Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what information his Department holds on which (a) cognitive behavioural therapy, (b) family therapy, (c) exploratory therapy and (d) other non-medical treatments are offered to young people by NHS Children and Young People’s Gender Services.

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

NHS England commissions gender services for children and young people in line with its interim service specification for children and young people with gender incongruence.

Children and young people are cared for holistically by specialist multi-disciplinary teams based in specialist children's hospitals. The multi-disciplinary teams include expertise in child and adolescent mental health, including family therapy, cognitive behavioural therapy, and neurodevelopmental conditions.

Each child or young person will have a tailored individual care plan to meet their needs. Depending on individual need, the gender service for children and young people will provide psychosocial and clinical interventions, including support for the family.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he expects the NHS review of adult gender dysphoria clinics to report its findings.

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

NHS England is currently undertaking a review of adult gender services, chaired by Dr David Levy. The review will examine the model of care and operating procedures of each service, and will carefully consider experiences, feedback, and outcomes from clinicians and patients, with the aim of producing an updated service specification. The review will report its findings at the earliest opportunity.

Question

To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, if she will meet representatives of the Sex Equality and Equity Networks.

Answered by Nia Griffith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Wales Office)

The Office for Equality and Opportunity (OEO) meets with a broad range of external stakeholders to test and develop its public-facing policies and initiatives, but does not meet with internal staff networks. Matters relating to internal Civil Service policies can be discussed with the Government People Group or individual departmental HR teams as necessary.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will meet representatives of women and children's rights groups to discuss proposals announced by the Law Commission on 29 March 2023 in relation to surrogacy.

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

The Law Commission consulted widely as part of the preparation for their report. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Patient Safety, Women’s Health and Mental Health will be writing to the Chairs of the Law Commissions of England, Wales, and Scotland shortly, to follow up their meeting on 5 November 2024. A Government response to the commissions’ report will be published as time allows. As such, the Department is not planning to meet women and children’s rights groups to discuss the matter at this time. We welcome future meetings on the topic at the appropriate time.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent assessment he has made of the potential impact of the sale of his Department's Old Park and Chequers Wood site in Canterbury on levels of biodiversity.

Answered by Maria Eagle - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The Defence Infrastructure Organisation has undertaken a Baseline Biodiversity Net Gain Assessment for Old Park and Chequers Wood.

This Assessment details primary habitats and provides an ecological baseline for the site.

The site is being disposed of in accordance with the Department's standard process as mandated by His Majesty's Treasury. The site is designated in part as a Site of Special Scientific Interest and any development potential is limited. However, once sold, the future use of the site is a matter for the potential purchaser in conjunction with the local planning authority, and this is something the Ministry of Defence cannot influence.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what information his Department holds on the number of new prescriptions issued by NHS Children and Young People’s Gender Services for (a) oestrogen and (b) testosterone to young people aged 16-18 since 1 April 2024.

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

Since 1 April 2024 there have been no new initiations of exogenous hormones through the NHS Children and Young People's Gender Service.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what services his Department and the NHS offer to people choosing to detransition.

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

The Government and NHS England are committed to implementing the recommendations of the Cass Review in full. This includes the recommendation for a pathway to be established for individuals who wish to detransition. The formative stages of this work will involve a process of evidence gathering in the spring of 2025, focused on individuals and clinicians with experience of detransition, and professional bodies. NHS England will engage stakeholders on a proposed service specification for the new pathway, including through public consultation.

In parallel, NHS England has begun the process of forming a clinical commissioning policy for hormone medications, that will describe the approach for the management of hormone medications for individuals who choose to detransition.

Scientific hearing on animal experiments

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Sarah Owen (Chair); Alex Brewer; David Burton-Sampson; Rosie Duffield

Found: Liberal Democrat; North East Hampshire) David Burton-Sampson (Labour; Southend West and Leigh) Rosie Duffield

Found: Mullane Jess Asato Ms Polly Billington Patricia Ferguson Elaine Stewart Catherine Fookes Rosie Duffield

Found: Mullane Jess Asato Ms Polly Billington Patricia Ferguson Elaine Stewart Catherine Fookes Rosie Duffield

Found: Mullane Jess Asato Ms Polly Billington Patricia Ferguson Elaine Stewart Catherine Fookes Rosie Duffield

Found: Mullane Jess Asato Ms Polly Billington Patricia Ferguson Elaine Stewart Catherine Fookes Rosie Duffield

Found: Mullane Jess Asato Ms Polly Billington Patricia Ferguson Elaine Stewart Catherine Fookes Rosie Duffield

Found: Mullane Jess Asato Ms Polly Billington Patricia Ferguson Elaine Stewart Catherine Fookes Rosie Duffield

Found: Mullane Jess Asato Ms Polly Billington Patricia Ferguson Elaine Stewart Catherine Fookes Rosie Duffield

Found: Mullane Jess Asato Ms Polly Billington Patricia Ferguson Elaine Stewart Catherine Fookes Rosie Duffield

Found: Mullane Jess Asato Ms Polly Billington Patricia Ferguson Elaine Stewart Catherine Fookes Rosie Duffield

Found: Mullane Jess Asato Ms Polly Billington Patricia Ferguson Elaine Stewart Catherine Fookes Rosie Duffield

Found: Mullane Jess Asato Ms Polly Billington Patricia Ferguson Elaine Stewart Catherine Fookes Rosie Duffield

Found: Mullane Jess Asato Ms Polly Billington Patricia Ferguson Elaine Stewart Catherine Fookes Rosie Duffield

Found: Mullane Jess Asato Ms Polly Billington Patricia Ferguson Elaine Stewart Catherine Fookes Rosie Duffield

Found: Sorcha Eastwood Siân Berry Jess Asato Bell Ribeiro-Addy Caroline Voaden Margaret Mullane Rosie Duffield

The Women and Equalities Committee (WEC) will hold a session in Parliament on Wednesday, 5 March to look at the prevalence and impact of female genital mutilation (FGM) in the UK and to examine the work of the UK Government to prevent FGM and to address the health consequences of survivors of FGM.