug Safety Update newsletter, which is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/drug-safety-update/mefloquine-strengthened-warnings-on-neuropsychiatric-side-effects

Subsequently, in 2014, the mefloquine product information was revised to warn that some psychiatric reactions may occur after discontinuation of mefloquine and may persist for some time after discontinuation. These updates were implemented across Europe including in the UK. Annual reminder letters highlighting the main risks associated with mefloquine and the patient checklist and alert card were issued until 2021 after which time it was agreed that due to low use of the product and a lack of enquiries for the risk minimisation materials annual letters were no longer required. The patient checklist and alert card remain available in the UK.

As with any medicine, clinicians are responsible for making prescribing decisions for their patients, considering best prescribing practice and the local commissioning decisions of their respective integrated care boards (ICBs). They are also expected to take account of appropriate national guidance on clinical effectiveness and safety, and are accountable for their prescribing decisions, both professionally and to their service commissioners. Prescribers are responsible for ensuring that any side effects experienced by their patients are addressed promptly; they should work with their patient to decide on the most suitable management plan, with the provision of the most clinically appropriate care for the individual always being the primary consideration.

Karin Smyth
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
27th Jan 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, for what reason NHS hospitals have not commissioned beds available in care homes to restore capacity on hospital wards by enabling patients to be discharged.

Local authorities should determine the volume and type of services, including care home beds, that are required to meet their responsibilities under the Care Act 2014. National Health Service integrated care boards, local authorities, and providers should work together to ensure that efforts to discharge individuals from hospital into social care are joined up and make best use of the available resources, in line with the duty to cooperate as set out in Section 82 of the NHS Act 2006.

In December 2024 there were, on average, 12,000 adult patients in acute hospital beds per day with delayed discharges, 5% fewer than in December 2023.

Stephen Kinnock
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
27th Jan 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential implications of the differential effects of the changes in last year's budget to National Insurance Contributions on employers of Learning Disabilities nurses who work (a) directly for the NHS and (b) for independent health and social care suppliers who are contracted by the NHS to give support to its patients.

We have taken tough decisions to fix the foundations in the public finances at Autumn Budget, and this enabled the Spending Review settlement of a £22.6 billion increase in resource spending for the Department from 2023/24 outturn to 2025/26. The employer National Insurance rise will be implemented from April 2025, and NHS England has set out the approach to funding providers in planning guidance for the next financial year.

Karin Smyth
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
27th Jan 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of trends in the totals of students on (a) all BSc nursing degree courses, and (b) specific courses for the degree of BSc Nursing (Learning Disabilities) since 2016; what percentage of students on BSc Nursing (Learning Disabilities) degree courses were in receipt of NHS bursaries in the year prior to the discontinuation of such bursaries; and what percentage of students currently on BSc Nursing (Learning Disabilities) degree courses are in receipt of apprenticeships.

The National Health Service continues to offer rewarding careers, with many thousands of people choosing to study nursing and midwifery every year. The Department monitors the information published by the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) which shows that healthcare courses were in high demand during the pandemic and now we are seeing a decrease in number of applicants across these programmes. The following table shows the number of acceptances to undergraduate nursing courses in England, from 2019 to 2024:

Year

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

2024

Acceptances

19,770

25,510

25,815

23,240

20,790

20,920

Source: data is from UCAS, and is available at the following link:
https://www.ucas.com/data-and-analysis/undergraduate-statistics-and-reports/ucas-undergraduate-end-cycle-data-resources-2024

While the data from UCAS is not detailed enough to report acceptances to individual branches of nursing, the Office for Students tracks the number of starters on learning disabilities nursing routes, through their Higher Education Students Early Statistics Survey. The following table therefore shows the number of undergraduate starters on learning disabilities nursing courses from 2016 to 2023:

Year

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

Starters

495

315

375

425

580

570

535

345

Source: data is from the Office for Students, and is available at the following link:
https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/data-and-analysis/data-collection/get-the-heses-data/

Prior to the student funding reforms in 2017, nursing, midwifery, and allied health professions training places were centrally commissioned by Health Education England (HEE). All students on HEE commissioned places would have been in receipt of a non-means tested NHS Bursary and had their tuition fees paid. However, the Department does not hold the information that is able to confirm the proportion of Bachelor of Science in Nursing (Learning Disabilities) students who were in receipt of means tested elements of the National Health Service’s bursaries scheme or other allowances available to students in the year prior to their discontinuation.

The Department does not hold information on the percentage of students currently on Bachelor of Science in Nursing (Learning Disabilities) degree courses who are in receipt of apprenticeships.

Karin Smyth
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
18th Dec 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to his Oral Statement of 11 December 2024 on Puberty-suppressing Hormones, Official Report, Column 923, what guidance his Department issues to parents considering taking their children to other countries for (a) top surgery and (b) other gender reassignment surgery.

There is no published guidance regarding young people under 18 years old travelling abroad for gender reassignment surgery. NHS Children and Young People’s Gender Services, which are commissioned in line with NHS England's interim service specification and the Cass Review, do not make referrals for surgical interventions.

The Government strongly discourages parents from taking their child abroad for gender reassignment surgery. Parents should seek advice from appropriate medical professionals if they believe their child has gender incongruence.

Karin Smyth
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
2nd Dec 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what his policy is on (a) doctors and (b) other qualified medical personnel administering pain-relieving drugs which may shorten lives; and whether regulations on that issue changed after the conviction of Harold Shipman.

A wide variety of medicines are used for the purpose of pain-relief, and they have differing levels of regulation. Some items can be bought off-the-shelf without a prescription, whilst others require authorisation from a medical professional. The Human Medicines Regulations 2012 set out the responsibilities which certain medical professionals may undertake regarding the supply and administration of regulated medicines. The Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 sets out the legal framework for the prevention of misuse of controlled drugs.

Decisions about what medicines to prescribe and administer are made by the doctor or other qualified medical personnel responsible for that part of the patient’s care. They must always satisfy themselves that the medicines they consider appropriate for their patients can be safely prescribed and administered, and they must take account of appropriate national guidance on clinical effectiveness. Clinicians are responsible for the decisions they make regarding the administration of medicines, and they are regulated by the relevant regulatory body for their profession.

Professional regulators are responsible for setting and enforcing their own standards for the healthcare professionals that they regulate. The General Medical Council (GMC) is the regulator of all medical doctors practising in the United Kingdom, and the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) is the regulator of nurses and midwives in the UK. Both the GMC and the NMC are independent of the Government, are directly accountable to Parliament, and are responsible for operational matters concerning the discharge of their statutory duties.

Following the Shipman Inquiry's Fourth Report, published on 14 July 2004, the Government introduced tighter controls on the procurement, storage, supply and prescribing of controlled drugs, and established national and regional monitoring by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and a network of regional NHS Controlled Drug Accountable Officers. The CQC is responsible for making sure that health and care service providers, and other regulators, maintain a safe environment for the management and use of controlled drugs in England. The CQC does this under the Controlled Drugs (Supervision of Management and Use) Regulations 2013. These regulations strengthened system governance to monitor the safe use and prescribing of controlled drugs, and require greater co-ordination between the health system and police, to investigate and take action, to protect patients and the public against the misuse and diversion of controlled drugs. Further information on these regulations is available at the following link:

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2013/373/contents/made

Karin Smyth
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
26th Nov 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he plans to take to ensure the availability of learning disability nursing studies programmes in the South East.

Individual universities are responsible for the courses that they offer. We have launched a 10-Year Health Plan to reform the National Health Service. A central and core part of this plan will be our workforce, and how we ensure we train and provide the staff the NHS needs, including doctors and nurses, to care for patients across our communities.

Karin Smyth
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
25th Nov 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make it his policy to extend the remit of the Care Quality Commission to include vision rehabilitation services for blind and partially sighted people.

Under the Care Act 2014, local authorities in England have a legal duty to support people with sight loss to develop practical skills and strategies to maintain independence.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is now assessing how local authorities are meeting the full range of their duties under Part 1 of the Care Act 2014. These assessments identify local authorities’ strengths and areas for development, facilitating the sharing of good practice and helping us to target support where it is most needed.

Therefore, although the CQC is not currently required to assess vision rehabilitation services as a regulated activity, under the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014, this does mean that sensory services, including vision rehabilitation, form part of the CQC’s overall assessment of local authorities’ delivery of adult social care. In that context, the CQC will report on sensory services when there is something important to highlight, for example, something being done well, innovative practice, or an area for improvement.

The CQC’s reports and ratings of local authorities are made public on their website.

17th Oct 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent estimate he has made of the number of NHS patients harmed by cobalt poisoning from modular neck hip replacements in each of the last three years.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is aware of concerns regarding modular neck hips and the risk of cobalt poisoning. We are investigating the issue with our stakeholders including the British Orthopaedic Association, British Hip Society, and the National Joint Registry to support.

The term modular neck covers a broad range of designs, and adverse incident reports of this sort typically include descriptions of symptoms rather than a definitive diagnosis of cobalt poisoning. In addition, it is not possible to uniquely identify cobalt poisoning from hip replacements in the ICD-10 coding scheme currently used in Hospital Episode Statistics.

The UK Medical Devices Regulations provide clear requirements for manufacturers to undertake post-market surveillance activities to ensure safety action is taken, when appropriate. The MHRA is working towards implementing a future regime for medical devices regulation. This will put in place strengthened legal requirements for how manufacturers monitor and report on their devices once they are being used in the real world.

Karin Smyth
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
11th Mar 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the willingness of the US administration to (a) consult with and (b) include in peace negotiations representatives of (i) the UK, (ii) France and (iii) other allied NATO member states.

We share the US administration's desire to bring this war to an end. As the Prime Minister has said, we warmly welcome the agreement reached between the US and Ukraine in Saudi Arabia on 11 March.

We are regularly engaging with the US, together with other international partners, to drive progress towards a just and lasting peace in Ukraine. The Foreign Secretary has been discussing this further with G7 partners at the Foreign Ministers' meeting.

Stephen Doughty
Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
11th Mar 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make an assessment with the Secretary of State for Defence of the potential merits of appointing a cross-departmental co-ordination unit to oversee efforts to (a) liaise with other countries on initiatives to support Ukraine and (b) maximise (i) efficiency and (ii) productivity in supplying (A) weapons and (B) ammunition to the Ukrainian armed forces.

In September 2024, the Government announced a new joint Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and Ministry of Defence Ukraine Unit, led by the Foreign Secretary and Defence Secretary. This Unit integrates expertise across the two departments and helps ensure a joined-up approach to international engagement, in support of the Government's efforts to put Ukraine in the strongest possible position. The two departments are working seamlessly together to maximise the impact of UK defence support, ensure that Ukraine gets the military equipment it needs to resist Russian aggression; to deny the Kremlin the resources it needs to sustain its illegal war; and to build a coalition of countries willing and able to help ensure Ukraine's future security.

Stephen Doughty
Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
11th Mar 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of (a) Russian advocacy of and (b) US support for holding elections in Ukraine as part of any agreement to cease fighting on the risk of (i) installing a pro-Russian government in Kiev and (ii) facilitating Russian control of the entirety of the country.

It is for Ukraine to decide when and how to hold elections. On 19 February, the Prime Minister spoke to President Zelenskyy and reiterated his ongoing support and recognition of him as Ukraine's democratically elected leader. Ukraine's laws are clear that it cannot hold elections during martial law. Martial law continues to be in place due to Russia's ongoing war of aggression. Ukraine has a strong record of free and fair elections, and we are supporting Ukraine to hold them when it is appropriate to do so. We have been clear about the threat of Russian interference in the region and have been a long-standing partner in countering the threat from Russian disinformation.

Stephen Doughty
Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
4th Feb 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what information his Department holds on how much and what proportion of the annual budgets of the BBC (a) World Service and (b) Monitoring Service are funded by FCDO; and what discussions he has had with the BBC on preventing cuts in those services.

The Government provides approximately one-third of the funding for the BBC World Service, with the remainder funded from the BBC Licence Fee. The BBC are operationally and editorially independent and set the budget for the World Service. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) provided £104.4 million of grant funding to the World Service in 2023/24, the most recent year for which there are published audited accounts.

FCDO Ministers engage routinely with the BBC on the World Service. The BBC discussed their plans for the World Service in 2025/26 with the FCDO, as part of the Spending Review process.

HMG does not provide any funding for BBC Monitoring.

Hamish Falconer
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
11th Dec 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with his counterparts in Mozambique on (a) violence perpetrated against Christians by Islamic extremists in Cabo Delgado and (b) the effectiveness of the steps Mozambique is taking to tackle the humanitarian and security situation in that region, in the context of its freedom of religion and belief obligations.

The UK is committed to working multilaterally and bilaterally to defend Freedom of Religion or Belief around the world. In Mozambique, the UK regularly engages with authorities and religious leaders both in the capital (Maputo) and northern Mozambique (Cabo Delgado and Nampula) to address the problems of violence and to tackle the ongoing humanitarian crisis, including several times this year. The UK is supporting efforts to counter the ongoing IS-Mozambique insurgency in Cabo Delgado, through programmes aimed at building local resilience to violent extremism and security and human rights training of Mozambican Armed Forces, as well providing humanitarian assistance to those displaced. Ongoing challenges for religious communities remain, as Christian and Muslim places of worship continue to be affected.

Anneliese Dodds
Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
28th Oct 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help end violations of freedom of religion or belief in Afghanistan.

The Government continues to call for the human rights of all Afghans to be protected, including the freedom of religion or belief, and we regularly press the Taliban on this through our Doha based UK Mission to Afghanistan. Ministers and officials also engage regularly with a range of Afghans, including religious and ethnic minorities, to ensure our policy and programming reflect the needs of the entire population. In October, we co-sponsored a Human Rights Council resolution extending the mandate of UN Special Rapporteur, Richard Bennett, to monitor and report on the human rights situation in Afghanistan for another year, including that of minority groups.

Hamish Falconer
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
4th Feb 2025
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she made an assessment of the potential merits of including within the terms of reference for the Independent Review of the Loan Charge consideration of the (a) mis-selling by scheme promoters, (b) advice on legality given by accountants, (c) impact of retrospective pursuit on mental health and welfare and (d) measures for protection against recurrence in future; and if she will take steps to revise the terms of reference to include those matters.

On 23 January, the Government launched the Independent Review of the Loan Charge, honouring a commitment made at the Budget.

The objectives of the review are to help bring the matter to a close for those affected; ensure fairness for all taxpayers; and ensure that appropriate support is in place for those subject to the Loan Charge. The terms of reference for the review have been published here: www.gov.uk/government/publications/independent-review-of-the-loan-charge.

As I set out in my letter to the reviewer, we want the review to bring the Loan Charge to a close for those people who still owe substantial amounts of money but can see no way to resolve their debts. It is now for the reviewer to conduct his review and make recommendations to the Government.

The Government is also taking action to prevent disguised remuneration in the future. At the Budget, the Government announced the most ambitious ever package to close the tax gap, raising £6.5 billion of additional tax revenue in 2029-30. The package includes measures to tackle promoters of tax avoidance schemes and to address non-compliance in umbrella companies, where most disguised remuneration now takes place.

James Murray
Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
13th Jan 2025
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent representations she has received (a) directly and (b) via other Departments from the Special Educational Needs and Disability Transport Operators Group on the potential inclusion of (i) drivers and (ii) passenger assistants in any (A) grant and (B) compensation scheme to offset the impact of changes in employer national insurance contributions; and if she will include this cohort in any such scheme.

The government will provide support for departments and other public sector employers for additional employer National Insurance contributions (NICs) costs only. This funding will be allocated to departments, with the Barnett formula applying in the usual way. This is the usual approach the Government takes to supporting the public sector with additional employer NICs costs, as was the case with the previous Government’s Health and Social Care Levy.

This does not include support for the private sector, including private sector firms contracted by central/local government. For private sector organisations that contract with local or central government, the impact of tax changes would be taken into account along with all other changes to their cost base in the usual way through contract negotiations.

The definition of who is in scope as a public sector employee is based on Office of National Statistics classification of the entity paying employer NICs. This applies to employees who are directly employed by the public sector, but not, for example, where services are contracted out. The public sector comprises central government, local government and public corporations.

James Murray
Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
13th Jan 2025
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of changes made to employer's National Insurance contributions at the Autumn Budget 2024 on the (a) staffing levels of and (b) level of (i) economic and (ii) social contributions to charities; and if she will make it her policy to exempt the charitable sector from these changes.

In order to repair the public finances and help raise the revenue required to support public services, the government has taken the difficult decision to increase employer National Insurance contributions (NICs).

HMRC published on 13 November a Tax Information and Impact Note that covers the impact of the changes on charities as employers.

The Government has protected the smallest businesses and charities from the impact of the increase to employer National Insurance by increasing the Employment Allowance from £5,000 to £10,500, which means that 865,000 employers will pay no NICs at all next year, more than half of employers will see no change or will gain overall from this package, and all eligible employers will be able to employ up to four full-time workers on the National Living Wage and pay no NICs. All charities are eligible for the Employment Allowance, even if they are wholly or mainly carrying out functions of a public nature.

More broadly, within the tax system, we provide support to charities through a range of reliefs and exemptions, including reliefs for charitable giving, with more than £6 billion in charitable reliefs provided to charities, CASCs and their donors in 2023-24.

James Murray
Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
4th Dec 2024
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent assessment she has made of the potential impact of increasing National Insurance contributions at the Autumn Budget 2024 on the ability of (a) Citizens Advice services and (b) other community-centred charities to maintain their (i) staffing levels and (ii) contribution to society.

In order to repair the public finances and help raise the revenue required to increase funding for public services, the Government has taken the difficult decision to increase employer National Insurance.

HMRC recently published on 13 November a Tax Information and Impact Note that covers the impact of employer NICs changes.

The Government has protected the smallest businesses and charities from the impact of the increase to Employer National Insurance by increasing the Employment Allowance from £5,000 to £10,500, which means that 865,000 employers will pay no NICs at all next year, more than half of employers will see no change or will gain overall from this package, and all eligible employers will be able to employ up to four full-time workers on the National Living Wage and pay no employer NICs

More broadly, within the tax system, we provide support to charities through a range of reliefs and exemptions, including reliefs for charitable giving, with more than £6 billion in charitable reliefs provided to charities, CASCs and their donors in 2023 to 2024.

James Murray
Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
2nd Dec 2024
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, for what reason the Fire and Rescue Service is not receiving the exemption from the rise in National Insurance contributions as the other Emergency Services.

To repair the public finances and help raise the revenue required to fund public services, the Government has taken the difficult decision to increase employer National Insurance.

The Government will provide support for public sector employers, including fire and rescue authorities, for the additional costs of Employer National Insurance Contributions. This is in line with the approach taken under the previous government’s Health and Social Care Levy. Further details will be set out in due course.

James Murray
Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
11th Mar 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of establishing a single independent inquiry into the (a) effectiveness of the Prevent programme and (b) adequacy of the handling of the cases involving (i) Axel Rudakubana and (ii) Ali Harbi Ali.

Significant improvements have been made to Prevent over the last few years and a further package of work to strengthen Prevent was announced by the Home Secretary in December 2024. New reforms include the creation for the first time of an independent Prevent Commissioner role. This dedicated permanent oversight function will provide continuous independent scrutiny of Prevent legislation, policy and delivery to maximise Prevent’s effectiveness. To begin this work swiftly, Lord David Anderson KC was announced as the interim Commissioner on 21 January.

In relation to the cases raised by the Rt Hon member, we have published the Prevent Learning Reviews into each case and tasked Lord Anderson with conducting a rapid review of both cases. Lord Anderson will identify whether there is further learning regarding the specific handling of each case; examine improvements made to Prevent since each case and determine whether they have sufficiently strengthened the Prevent system; and identify any remaining gaps or shortcomings that require further improvement. This review will be published and swift action will be taken to implement the findings.

The Home Secretary has already announced a public inquiry into the Southport attack. We are moving swiftly to set up the inquiry and we expect to announce further details later this month, after consultation with families and others most affected.

Dan Jarvis
Minister of State (Home Office)
10th Mar 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what (a) restrictions on freedom of movement and (b) other preventative measures are placed on migrants who have (i) arrived in the UK illegally and (ii) been identified as supporters of foreign terrorist organisations.

We have a range of powers at our disposal including prosecution, detention and removal and will not seek to hesitate to use those, as appropriate, against individuals who arrive here illegally and seek to threaten the security of our country.

Angela Eagle
Minister of State (Home Office)
20th Jan 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she plans to publish a substantive Answer to Question 20914 on Gender Dysphoria: Surgery, tabled on 18 December 2024.

A response to Parliamentary Question 20914 has now been provided; we apologise for the delay.

Seema Malhotra
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
18th Dec 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what data her Department holds on the number of children travelling to (a) Poland, (b) Turkey, (c) Florida and (d) other countries for gender reassignment surgery in each of the last three years.

The requested data is not centrally held. However, Border Force has a duty under Section 55 of the Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Act 2009 to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.

We take this duty very seriously and are committed to protecting vulnerable children who cross the border.

All new Border Force entrants receive safeguarding training as part of their induction course. Once established, all Border Force Officers and managers have continuing training and knowledge refresh obligations.

Where concerns are raised, officers will take action to safeguard individuals who could be at risk.

Seema Malhotra
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
4th Sep 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many migrants attempting to enter the United Kingdom illegally in small boats have died in the English Channel in each of the last five years: how many such fatalities were children; and how many occurred in (a) UK and (b) French territorial waters.

There have been 31 tragedies, since August 2019, where 97 people are confirmed to have died and at least 14 people have been reported as missing at sea, presumed dead, as a result of or linked to attempting these dangerous crossings.

Numbers of fatalities

Date

Confirmed fatalities

2024 (to 05/09/24)

37

2023

12

2022

4

2021

34

2020

6

2019

4

TOTAL

97

A total of eight minors are reported to have died in the fatal incidents that have occurred this year. Prior to this, the only known minor fatalities occurred as a result of an incident in October 2020 when an entire family group, including 3 children, died following the capsizing of a migrant vessel.

Almost all fatalities have occurred in French Territorial Waters (TTW). There has been one incident (on 14 December 2022), involving the deaths of 4 people, which undoubtedly took place within UK TTW. However, an earlier tragedy – the loss of 27 people in a single incident in November 2021 – was proven after investigation to have partially occurred within UK TTW. It is subject to an ongoing Art.2 Human Rights Inquiry led by Sir Ross Cranston.

Angela Eagle
Minister of State (Home Office)
18th Mar 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office on the prevention of future acquisition of UK defence companies by US defence companies; and what powers are at the Government's disposal to intervene to prevent such sales on national security grounds.

The Secretary of State for Defence has regular discussions with the Foreign Secretary – and other members of the National Security Council – on a range of national security issues.

The Government scrutinises any transactions in sensitive sectors such as defence on a case-by-case basis to assess potential national security risks and has powers, including under the National Security and Investment Act 2021, to intervene where it is necessary and proportionate. The Government will not hesitate to act where necessary to protect UK national security interests.

Maria Eagle
Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
24th Feb 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what criteria are applied by the Defence Medical Services to distinguish the adverse effects caused by the prescribing of Lariam (Mefloquine) to service personnel as an anti-malarial prophylaxis and those caused by post traumatic stress disorder; what treatment options are available for alleviating the effects of Lariam toxicity; and how many service personnel have been discharged in each of the past 10 years as a result of Lariam toxicity effects.

People taking mefloquine (also known as Larium) can experience abnormal dreams, symptoms of depression and anxiety, and more rarely psychiatric symptoms such as hallucinations, agitations and psychosis have also been reported. This differs to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) where very specific criteria must be met to establish a diagnosis. Essential to this diagnosis is that the individual will have been exposed to an extremely threatening or horrific event or a series of events.

Given the specifics required for the diagnosis of PTSD, is it unlikely for those presenting with any side effects of taking mefloquine to be confused with that of PTSD.

The Ministry of Defence does not recognise the term ‘Larium toxicity’ however, the side effects that may be experienced whilst taking mefloquine will be treated according to the diagnosis; for example, if the patient is experiencing depressive symptoms, the treatment for depression will be instigated.

The information requested about the numbers of personnel discharged over the previous 10 years whilst experiencing symptoms related to taking mefloquine, is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Al Carns
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
24th Feb 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress his Department has made on investigating drone intrusion incidents at (a) RAF Mildenhall, (b) RAF Lakenheath and (c) RAF Feltwell (i) during and (ii) since November 2024, with reference to the presence at each location of individuals connected with a hostile foreign state; and what steps he is taking to counter such intrusions in the future.

The Ministry of Defence continues to work in partnership with our allies and the appropriate civilian authorities.

We take the safety and security of our sites seriously and we maintain robust security measures, including counter-drone capabilities. It is, and always will be, an absolute priority to protect the UK against foreign and malign interference.

The National Security Act has additionally delivered a range of measures to strengthen the UK’s efforts to detect, deter and disrupt state threats.

Luke Pollard
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
24th Feb 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department has continued to (a) monitor and (b) report regularly to Parliament on the numbers of service personnel prescribed Lariam as an anti-malarial prophylaxis, since the Government Response HC 648 published in September 2016 to the Defence Committee's Fourth Report of Session 2015-16 HC 567, published in May 2016 on the use of Lariam; and if he will publish such statistics as are available in tabular form.

The Department continues to monitor and publish bi-annual statistics on the number of prescriptions for mefloquine (also known as Larium) given to UK Armed Forces personnel at Ministry of Defence medical facilities since 12 September 2016.

The full release of information can be found at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/mefloquine-lariam-prescribing-in-the-uk-armed-forces-statistics-index

Al Carns
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
5th Feb 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent steps he has taken to facilitate the (a) recovery and (b) disclosure of medical records held in (i) the Merlin database and (ii) other Departmental archives of service personnel present at UK atomic bomb tests.

The Government is deeply grateful to all those who participated in the UK nuclear testing programme. We recognise their Service and the huge contribution they have made to the UK’s security.

I have asked officials to look seriously into unresolved questions regarding medical records as a priority, and this is now underway.

This work will enable us to better understand what information the Department holds in relation to the medical testing of Service personnel who took part in the UK nuclear weapons tests.

Al Carns
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)