Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Penny Mordaunt and Jeremy Lefroy

Wednesday 17th January 2018 Commons Chamber

[Penny Mordaunt]

I am keen that the myriad health and vaccination programmes funded by my Department yield more than the sum of their parts. We can also use these programmes to set up sustainable healthcare systems in those countries. One of my priorities is to join up the programmes to yield primary care services in the countries with which we work.

[Jeremy Lefroy (Stafford) (Con)]

Will my right hon. Friend lead an international effort to support developing countries in creating jobs and livelihoods for young people?

[Penny Mordaunt]

I know my hon. Friend wants us to set up a dedicated fund for that cause, and I am looking at options for what we might do. He is right that we need to create more jobs to enable countries to collect taxes and set up public services, and he will see much more of that under my tenure.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Penny Mordaunt and Jeremy Lefroy

Monday 23rd November 2015 Commons Chamber

[Penny Mordaunt]

Before any drug is prescribed, an individual risk assessment of the patient is undertaken. In addition, as soon as a prescription is entered on to the electronic records system, a warning is flagged to ensure that the prescriber is absolutely sure that the recipient has not had a mental health problem. That policy is audited by defence primary healthcare organisations. If Members have constituents about whom they are concerned, they should encourage them to see their GP or their medical officer.

[Jeremy Lefroy (Stafford) (Con)]

I very much endorse what the hon. Member for Strangford (Jim Shannon) said and I welcome the Minister’s reply. Having suffered the consequences of Lariam myself, I ask her to look at the alternatives, of which there are several that have far fewer negative side-effects.

[Penny Mordaunt]

I thank my hon. Friend and I can reassure him that Lariam is not our first-line drug. However, in certain parts of the world and given the particular medical history of some individuals, the drug is sometimes currently the only course of action. A new drug is coming on line, and it will be looked at.