5 APPG memberships (as of 2 Jan 2025)
Hong Kong, International Freedom of Religion or Belief, North Korea, Uyghurs, Yazidis28 Former APPG memberships
Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Bangladesh, British Council, Burma, CAFOD, Conception to Age Two - First 1001 Days, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Dying Well, Egypt, Eritrea, Haiti, Hazaras, Hormone Pregnancy Tests, International Law, Justice and Accountability, Jazz, Liverpool City Region, Maldives, Pakistan, Pakistani Minorities, Public Accountability, Religion or Belief, Rohingya, Sudan and South Sudan, Tibet, Uganda, War Crimes, Water and Sanitation in the Third World, West PapuaDivision Voting information
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
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
(21 debate interactions)
Department Debates
(15 debate contributions)
(14 debate contributions)
(9 debate contributions)
(5 debate contributions)
Legislation Debates
(7,697 words contributed)
Lords initiatives
These initiatives were driven by Lord Alton of Liverpool, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.
9 Bills introduced by Lord Alton of Liverpool
The Bill failed to complete its passage through Parliament before the end of the session. This means the Bill will make no further progress. A Bill to make provision for the regulation of the re-export of military equipment and goods further to their original exportation from the United Kingdom.
Thursday 27th January 2011
A Bill to provide for the High Court in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and the Court of Session in Scotland to make preliminary determinations concerning the undertakings made by the United Kingdom as a Contracting Party to the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (“Genocide Convention”) under international law; for the referral of such determinations to relevant international courts or organisations; for response to reports on genocide; and for connected purposes.
A Bill to amend the Mesothelioma Act 2014.
Friday 20th November 2015
A Bill to provide for the High Court in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and the Court of Session in Scotland to make preliminary determinations concerning the undertakings made by the United Kingdom as a Contracting Party to the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (“Genocide Convention”) under international law; for the referral of such determinations to relevant international courts or organisations; for response to reports on genocide; and for connected purposes.
A Bill to prohibit the falsification of slavery and human trafficking statements; to establish minimum standards of transparency in supply chains in relation to modern slavery and human trafficking; to prohibit companies using supply chains which fail to demonstrate minimum standards of transparency; and for connected purposes
A bill to provide for the High Court of England and Wales to make a preliminary finding on cases of alleged genocide, crimes against humanity or war crimes; and for the subsequent referral of such findings to the International Criminal Court or a special tribunal
A Bill to provide for the High Court of England and Wales to make a preliminary finding on cases of alleged genocide; and for the subsequent referral of such findings to the International Criminal Court or a special tribunal.
Monday 13th June 2016
A bill to amend the Mesothelioma Act 2014.
Thursday 17th July 2014
First reading took place on 21 January. This stage is a formality that signals the start of the Bill's journey through the Lords.Second reading - the general debate on all aspects of the Bill - is yet to be scheduled.The 2013-14 session of parliament has prorogued and this Bill will make no further progress. A bill to amend the Mesothelioma Act 2014
Tuesday 21st January 2014
Lord Alton of Liverpool has not co-sponsored any Bills in the current parliamentary sitting
Latest 50 Written Questions
(View all written questions)The Government continues to look at ways to make sure the government’s digital communications better reflect the way the public now consumes information online. The policy around the use of TikTok on government devices hasn’t changed.
Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Cabinet Office does not collect this data centrally. Where an essential business requirement necessitates the use of TikTok, this is managed through a formal exemptions and approvals process which takes place at departmental level.
Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The restriction on use of the TikTok app on government devices remains in place. Where an essential business requirement necessitates the use of TikTok, this is managed through a formal exemptions and approvals process.
In March 2023 the previous government introduced a precautionary ban on the TikTok application on government electronic devices following a security review. This review looked at the potential vulnerability of government data on government devices and risks around how sensitive information could be accessed and used.
Restricting use of the TikTok application on government devices is a prudent, proportionate measure to protect government device data. This data can be sensitive, particularly in relation to ministers' devices given the sensitive nature of their role.
All government organisations and their Arm's Length Bodies are required to control which third-party applications are permitted for use on their corporate devices under the cross-government Mobile Device Management policy. We keep our cyber security policies under constant review.
Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal
Public procurement is a key lever for enabling delivery of the Government’s missions, both in terms of sourcing the goods and services required by the public sector but also in using procurement policy to drive up standards.
The government will be ensuring that the powers in the Procurement Act are utilised to support the new government’s priorities. New measures in the Act, which are due to come into force in October 2024, strengthens the rules on disregarding bids and excluding suppliers where there is evidence of modern slavery. This will apply even in circumstances where there has not yet been a conviction or technical breach of an international treaty.
Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Under the previous government the then Department for International Trade (DIT) ran Project Defend from April 2020 to March 2021 when the project closed.
We recognise the importance of strengthening the resilience of UK supply chains to boost our preparedness for potential disruptions and shocks, Further consideration will be given to this in our forthcoming Trade Strategy. More widely, we are carrying out a full and comprehensive audit of the UK’s interests with regards to China, which will bring a consistent, long-term and strategic approach.
Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
No UK business should be complicit in forced labour. Under Section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015, businesses who operate in the UK and have a turnover of £36m or more are required to report annually on the steps they have taken to prevent modern slavery in their supply chains.
This Government will stand firm on human rights in China, including the repression of people in Xinjiang and will continue to hold China to account. The Government continues to review how we can best tackle forced labour in supply chains and continues to consider measures that would improve supply chain transparency and traceability.
Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Discussion among CPTPP Members is progressing on how to take forward accession applications. The UK and other CPTPP members have reaffirmed on several instances that the CPTPP is open to Accession Requests by economies that can satisfy the “Auckland Principles”, namely being able to meet the agreement’s high standards, having a track record of compliance with trade commitments, and commanding consensus of the Parties. It is right that we work within the principles of the group to achieve a consensus decision, rather than providing our own individual narrative on the applications of specific economies.
Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
In November 2023, the British Representative in Taipei and the Taipei Representative in the UK signed an Enhanced Trade Partnership (ETP) Arrangement setting out the UK and Taiwan’s priorities for the future cooperation, including an energy and net zero pillar. The Government regularly promotes international business opportunities to UK firms and has previously supported business delegations to Taiwan. UK Export Finance, the Government’s credit agency, has also provided over £900million of financing to Taiwanese offshore wind projects, supporting Taiwan’s energy transition and UK businesses.
Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The UK operates one of the most transparent export licensing systems in the world. There is a long record of the UK granting licences for exports of controlled goods to Taiwan, on a case-by-case basis, where those applications are consistent with the Strategic Export Licensing Criteria.
The Department for Business and Trade provides advice and support to prospective exporters of controlled goods where there is a reasonable expectation of securing licenses, but the support will vary with an individual case’s circumstances.
Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
This Government is clear that no company in the UK should have forced labour in its supply chain. The Department for Business and Trade will work with international partners to understand the impact of measures to combat forced labour.
There are a wide range of priorities the Department need to consider within our trade strategy. The Department's trade strategy will be growth-based, and aligned with its industrial strategy, as well as wider foreign-policy and economic security objectives.
It is important that the Department take a strategic approach to trade policy development that considers how its economic objectives can be achieved through the use of trade levers while being aligned with its values and our geo-strategic positioning.
Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
3 Department for Energy Security & Net Zero Questions
(View all Lord Alton of Liverpool's DESNZ questions)The Government recently set out its Clean Power 2030 Action Plan, which requires significant deployment of solar electricity. Developing sustainable, diverse and resilient solar supply chains, free from forced labour, is an absolute priority for this Government and the solar industry.
The Government does not hold data on the supply chains of individual businesses and therefore cannot provide details of overall expenditure or quantities of Chinese imports of solar panels. As Great British Energy will be operationally independent, it will be for the company to determine the projects and technologies it chooses to invest in, in accordance with its objectives.
Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government takes reports of complaints very seriously. Compliance with biomass sustainability criteria is a priority and Ofgem as the independent regulator is responsible for ensuring generators’ compliance. Ofgem’s recent investigation found that whilst Drax complied with sustainability standards, it had failed to report data accurately. This is a serious matter and the Government expects full compliance with all regulatory obligations. Drax’s subsequent £25 million redress payment underscores the robustness of the regulatory system.
Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The reasons for the Secretary of State’s planning decision on the Mallard Pass project are set out in the Decision Letter. Ethical procurement is considered at paragraphs 4.104-109.
The consent requires the applicant to submit a list of suppliers to be made available to the local planning authorities, and to upload their modern slavery and human trafficking statement annually to the Home Office Register to enable monitoring [paragraph 4.105].
Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Higher education (HE) institutions in England are autonomous bodies and it is for them to assess whether applications for fees which do not meet the criteria for automatic home fee status should be reduced or waived in line with individual circumstances. The department has not made an assessment on the number of international students that have successfully had their fees waived.
There are a range of resources and support for international students looking for scholarships, which can be found on the UK Council for International Student Affairs website and the British Council’s Study UK page.
Many HE institutions in the UK offer a range of bursaries and scholarships to international students and the department encourages students to contact their institution to find out what support may be available. We have not carried out an assessment of the number of university scholarships or bursaries available to prospective students on British National (Overseas) visas.
Minister of State (Education)
Higher education (HE) institutions in England are autonomous bodies and it is for them to assess whether applications for fees which do not meet the criteria for automatic home fee status should be reduced or waived in line with individual circumstances. The department has not made an assessment on the number of international students that have successfully had their fees waived.
There are a range of resources and support for international students looking for scholarships, which can be found on the UK Council for International Student Affairs website and the British Council’s Study UK page.
Many HE institutions in the UK offer a range of bursaries and scholarships to international students and the department encourages students to contact their institution to find out what support may be available. We have not carried out an assessment of the number of university scholarships or bursaries available to prospective students on British National (Overseas) visas.
Minister of State (Education)
The government has made significant strides to protect our values against those who do not respect the UK’s fundamental rights and freedoms, or whose strategic intent is hostile to UK interests. The department has committed, in the Integrated Review Refresh, to review the full set of legislative and other provisions designed to protect our academic sector, in order to identify what more the department could or should be doing.
The department recognises the potential for overseas interference in our higher education (HE) sector and we are committed to ensuring ways to increase transparency, improve HE providers’ overall resilience and economic security, whilst respecting the autonomy of universities.
A key part of the department’s International Education Strategy is diversification. Our universities must ensure they have appropriate processes in place to manage risks associated with dependence on a single source of funding, whether that is from a single organisation or a single country. The Office for Students, the regulator of HE in England, monitors the risk of over-reliance on overseas income at a sector level.
Minister of State (Education)
The content of textbooks is a matter for individual publishers. The department does not play a role in prescribing or authorising the books that schools can use. It is for schools to determine what curriculum resources they use, and to use their judgement in assessing their content.
Minister of State (Education)
6 Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Questions
(View all Lord Alton of Liverpool's Defra questions)Defra monitors animal disease outbreaks worldwide and assesses the risk that they might enter the United Kingdom (UK) through legal or illegal trade in animal products. Its team of veterinary and risk experts provide rapid outbreak assessments to inform import decisions and enforcement action and undertake full qualitative risk assessments in certain cases. These assessments are published on gov.uk at www.gov.uk/government/collections/animal-diseases-international-monitoring.
Meat imported commercially via Border Control Posts is subject to local authority-led official controls to ensure that it complies with UK import conditions. The Home Office’s Border Force has lead responsibility for identifying and seizing meat imported illegally other than via Border Control Posts.
To further mitigate the risks, it is illegal in the UK to feed catering or domestic food waste to livestock, including pigs.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
We have made no formal assessment of the paper by Svensson et al.
All primates are protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), ensuring any international trade in these species is sustainable. Each year thousands of illegal products containing endangered species are seized by Border Force. These seizures are quantified in the UK’s annual illegal trade report to CITES and made available in the CITES Illegal Trade Database.
The UK is committed to combatting the illegal wildlife trade (IWT), including through our Illegal Wildlife Trade Challenge Fund and through the National Wildlife Crime Unit’s Strategic Assessment for Wildlife Crime which aims to support UK and Global enforcement responses to IWT.
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Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government published the UK Food Security Report 2024 last week and remains committed to protecting our biosecurity and will maintain the appropriate level of controls to achieve this in accordance with the Border Target Operating Model. Please also see the Border Target Operating Model web page on gov.uk for detailed information on the rationale for border controls (at Final_Border_Target_Operating_Model.pdf).
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government appreciates and values the vital work of the horticulture industry, and we welcomed the Committee’s report ‘Sowing the seeds: A blooming English horticultural sector. As part of our mission-driven government we are currently considering how we can achieve our ambitious, measurable and long-term goals for all our farming sectors.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government expects all UK businesses to respect human rights in line with the OECD Guidelines for Responsible Business Conduct and the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.
We work to maintain high standards on the information that is provided on food labels so that consumers can have confidence in the food they buy. When the country of manufacture of a processed food, such as tomato puree, is provided on the label, the label must also show if the origin of the primary ingredient (the tomatoes in this case) is different. In any case, all information must be accurate and not mislead.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
His Majesty's Government have no plans to restrict cargo operations between Xinjiang and UK airports. The decision to operate particular routes is a commercial decision for airlines.
Minister of State (Department for Transport)
The Equality Act 2010 and the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 require employers to make reasonable adjustments and to ensure the health, safety and welfare of their employees. These legal provisions mean that, in appropriate cases, a dedicated person or point of contact may be required for employees with Down’s Syndrome.
DWP’s efforts to ensure that all disabled people can thrive in work include a digital information service for employers to help them support disability at work and the Disability Confident scheme. The Department’s specialist initiatives for jobseekers and employers alike includes Disability Employment Advisers in Jobcentres, and Access to Work grants which can help with the costs of support.
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
10 Department of Health and Social Care Questions
(View all Lord Alton of Liverpool's DHSC questions)The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is responsible for ensuring that medicines, medical devices, and blood components for transfusion meet applicable standards of safety, quality, and efficacy. The MHRA rigorously assesses the available data, including from the Yellow Card scheme, and seeks advice from the Commission on Human Medicines, the MHRA’s independent advisory committee, where appropriate, to inform regulatory decisions, including amending the product information.
The MHRA has received a total of 2,911 reports through the Yellow Card scheme for all antidepressant medications between 1 January 2024 and 31 December 2024. The following table shows the number of United Kingdom Yellow Card reports received for adverse reactions, suspected to be associated with antidepressants, in 2024:
Drug substance | Total number of reports |
Agomelatine | 9 |
Amitriptyline | 337 |
Citalopram | 267 |
Clomipramine | 3 |
Dosulepin | 2 |
Doxepin | 3 |
Duloxetine | 270 |
Escitalopram | 160 |
Fluoxetine | 246 |
Fluvoxamine | 5 |
Imipramine | 5 |
Lofepramine | 6 |
Mianserin | 2 |
Mirtazapine | 333 |
Nortriptyline | 34 |
Paroxetine | 46 |
Phenelzine | 3 |
Sertraline | 868 |
Tranylcypromine | 1 |
Trazodone | 38 |
Tryptophan | 40 |
Venlafaxine | 240 |
Vortioxetine | 69 |
It is important to note that the inclusion of a particular report on the MHRA’s Yellow Card system does not necessarily mean that the adverse reactions reported have been caused by the suspect drug. Additionally, the number of reports received should not be used as a basis for determining the incidence of a reaction, as neither the total number of reactions occurring, nor the number of patients using the drug, is known. Some antidepressants are licensed for several different mental health conditions and may be recommended before other treatments in clinical guidance. It is therefore important not to compare numbers of reports for each antidepressant, as usage will differ.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) does not hold data on anti-depressant prescriptions authorised by psychiatrists specifically, but does hold data for the following three categories: hospital prescriber; general practitioner prescriber; and additional prescriber.
This answer is based on the information extracted from the NHSBSA’s ePACT2 database, using British National Formulary section 0403 for antidepressant drugs, prescribed in England.
The following table shows the total number of prescriptions for antidepressant items prescribed to patients aged 18 years old and under, by prescriber type, for the financial years 2015 to 2024, and the financial year to date for 2024/25, from April to October:
Financial year | General practitioner prescriber | Hospital prescriber | Additional prescriber including non-medical prescriber | Total items |
2015/16 | 515,803 | 8,737 | 8,873 | 533,413 |
2016/17 | 551,901 | 6,143 | 11,056 | 569,100 |
2017/18 | 580,772 | 5,853 | 14,254 | 600,879 |
2018/19 | 611,785 | 7,150 | 17,681 | 636,616 |
2019/20 | 640,218 | 11,832 | 23,367 | 675,417 |
2020/21 | 648,252 | 11,334 | 30,274 | 689,860 |
2021/22 | 702,546 | 12,975 | 33,895 | 749,416 |
2022/23 | 720,132 | 16,917 | 36,994 | 774,043 |
2023/24 | 692,467 | 20,393 | 38,775 | 751,635 |
2024/25 | 384,561 | 14,755 | 24,381 | 423,697 |
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
NHS England’s regional teams are working closely with the integrated care boards to ensure that appropriate action is being taken to address and mitigate the issues identified within each declared critical incident, including at the Royal Liverpool Hospital. This includes actions to support the flow of patients through the hospital and the reprioritising of resources to support urgent and emergency care.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Food Standards Agency does not collect the inland data required at a commodity or establishment level to be able to estimate the quantity by weight of illegal, non-compliant, or contaminated meat products, illegally imported into the United Kingdom each year. Local authorities in England and Wales hold primary responsibility for acting against businesses identified as importing, trading, or selling such products. As such, data on these seizures is held by each individual local authority.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is committed to supporting innovation and the development of new, safe, and effective medicines. Officials in the Department are working closely with the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) to explore the use of bacteriophages, also known as phages.
Although there are currently no licensed bacteriophage medicines in the United Kingdom, patients may still access them as part of a clinical trial, as unlicensed medicines, or as medicines prepared under the supervision of a pharmacist.
The MHRA is actively developing non-binding, regulator-agnostic information to help innovators understand what type of quality, safety, and efficacy data is needed by regulators to evaluate phage products for market authorisation.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The attached table shows the number of prescriptions issued for buproprion and the net ingredient cost (NIC) from 2014 to 2023, and from January to August for 2024, as this is the latest data available.
Based on the information within the Prescription Cost Analysis published statistics from the NHS Business Services Authority, there are two chemical formulations that include buproprion, those being: bupropion hydrochloride; and the combination of naltrexone and buproprion. It should also be noted that the total NIC shown in the attached table is the basic price of the prescribed medicine before discounts, dispensing costs, or fees. This includes items that have been dispensed in the community in England regardless of where prescribed.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
We are taking the findings and recommendations made in independent reviews and reports into maternity services, including the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust, very seriously. This includes the need to develop and sustain a culture of safety, learning, and support within the National Health Service, which has formed part of NHS England’s Three year delivery plan for maternity and neonatal services. We will carefully consider the findings of the Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust when it reports next year.
It is right that where people have been negligently harmed by the NHS, they are able to receive appropriate compensation. It is the role of NHS Resolution (NHSR) to manage clinical negligence claims against the NHS in England. NHSR is accountable to the Department, and its performance is subject to regular review. However, NHSR is responsible for its own management of individual claims. The Government has not made a general assessment of the role claimants lawyers play in NHS litigation claims.
NHSR has a responsibility to resolve claims promptly and fairly, and to defend unmeritorious claims to secure NHS resources. The large majority of claims, 81%, are settled without court proceedings.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The following table shows the total number of items issued for trazodone from 2014 to 2023, and from January to May 2024:
Year | Total number of items |
2014 | 1,050,069 |
2015 | 1,083,974 |
2016 | 1,112,437 |
2017 | 1,133,363 |
2018 | 1,157,717 |
2019 | 1,168,715 |
2020 | 1,191,060 |
2021 | 1,226,973 |
2022 | 1,238,983 |
2023 | 1,281,049 |
2024 | 553,866 |
Source: data was provided by the NHS Business Service Authority, based on information within the Prescription Cost Analysis published statistics, using British National Formulary chemical substance trazodone hydrochloride.
Note: items have been dispensed, but not necessarily prescribed, in England.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is responsible for ensuring medicines, medical devices, and blood components for transfusion meet applicable standards of safety, quality, and efficacy. The MHRA rigorously assesses the available data, including from the Yellow Card scheme, and where appropriate it seeks advice from its independent advisory committee, the Commission on Human Medicines, to inform on regulatory decisions, including the amending of product information.
The MHRA has received a total of 20 Yellow Card reports of sexual dysfunction related reactions, suspected to be associated with trazodone, between 1 January 2014 and 29 July 2024. This includes reactions grouped under the medical dictionary’s (MedDRA) Higher Level Terms, which are more specific than sexual dysfunction and persistent sexual dysfunction, and include erection and ejaculation conditions and disorders, orgasmic disorders and disturbances, sexual arousal disorders, and others. The following table shows the number of spontaneous suspected Yellow Card reports of sexual dysfunction related reactions suspected to be associated with trazodone in the United Kingdom, received by the MHRA each year from 2014 to 2024:
Year | Reports of sexual dysfunction |
2014 | 1 |
2015 | 2 |
2016 | 2 |
2017 | 1 |
2018 | 1 |
2019 | 2 |
2020 | 2 |
2021 | 1 |
2022 | 5 |
2023 | 2 |
2024 | 1 |
Source: data provided by the MHRA.
“Persistent sexual dysfunction” does not represent a specific medical condition, so this precise term is not a category available for a structured search of the MHRA’s Adverse Drug Reaction database. The structured data field search terms are drawn from the regulatory drugs dictionary, MedDRA, or from terms adopted in clinical coding guidance such as The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fifth Edition, or the International Classification of Diseases 11th Revision. A search of the database would therefore rely on manual assessment of individual cases.
It is important to note that the inclusion of a particular report on the MHRA’s system does not necessarily mean that the adverse reactions reported have been caused by the suspect drug. Additionally, the number of reports received should not be used as a basis for determining the incidence of a reaction, as neither the total number of reactions occurring, nor the number of patients using the drug, is known.
The product information for trazodone, which includes the patient information leaflet, reflects the data currently available, and does not include sexual dysfunction as a possible side effect but does include priapism, the prolonged erection of the penis. The Summary of Product Characteristics for healthcare professionals states that there have been reports of priapism which have required surgical intervention, or led to permanent sexual dysfunction. Patients developing priapism should stop using trazodone immediately.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The following table shows the number of items issued for vortioxetine and the net ingredient cost (NIC) from 2014 to 2023, and from January to May of 2024:
Year | Items issued | Total NIC |
2014 | 0 | £0 |
2015 | 74 | £2,068.11 |
2016 | 12,736 | £298,577.07 |
2017 | 43,023 | £987,197.31 |
2018 | 80,922 | £1,877,715.10 |
2019 | 134,351 | £3,127,305.68 |
2020 | 193,682 | £4,553,134.74 |
2021 | 248,533 | £5,720,498.19 |
2022 | 290,907 | £6,859,280.34 |
2023 | 339,017 | £8,188,709.76 |
2024 | 156,164 | £3,787,227.18 |
Total | 1,499,409 | £35,401,713.48 |
Source: data provided by the NHS Business Services Authority, based on information within the Prescription Cost Analysis published statistics, using British National Formulary chemical substance vortioxetine.
Note: items have been dispensed, but not necessarily prescribed, in England.
"Persistent sexual dysfunction" does not represent a specific medical condition, so this term is not a category available for a structured search of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency’s (MHRA) Adverse Drug Reaction database. The structured data field search terms are drawn from the regulatory drugs dictionary, the medical dictionary (MedDRA), or from terms adopted in clinical coding guidance such as The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fifth Edition, or the International Classification of Diseases 11th Revision. A search of the database would therefore rely on manual assessment of individual cases.
The MHRA has received a total of 29 Yellow Card reports of sexual dysfunction related reactions, suspected to be associated with vortioxetine, between 1 January 2014 and 21 July 2024. This includes reactions grouped under MedDRA Higher Level Terms, which are more specific than sexual dysfunction and persistent sexual dysfunction. The following table shows the number of spontaneous suspected Yellow Card reports of sexual dysfunction related reactions suspected to be associated with vortioxetine in the United Kingdom, received by the MHRA each year from 2014 to 2024:
Year | Reports of sexual dysfunction |
2014 | 0 |
2015 | 0 |
2016 | 2 |
2017 | 1 |
2018 | 1 |
2019 | 0 |
2020 | 7 |
2021 | 6 |
2022 | 3 |
2023 | 6 |
2024 | 3 |
Source: data provided by the MHRA.
The inclusion of a particular report on the MHRA’s system does not necessarily mean that the adverse reactions reported have been caused by the suspect drug. Additionally, the number of reports received should not be used as a basis for determining the incidence of a reaction, as neither the total number of reactions occurring, nor the number of patients using the drug, is known.
Sexual dysfunction was assessed as part of the clinical studies to support the authorisation of vortioxetine. The clinical studies indicated that doses between 5 milligrams and 15 milligrams did not show a difference from placebo in relation to the risk of sexual dysfunction. However, the 20 milligram dose was associated with an increase in sexual dysfunction. This information was included in the Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC) for healthcare professionals for all strengths of vortioxetine since authorisation in 2021. The SmPC and patient information leaflet were subsequently updated in April 2024 to list sexual dysfunction as a possible side effect for all strengths, following reports of sexual dysfunction associated with doses below 20 milligrams.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
14 Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Questions
(View all Lord Alton of Liverpool's FCDO questions)Promoting the rights of religious minorities is a core part of the UK's diplomatic engagement in Pakistan. The Minister for the Middle East stressed the importance of religious tolerance and harmony when he met with Pakistan's Human Rights Minister on 19 November. In a meeting with Pakistan's Interior Minister on 20 November, he and the British High Commissioner raised the issue of violence towards Ahmadi Muslims. The British High Commission continues to raise the issue of safety for the Ahmadi community at the highest levels. We have received assurances that the Pakistani authorities will continue to work hard to protect minority communities.
Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Promoting the rights of religious minorities is a core part of the UK's diplomatic engagement in Pakistan. The Minister for the Middle East raised the issue of Ahmadi rights when he met with Pakistan's Human Rights Minister on 19 November. In a meeting with Pakistan's Interior Minister on 20 November, he and the British High Commissioner raised the issue of violence towards Ahmadi Muslims. The British High Commission continues to raise these issues, including the need for swift action in response to incidents of violence, at the highest levels. We urge the Pakistani authorities to ensure that perpetrators of violence are held to account.
Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The UK is actively working towards ending the conflict in Sudan. The Foreign Secretary has spoken with regional partners to explore how the UK can assist international mediation efforts. The UK's Special Representative to Sudan visited Port Sudan in December 2024 which was the UK's first official visit to the country since the outbreak of the conflict in April 2023.
The UK's Special Representative to Sudan pressed for a resolution to the conflict and for all parties to engage constructively in mediation talks, including by complying with the Jeddah Declaration of Commitments to Protect Civilians. We also continue to lead efforts in the UN Security Council to support peace and to keep international spotlight on this crisis.
Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Ministers will consider Official Development Assistance allocations for 2025/26 over the coming months, and we will publish them in the Annual Report & Accounts in summer 2025. The next phase of the Spending Review will set departmental budgets from 2026/27 to 2029/30.
In November 2024, the UK announced a further £113 million of aid. With this announcement, the UK has doubled our aid to £226.5 million.
Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The UK continues to raise the critical issue of humanitarian access. We did this recently at the UN Security Council on 19 December 2024 and 6 January 2025, where we called for the warring parties to lift bureaucratic impediments and let aid get to those who need it. The Minister for Development has also engaged directly with the new Emergency Relief Coordinator, Tom Fletcher, on the UN response. The UK Special Representative, Richard Crowder, met the head of the Sudanese Armed Forces, General Burhan, during his first visit to Sudan and lobbied against current impediments such as visas. On 25 November 2024, the Foreign Secretary chaired a Sudan meeting with G7 and Arab Quint Foreign Ministers to discuss joint steps to improve humanitarian access and increase aid.
Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The UK continues to work closely with the US in support of efforts to bring peace to Sudan. The long-standing position of successive UK Governments is that it is for courts to decide whether genocide has occurred. While the UK takes a different approach to the US on determination, no-one should doubt that we also condemn what is happening in the strongest terms. Irrespective of any such determination, it is clear that atrocities have been committed in this conflict. Those responsible must be held to account. We are using the tools available to us to act, including in partnership with the US. We keep sanctions under review but do not speculate on prospective sanctions designations as this would undermine their effectiveness.
Since the outbreak of conflict in 2023, the UK has frozen the assets of nine commercial entities linked to the parties involved in the conflict. On 8 November 2024, the United Nations Security Council also sanctioned two Rapid Support Forces commanders involved in perpetrating ethnically motivated atrocities in Sudan.
Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
On Christmas Eve, the Foreign Secretary strongly condemned the Hong Kong police's targeting of individuals for exercising their right to freedom of expression and called on Beijing to repeal the National Security Law, including its extraterritorial reach. Senior diplomats have raised concerns directly with the Chinese and Hong Kong authorities, and FCDO officials have contacted the Chinese Embassy and Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in London.
The UK Government will not tolerate any attempts by foreign governments to coerce, intimidate, harass, or harm their critics overseas, especially in the UK.
Freedom of speech and other fundamental rights of all people in the UK are protected under domestic law, regardless of nationality. The police and security services monitor these issues very closely.
The UK will always stand up for the rights of the people of Hong Kong.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK Government welcomed the Prime Minister of the Republic of Iraq Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani from 14 - 16 January. As part of the official visit's programme, the Minister of State for Development met with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Planning, Dr Mohammed Ali Tamim on 15 January. They discussed development partnerships between our countries, the situation in Sinjar and support for Yazidis and other Internally Displaced Persons.
The UK Government also recognises that continued insecurity in Iraq can have a disproportionate effect on ethnic and religious minority groups, including those who are displaced. We regularly engage with the Government of Iraq and the Kurdistan Regional Government on the need for stability in Sinjar, and advocate for full implementation of the Sinjar Agreement.
Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The UK strongly supports the International Criminal Court's (ICC) active investigation into the situation in Darfur, including allegations of crimes committed since April 2023. We welcomed Prosecutor Khan's announcement in July 2023 that the current conflict was in scope of the existing ICC referral and subject to their investigations. Our assessment is that a new ICC referral beyond Darfur would not have the required support from members of the UN Security Council. It would not advance the cause of accountability in Sudan for an ICC referral to fail to win Security Council support or to be vetoed. The UK continues to support the work of the Centre for Information Resilience (CIR) to gather open-source evidence on the ongoing fighting, with a view to supporting future accountability efforts. In November, the UN Security Council sanctioned two senior Rapid Support Forces Commanders for involvement in human rights abuses.
Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The UK is a leading donor to the Rohingya response. We have provided £406 million to support the Rohingya and host communities since 2017, including food provision, clean water, healthcare and protection services. We work closely with UN agencies and the Interim Government of Bangladesh to support the Rohingya and provide basic services. The UK ensures that aid reaches the Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, including the Christian Rohingya minority, by working with international partners like the UN Refugees Agency, the International Organisation of Migration and the World Food Programme.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Declaration of Humanity by Leaders of Faith and Leaders of Belief has been signed by over 750 faith leaders, NGOs and civil society actors in countries including Iraq, Kosovo and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The UK Government remains committed to promoting the Declaration, including through the Prime Minister's Special Representative on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict, and the UK Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief. In November 2024, at a symposium organised by the British Embassy to the Holy See and the Jesuit Refugee Service, representatives of four major Catholic organisations became signatories.
Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
This Government is working hard to ensure that proceeds from the sale of Chelsea FC reach humanitarian causes in Ukraine as quickly as possible. UK officials continue to hold discussions with Mr Abramovich's representatives, experts and international partners in pursuit of a resolution.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is working with partners in the Core Group, established and led by Ukraine, to explore all options and models of tribunal. The UK is also considering how to encourage the broad international support that will be crucial to any tribunal's legitimacy.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)