Asked by: Lee Pitcher (Labour - Doncaster East and the Isle of Axholme)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department plans to commission updated research into the long-term health effects of Poly Implant Prothèse breast implants on women.
Answered by Preet Kaur Gill - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department commissions research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The NIHR is not currently funding any specific research into long-term health effects of Poly Implant Prothèse breast (PIP) implants but welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of women’s health. Applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made based on the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money and scientific quality.
The Department does not hold information related to breast implant safety research funded by other sources.
Asked by: Lee Pitcher (Labour - Doncaster East and the Isle of Axholme)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make it his policy to designate Monday 20 July 2026 as an additional bank holiday in the event of England winning the 2026 FIFA World Cup final on Sunday 19 July 2026.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The government will be backing the Scotland and England teams all the way as they seek glory at the FIFA World Cup.
The current pattern of bank holidays is well established. While an additional bank holiday may benefit some communities and sectors, the cost to the economy is considerable. The latest analysis estimates the cost to the UK economy for a one-off bank holiday to be around £2 billion.
Asked by: Lee Pitcher (Labour - Doncaster East and the Isle of Axholme)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure confidence in the Community Governance Review process where concerns are raised about local consultation and democratic representation.
Answered by Nesil Caliskan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Government has committed to updating the Community Governance Review guidance with good practice examples to better support local authorities and town and parish councils to work together. The decision to establish parish councils remains a local one.
Asked by: Lee Pitcher (Labour - Doncaster East and the Isle of Axholme)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what information her Department holds on road traffic collisions in which the at-fault driver was taking a dopamine agonist, and on those incidents where (a) speed, (b) loss of control and (c) impulsive risk-taking were recorded as contributory factors.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
This information is not held.
Data on deaths and injuries in reported road collisions is based on information reported to the Department by police forces in Great Britain via the system known as STATS19.
STATS19 does not collect information about whether a driver involved in a road casualty collision has been prescribed or taken a dopamine agonist. Additionally, STATS19 does not assign blame to any of the participants in road casualty collisions, so it is not possible to provide the number of collisions where the at-fault driver was taking any drug.
The Department does receive coroner and procurator fiscals’ reports for some deceased drivers involved in road collisions. A feasibility study has been published using this data and STATS19 data to provide some insight into what type and levels of drugs are detected in deceased drivers. This is published at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/developing-drug-driving-statistics.
Data concerning contributory factors and road safety factors which provide some insight into why and how road collisions occur are published at:
Asked by: Lee Pitcher (Labour - Doncaster East and the Isle of Axholme)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions the Department has had with (a) the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency and (b) the Gambling Commission on (i) the responsibilities of gambling operators to warn customers about medication-induced impulse control disorders, including from dopamine agonists, and (ii) whether operators should (A) ask about use of high-risk medications and (B) provide tailored safer gambling tools for those at higher risk.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Department has not engaged with the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency or the Gambling Commission regarding this matter. However, DCMS officials worked with the Gambling Commission to develop their Customer Interaction guidance and vulnerability statement, which sets out how operators should support vulnerable customers, including those who are taking medication which may increase risk-taking.
Asked by: Lee Pitcher (Labour - Doncaster East and the Isle of Axholme)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department has submitted proposals relating to the statutory regulation of the enforcement sector for inclusion in the next King’s Speech.
Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
The Government supports the work of the Enforcement Conduct Board to make sure anyone facing enforcement action is treated properly. Following our consultation about statutory independent regulation of the sector, we have worked on proposals to ensure fair treatment for people in debt.
The Government is committed to tackling rogue bailiffs and we will bring forward legislation soon as soon as parliamentary time allows.
Asked by: Lee Pitcher (Labour - Doncaster East and the Isle of Axholme)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if the Government will introduce legislation relating to the statutory regulation of the enforcement sector before the end of this Parliament.
Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
The Government supports the work of the Enforcement Conduct Board to make sure anyone facing enforcement action is treated properly. Following our consultation about statutory independent regulation of the sector, we have worked on proposals to ensure fair treatment for people in debt.
The Government is committed to tackling rogue bailiffs and we will bring forward legislation soon as soon as parliamentary time allows.
Asked by: Lee Pitcher (Labour - Doncaster East and the Isle of Axholme)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has made an assessment of the adequacy of the Licensing Act 2003 in regulating the placement of alcohol products in retail premises near products primarily intended for children.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Licensing Act 2003 provides the legal framework for the sale and supply of alcohol in England and Wales. The regulatory regime provided by the Act is underpinned by four core licensing objectives, one of which is the protection of children from harm. License holders are expected to uphold the licensing objectives and Licensing Authorities have substantial powers available to them to address irresponsible or illegal alcohol sales. This includes reviewing a premises licence, imposing license conditions, suspending a licence or, in the most serious cases, revoking it.
It is also an offence under section 141 of the Act for a person to knowingly sell or attempt to sell alcohol to a person who is underage, or to allow alcohol to be sold to such a person. As such, the Government considers that the existing framework provides a robust set of tools to deal with irresponsible retailers.
Asked by: Lee Pitcher (Labour - Doncaster East and the Isle of Axholme)
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 ensure that people with complex dementia needs, including those requiring one-to-one support, can access safe and suitable care placements following discharge from hospital.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government recognises the challenges in securing suitable care placements for people with complex needs including dementia. National Health Service bodies and local authorities are expected to work together to plan discharge early and ensure that care arrangements, including one-to-one support, are reflective to individual needs following discharge from hospital.
Through reforms to the Better Care Fund, integrated care boards and local authorities are expected to strengthen joint planning and work with providers to develop more integrated and effective care services to meet demand, including for people with complex dementia needs.
Additionally, the Government will deliver the first ever Modern Service framework for Frailty and Dementia, setting national standards for dementia and frailty care and redirecting NHS and adult social care priorities to provide the best possible care and support. Those with dementia and/or frailty will also benefit from more joined up care through co-created care plans, and by 2027, 95% of those with complex needs will have an agreed care plan.
Asked by: Lee Pitcher (Labour - Doncaster East and the Isle of Axholme)
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 ensure that patients prescribed dopamine agonists are informed about the risk of impulse control disorders.
Answered by Preet Kaur Gill - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is responsible for ensuring that medicines and healthcare products meet appropriate standards of safety, quality, and effectiveness and are supported by detailed product information, via the Patient Information Leaflet (PIL) and the Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC). The PIL and SmPC are designed to support safe use of the medicine by providing essential information. It is the responsibility of the healthcare professional prescribing medicines to consider the risk of the medicine and the suitability of that medicine for their patient, and to relay any safety information on the side-effects of the medicine to their patient.
The association between impulse control disorders with dopamine agonists is recognised and it’s recommended that patients should be regularly monitored and also made aware of the risk of impulse control disorders. These risks are outlined in the product information for all dopamine agonists.
The MHRA is considering whether further regulatory action is needed to improve awareness and understanding of the established risks of impulse control disorders among patients and healthcare professionals. This work does not reassess the safety of these medicines, but focuses on whether additional regulatory measures could strengthen communication of these risks.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is responsible for producing guidance for the National Health Service and wider health and care system. The NICE guideline, reference code NG71, covers diagnosing and managing Parkinson's disease in people aged 18 years old and over and includes advice about discussing the risks of impulse control disorders. The NICE guideline is available at the following link:
https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng71/chapter/Recommendations