Asked by: Sharon Hodgson (Labour - Washington and Gateshead South)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the (a) availability and (b) levels of use of tan-enhancing products containing Melanotan II is being considered in the development of the forthcoming cancer plan.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is taking steps to prevent, diagnose, and treat cancers more quickly, including skin cancers. The forthcoming National Cancer Plan will cover the entirety of the cancer pathway from referral and diagnosis to treatment and ongoing care. It will set out how we will improve outcomes for cancer patients, including by speeding up diagnosis and treatment, ensuring patients have access to the latest treatments and technology, and ultimately driving up this country’s cancer survival rates. We will publish the National Cancer Plan in the new year to reduce the number of lives lost to cancer over the next 10 years.
We received over 11,000 responses to our call for evidence from individuals, professionals, and organisations, and we are reviewing the submissions from skin cancer partners. While no formal assessment has been made of the availability and levels of use of tan-enhancing products containing Melanotan II, respondents shared concerns about tanning products and their potential links to cancer, particularly melanoma. Our expansive engagement will allow the National Cancer Plan to have patients at its heart.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is responsible for the regulation of medicinal products and medical devices in the United Kingdom. Although tanning is not considered to be a medical purpose, injectable products containing Melanotan I or Melanotan II have been determined as medicinal products due to their similarity to the authorised medicine Scenesse.
In relation to nasal sprays containing Melanotan I or Melanotan II, there are no equivalent authorised medicines and in the absence of medicinal claims, they are not regarded as medicinal products.
Medicinal products must hold a relevant Marketing Authorisation to be legally sold and supplied in the UK. This also guarantees that the medicines have been tested for conformity with strict standards of quality, safety, and efficacy.
The MHRA takes action when a medicinal product without appropriate authorisations is identified.
Asked by: Sharon Hodgson (Labour - Washington and Gateshead South)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will set out the legal status of the sale of tan- enhancing nasal products containing Melanotan II for cosmetic purposes.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is required to determine whether products are medicines on a case-by-case basis, taking into account the definition of a medicine in The Human Medicines Regulations 2012, relevant case law, and any other evidence.
There are many products which modify physiological function but which are not medicinal products, and case law has established that products that do so while having no beneficial effects on human health cannot be medicines.
Melanotan II injections and pens are considered medicinal products due to their similarity to an authorised medicinal product and potential application to other medical conditions.
However, tan-enhancing nasal products, which are clearly marketed for self-tanning purposes and which do not have a medical purpose, do not fall under medicines regulations and therefore are not within the MHRA’s remit.
Asked by: Sharon Hodgson (Labour - Washington and Gateshead South)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will provide redress for mesh and sodium valproate families.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is carefully considering the work by the Patient Safety Commissioner and her report, which set out options for redress for those harmed by valproate and pelvic mesh. This is a complex issue involving input from different Government departments. The Government will provide a further update to the Patient Safety Commissioner’s report. I will also be meeting the Patient Safety Commissioner in due course.
Asked by: Sharon Hodgson (Labour - Washington and Gateshead South)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, to set out (a) where responsibility sits for action to prevent the availability of tan- enhancing products containing Melanotan II and (b) the steps that have been taken to prevent the availability of tan-enhancing products that are illegal.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is responsible for the regulation of medicinal products and medical devices in the United Kingdom.
Although tanning is not considered to be a medical purpose, injectable products containing Melanotan 1 or Melanotan 2 have been determined as medicinal products due to their similarity to the authorised medicine Scenesse.
In relation to nasal sprays containing Melanotan 1 or 2, there are no equivalent authorised medicines and in the absence of medicinal claims, they are not regarded as medicinal products.
Medicinal products must hold a relevant Marketing Authorisation to be legally sold and supplied in the UK. This also guarantees that the medicines have been tested for conformity with strict standards of quality, safety, and efficacy.
The MHRA takes action when a medicinal product without appropriate authorisations is identified.
Asked by: Sharon Hodgson (Labour - Washington and Gateshead South)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much funding his Department has allocated for research of anti-seizure medications in pregnancy (a) in total and (b) to the MHRA since 2020.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Between 2020 and 2024 the Department, through its research delivery arm the National Institute of Health and Care Research (NIHR), has invested approximately £5.34 million through direct awards to research into anti-seizure or anti-epilepsy medication in pregnancy. This figure reflects the total budget for research awards that were active during this period. The most recent funding in this area was £2.68 million to a research award which commenced in June 2023. Since 2018, the NIHR has invested approximately £5.33 million through direct awards to prospective research studies into anti-seizure medications other than sodium valproate. This figure reflects the total budget for research awards that were active during this period. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency has not received specific funding for research in this area from the Department. The NIHR continues to welcome funding applications for research into any aspect of maternal health, including anti-seizure medications in pregnancy.
Asked by: Sharon Hodgson (Labour - Washington and Gateshead South)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much funding his Department has allocated for prospective studies into anti-seizure medications other than Sodium Valproate in pregnancy since 2018.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Between 2020 and 2024 the Department, through its research delivery arm the National Institute of Health and Care Research (NIHR), has invested approximately £5.34 million through direct awards to research into anti-seizure or anti-epilepsy medication in pregnancy. This figure reflects the total budget for research awards that were active during this period. The most recent funding in this area was £2.68 million to a research award which commenced in June 2023. Since 2018, the NIHR has invested approximately £5.33 million through direct awards to prospective research studies into anti-seizure medications other than sodium valproate. This figure reflects the total budget for research awards that were active during this period. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency has not received specific funding for research in this area from the Department. The NIHR continues to welcome funding applications for research into any aspect of maternal health, including anti-seizure medications in pregnancy.
Asked by: Sharon Hodgson (Labour - Washington and Gateshead South)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when research funding was last given for anti-seizure medications in pregnancy.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Between 2020 and 2024 the Department, through its research delivery arm the National Institute of Health and Care Research (NIHR), has invested approximately £5.34 million through direct awards to research into anti-seizure or anti-epilepsy medication in pregnancy. This figure reflects the total budget for research awards that were active during this period. The most recent funding in this area was £2.68 million to a research award which commenced in June 2023. Since 2018, the NIHR has invested approximately £5.33 million through direct awards to prospective research studies into anti-seizure medications other than sodium valproate. This figure reflects the total budget for research awards that were active during this period. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency has not received specific funding for research in this area from the Department. The NIHR continues to welcome funding applications for research into any aspect of maternal health, including anti-seizure medications in pregnancy.
Asked by: Sharon Hodgson (Labour - Washington and Gateshead South)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with NHS trusts on providing meals for parents when their child is in hospital overnight.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
NHS England is currently working with the National Health Service to pilot providing meals for parents when their child is in hospital overnight through work being implemented to recognise the wishes of Sophie Fairall and the charity established posthumously in her name, Sophie’s Legacy. This work aims to improve hospital experiences for children and their parents, including ensuring parents and carers have access to food and drink while staying with their children in hospital.
Asked by: Sharon Hodgson (Labour - Washington and Gateshead South)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, for what reason the target to include a women's health hub within every ICB area is not included in the document by NHS England entitled 2025/26 priorities and operational planning guidance, last updated on 22 August 2025.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
A target on women’s health hubs was not needed in this year’s planning guidance because the target was met. We have moved away from central targets through the planning guidance and are supporting integrated care boards (ICBs) to continue improving their delivery of women’s health hubs. This is in line with their responsibility to decide which services they want to commission in order to meet the needs of their local populations and will therefore not be mandated. We have heard from ICBs on the positive impacts that women’s health hubs have on both women's access to care in the community and their experiences. The Government is committed to encouraging ICBs to further expand the coverage of women’s health hubs and to support ICBs to use the learning from the women’s health hub pilots to improve local delivery of services to women and girls.
As set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, we are committed to moving towards a neighbourhood health service, with more care delivered in local communities, to identify and address problems earlier and closer to home. Women’s health hubs are an example of this approach and can play a key role in delivering the Government’s commitments on tackling long National Health Service waiting lists, as well as shifting care into the community.
Asked by: Sharon Hodgson (Labour - Washington and Gateshead South)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the removal of the mandatory target for the provision of women's health hubs in each ICB area in the 2025/26 priorities and operational planning guidance, last updated on 22 August 2025, on the availability of (a) conservative treatment and (b) pelvic floor physiotherapy for (i) stress incontinence and (ii) prolapse for women.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
A target on women’s health hubs was not needed in this year’s planning guidance because the target was met. We have moved away from central targets through the planning guidance and are supporting integrated care boards (ICBs) to continue improving their delivery of women’s health hubs. This is in line with their responsibility to decide which services they want to commission in order to meet the needs of their local populations and will therefore not be mandated. We have heard from ICBs on the positive impacts that women’s health hubs have on both women's access to care in the community and their experiences. The Government is committed to encouraging ICBs to further expand the coverage of women’s health hubs and to support ICBs to use the learning from the women’s health hub pilots to improve local delivery of services to women and girls.
As set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, we are committed to moving towards a neighbourhood health service, with more care delivered in local communities, to identify and address problems earlier and closer to home. Women’s health hubs are an example of this approach and can play a key role in delivering the Government’s commitments on tackling long National Health Service waiting lists, as well as shifting care into the community.