Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Steve Brine and Eleanor Smith

Tuesday 23rd October 2018 Commons Chamber

[Eleanor Smith (Wolverhampton South West) (Lab)]

I have a constituent who has Turner syndrome, a female-only genetic disorder that affects one in every 2,000 baby girls. Owing to this, she has to take several medications every day of her life, and this is mounting up as she gets older. She works so she is not on any benefits and has to pay for her medications herself. Will the Minister consider exempting those who suffer from lifelong conditions such as Turner syndrome from paying for their prescriptions? Surely, it cannot be right that people in England should be treated differently from those in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, where such prescription charges have been abolished.

[Steve Brine]

I would be very happy to meet the hon. Lady to discuss her constituent’s case.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Steve Brine and Eleanor Smith

Tuesday 24th July 2018 Commons Chamber

[Steve Brine]

The shadow Minister is absolutely right to raise this issue, which she also raised with me in the Westminster Hall debate on the same subject introduced by my hon. Friend the Member for North Thanet (Sir Roger Gale), who has done a lot in this area. I have already spoken to Public Health England about this in respect of the girls’ programme, and I will be speaking to it again now that we have announced the boys’ programme, because the equality of doing the dual programme must be matched by the equality of its taking place in her constituency as much as in mine in Hampshire.

[Eleanor Smith (Wolverhampton South West) (Lab)]

6. What steps his Department is taking to increase the number of BAME blood, stem cell and organ donors throughout England.