Asked by: Sharon Hodgson (Labour - Washington and Gateshead South)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many and what proportion of schools have administered adrenaline auto-injector devices to pupils experiencing anaphylaxis at school in each year since 2017.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
The department does not hold this data.
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 (a) Valproate redress and (b) interim payments are delayed.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is carefully considering the valuable work done by the Patient Safety Commissioner and the resulting Hughes Report, which set out options for redress for those harmed by valproate and pelvic mesh. This is a complex area of work, involving several Government departments. We will be providing an update to the Patient Safety Commissioner’s report at the earliest opportunity.
Asked by: Sharon Hodgson (Labour - Washington and Gateshead South)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of extending exemptions to the proposed lactose allowance for milk-based drinks to equivalent milk-substitute drinks as part of the Soft Drinks Industry Levy.
Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
At Autumn Budget 2024 the Chancellor announced her intention to review the Soft Drinks Industry levy (SDIL) – which has incentivised producers to remove almost half (46%) the sugar in relevant drinks – to further drive product reformulation.
The ‘Strengthening the Soft Drinks Industry Levy’ consultation, published on 28 April 2025 , therefore sets out proposals to reduce the minimum sugar content threshold at which the levy applies, and to remove the current exemptions for milk-based drinks and milk substitute drinks with added sugar.
To account for the naturally occurring sugar in the milk component of these milk-based drinks, the consultation proposes the introduction of a lactose allowance. This will be calculated based upon the milk content of each drink.
The Government is also consulting on the treatment of milk substitute drinks, and proposes only to extend the SDIL to milk substitutes with added sugar. In a similar fashion to the lactose allowance, drinks with sugars only released from their principal, or ‘core’ ingredient will be out of scope of the levy.
This is to maintain consistency of treatment between milk substitute drinks and plain animal milk-based drinks, whilst bringing into SDIL milk substitutes with added sugar, including the flavoured varieties that could be consumed as alternatives to flavoured milk-based drinks. Under these proposals, if any sugars other than those from the principal ingredient are added to a milk substitute drink the SDIL thresholds will apply, based on total sugar content (g) per 100ml.
Asked by: Sharon Hodgson (Labour - Washington and Gateshead South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to help increase uptake levels of the license for access to controlled drugs in UK care homes with nursing provision.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)
Most care homes will not require a licence to access medicines containing controlled drugs for patients who need them. This is because care homes run by public authorities or charities are exempt from the need for a licence. In addition, all care homes with nursing provision are exempt from needing a licence for medicines containing controlled drugs in Schedules 3-5 of the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001, and Schedule 2 drugs in circumstances where medication is patient prescribed. Any care home that does need a licence can apply for one from the Home Office. Details of how to register and then apply are available on GOV.UK.
No recent assessment has been made of the adequacy of the current controlled drugs licensing regime specifically in relation to care homes, however information about the process is easily available and the Home Office regularly receives applications from care homes to which it gives due consideration. Additionally, the Care Quality Commission provides guidance and tools to healthcare providers around the use of controlled drugs in care, and supports collaboration and consistent practice through its Controlled Drugs National Group.
Asked by: Sharon Hodgson (Labour - Washington and Gateshead South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the existing licensing scheme for access to controlled drugs in UK care homes.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)
Most care homes will not require a licence to access medicines containing controlled drugs for patients who need them. This is because care homes run by public authorities or charities are exempt from the need for a licence. In addition, all care homes with nursing provision are exempt from needing a licence for medicines containing controlled drugs in Schedules 3-5 of the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001, and Schedule 2 drugs in circumstances where medication is patient prescribed. Any care home that does need a licence can apply for one from the Home Office. Details of how to register and then apply are available on GOV.UK.
No recent assessment has been made of the adequacy of the current controlled drugs licensing regime specifically in relation to care homes, however information about the process is easily available and the Home Office regularly receives applications from care homes to which it gives due consideration. Additionally, the Care Quality Commission provides guidance and tools to healthcare providers around the use of controlled drugs in care, and supports collaboration and consistent practice through its Controlled Drugs National Group.
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 controls on stocking (a) palliative care medicines and (b) controlled drugs on the (i) adequacy of access to medication for patients in care homes and (ii) levels of wastage.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Under the Enhanced health in care homes framework, every care home must be aligned to a primary care network (PCN) and must have established protocols between the PCN, the care home, and system partners, such as local general practices and pharmacies, for information sharing, shared care planning, use of shared care records, and clear clinical governance.
Pharmacies are expected to maintain a reasonable stock holding to meet their legal obligations to dispense all prescriptions, including to patients in care homes, with reasonable promptness, recognising that it is not feasible for a pharmacy to maintain stock of every medicine. The Pharmacy Quality Scheme rewards community pharmacy contractors that deliver quality criteria, one of which is the Palliative and End of Life Care scheme. Participating pharmacy contractors must declare if they intend to routinely stock 16 critical end of life medicines, including controlled drugs such as morphine and midazolam and/or parenteral haloperidol, and must have an action plan in place to support local access. This enables palliative medicines to be quickly sourced when prescribed.
Most care homes with nursing can hold stocks of controlled drugs and will not require a licence to access medicines containing controlled drugs for patients who need them. This is because care homes run by public authorities or charities are exempt from the need for a Home Office controlled drug licence. Care homes without nursing cannot store controlled drugs unless they are prescribed for individual residents.
The Government seeks to have a coordinated approach to prevent wastage as much as possible, to improve inefficiencies and reduce costs for the taxpayer. PCNs are required to ensure that Structured Medication Reviews (SMRs) for high-risk cohorts, such as care home patients, are implemented. SMRs are an evidence based comprehensive review of a person’s medication, their views, concerns, and safety. The use of SMRs can reduce harmful polypharmacy and medicine wastage.
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 adequacy of access to (a) palliative care medicines and (b) controlled drugs for patients in care homes.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Under the Enhanced health in care homes framework, every care home must be aligned to a primary care network (PCN) and must have established protocols between the PCN, the care home, and system partners, such as local general practices and pharmacies, for information sharing, shared care planning, use of shared care records, and clear clinical governance.
Pharmacies are expected to maintain a reasonable stock holding to meet their legal obligations to dispense all prescriptions, including to patients in care homes, with reasonable promptness, recognising that it is not feasible for a pharmacy to maintain stock of every medicine. The Pharmacy Quality Scheme rewards community pharmacy contractors that deliver quality criteria, one of which is the Palliative and End of Life Care scheme. Participating pharmacy contractors must declare if they intend to routinely stock 16 critical end of life medicines, including controlled drugs such as morphine and midazolam and/or parenteral haloperidol, and must have an action plan in place to support local access. This enables palliative medicines to be quickly sourced when prescribed.
Most care homes with nursing can hold stocks of controlled drugs and will not require a licence to access medicines containing controlled drugs for patients who need them. This is because care homes run by public authorities or charities are exempt from the need for a Home Office controlled drug licence. Care homes without nursing cannot store controlled drugs unless they are prescribed for individual residents.
The Government seeks to have a coordinated approach to prevent wastage as much as possible, to improve inefficiencies and reduce costs for the taxpayer. PCNs are required to ensure that Structured Medication Reviews (SMRs) for high-risk cohorts, such as care home patients, are implemented. SMRs are an evidence based comprehensive review of a person’s medication, their views, concerns, and safety. The use of SMRs can reduce harmful polypharmacy and medicine wastage.
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 misdiagnosis of women’s health symptoms on levels of diagnosis of ovarian cancer in (a) all women and (b) women under the age of 50.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is committed to improving the diagnosis, treatment, and ongoing care of gynaecological conditions, including ovarian cancer. NHS England has taken urgent action to address gynaecology waiting lists through the Elective Recovery Plan, including support for innovative care models that bring services closer to patients, and the piloting of gynaecology pathways within community diagnostic centres.
As a first step towards improving the diagnosis of ovarian cancer and reducing misdiagnosis, the National Health Service is now delivering an extra 40,000 operations, scans, and appointments each week. The NHS is also improving pathways to get people diagnosed once they are referred, including non-specific symptom pathways for patients who do not fit clearly into a single urgent cancer referral pathway. Combined, these interventions will help ensure early diagnosis and faster treatment, including for women with ovarian cancer, with further actions to be outlined in the forthcoming National Cancer Plan.
The most recent data available from the National Disease Registration Service shows that in England in 2022, 3,151 people were diagnosed with ovarian cancer at stages 3 & 4, which is classed as advanced.
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 target to increase the percentage of cancers diagnosed at stages 1 and 2 from the NHS Priorities and Operational Planning Guidance on women with ovarian cancer.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is committed to improving the diagnosis, treatment, and ongoing care of gynaecological conditions, including ovarian cancer. NHS England has taken urgent action to address gynaecology waiting lists through the Elective Recovery Plan, including support for innovative care models that bring services closer to patients, and the piloting of gynaecology pathways within community diagnostic centres.
As a first step towards improving the diagnosis of ovarian cancer and reducing misdiagnosis, the National Health Service is now delivering an extra 40,000 operations, scans, and appointments each week. The NHS is also improving pathways to get people diagnosed once they are referred, including non-specific symptom pathways for patients who do not fit clearly into a single urgent cancer referral pathway. Combined, these interventions will help ensure early diagnosis and faster treatment, including for women with ovarian cancer, with further actions to be outlined in the forthcoming National Cancer Plan.
The most recent data available from the National Disease Registration Service shows that in England in 2022, 3,151 people were diagnosed with ovarian cancer at stages 3 & 4, which is classed as advanced.
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 estimate his Department has made on the number of patients diagnosed with ovarian cancer at an advanced stage.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is committed to improving the diagnosis, treatment, and ongoing care of gynaecological conditions, including ovarian cancer. NHS England has taken urgent action to address gynaecology waiting lists through the Elective Recovery Plan, including support for innovative care models that bring services closer to patients, and the piloting of gynaecology pathways within community diagnostic centres.
As a first step towards improving the diagnosis of ovarian cancer and reducing misdiagnosis, the National Health Service is now delivering an extra 40,000 operations, scans, and appointments each week. The NHS is also improving pathways to get people diagnosed once they are referred, including non-specific symptom pathways for patients who do not fit clearly into a single urgent cancer referral pathway. Combined, these interventions will help ensure early diagnosis and faster treatment, including for women with ovarian cancer, with further actions to be outlined in the forthcoming National Cancer Plan.
The most recent data available from the National Disease Registration Service shows that in England in 2022, 3,151 people were diagnosed with ovarian cancer at stages 3 & 4, which is classed as advanced.