Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Steve Brine and Ronnie Cowan

Tuesday 15th January 2019 Commons Chamber

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (Steve Brine)]

The Government acted swiftly to change the law to allow cannabis-based products to be prescribed for those patients who might benefit, with advice from the chief medical officer and the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs. NHS England and the CMO have written to clinicians in England highlighting the interim clinical guidance available.

[Ronnie Cowan]

When the Government announced that they were prepared to allow medical cannabis under prescription, the decision was welcomed by many people throughout the United Kingdom who suffer from a range of conditions, but the process that has been adopted has failed to deliver. When will the Government take steps to facilitate GPs to prescribe and pharmacists to provide the appropriate effective forms of medical cannabis?

[Steve Brine]

We commissioned the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence to produce further guidance that should be out by October. Doctors are right to be cautious when the evidence base remains limited and further research in this area is vital. The change to the law will facilitate that. The National Institute for Health Research has called for research proposals to enhance our knowledge in the area and I think that that is absolutely right.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Steve Brine and Ronnie Cowan

Tuesday 24th July 2018 Commons Chamber

[Ronnie Cowan (Inverclyde) (SNP)]

2. What recent discussions he has had with the Home Secretary on policies to tackle drug-related harm.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (Steve Brine)]

I attended the most recent cross-Government board meeting, which was held in June and chaired by the Home Secretary, to discuss the implementation of the drugs strategy. We know that drugs can devastate lives and damage our communities. The Government’s approach remains clear: we must do everything that we can to prevent drug use and support people through successful treatment and recovery.

[Ronnie Cowan]

Given the recent statistics showing that drug-related deaths in Portugal are three per million, compared with the UK figure of 64 per million, does the Minister agree that the UK Government should follow Portugal’s example and make drug policy reform a matter primarily for Health and Social Care, rather than the Home Office?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Steve Brine and Ronnie Cowan

Tuesday 20th March 2018 Commons Chamber

[Ronnie Cowan (Inverclyde) (SNP)]

T4. This morning I met the family of Alfie Dingley and members of the End Our Pain campaign. Alfie’s case, along with those of Murray Gray and Billy Caldwell—and many, many more—highlight the case for medical cannabis. Will the Minister liaise with the Home Office to introduce medical cannabis for the thousands of people who would benefit, but who do not want to be branded as criminals?

[Steve Brine]

Obviously, everybody in the House is aware of this case, and our thoughts are with Alfie and his family. The policing Minister has met Alfie’s family and discussed options that may assist him. No decisions have been made, and any proposal would need to be led by Alfie’s clinicians using sufficient and rigorous evidence.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Steve Brine and Ronnie Cowan

Tuesday 4th July 2017 Commons Chamber

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health (Steve Brine)]

I do indeed welcome that. Improvements to GP access in the NHS in South Tees have been put in place. Patients in Middlesbrough, Redcar and Cleveland can now benefit from accessing GP appointments at a time that is convenient for them, seven days a week—that is exactly as it should be.

[Ronnie Cowan (Inverclyde) (SNP)]

T2. With the Scottish Government now committed to a soft opt-out system for organ donation similar to that implemented in Wales in 2015, is it not time that the UK Government followed the lead of the Welsh and Scottish Governments by introducing a similar system south of the border?