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.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what (a) grants and 9b) funding her Department has allocated to the Medical Research Council for research into anti-seizure medications in pregnancy since 2018.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Since 2018, the Medical Research Council (MRC), which is part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), has committed £2.7 million to a research project developing a new anti-seizure drug to the point of regulatory submission for first-in-human trials. The treatment is intended to improve upon the effectiveness of the main existing anti-seizure treatment, valproate, to avoid valproate’s harmful effects on unborn children.

DSIT is investing a record £58.5 billion on R&D between 2026/27 and 2029/30. UKRI will deliver an expected £38.6 billion of R&D investment from 2026/27 to 2029/30, rising to nearly £10 billion per annum by the end of the period.  A more detailed breakdown of UKRI’s budgets will be published later this year.

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.

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.

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.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his department will conduct a review into current fireworks legislation to determine whether it is fit for purpose and efficiently protects animals and vulnerable people.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Government is continuing to engage with businesses, consumer groups and charities, including those supporting animals and vulnerable people, to gather evidence on the issues with and impacts of fireworks to inform any future action and review into the current fireworks legislation.

The Government has also launched a public campaign on fireworks safety for this year’s fireworks season. The campaign includes new guidance for those running community fireworks events, and new social media posts that emphasise the risks from the misuse of fireworks.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with partners on the future of the UK Youth Parliament and its funding.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

Delivery partners for the UK Youth Parliament participated in the evaluation of the 2023-25 programme, delivered by IFF Research, which includes recommendations on the future of the programme.

DCMS is currently going through our internal business planning processes and budgets are not yet confirmed for the next financial year. The outcomes of this process will be communicated in due course.

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.

Fairtrade tea campaign

Sodium valproate and surgical mesh redress

Future of the BBC

1,900th anniversary of Chester-le-Street

Found: Questions 1-22 Representations made I: Mrs Sharon Hodgson II: Jim Shannon III: Vikki Slade IV: Andrew

Found: I was very happy to see my colleague Sharon Hodgson, head of the UK delegation to the OSCE Parliamentary