Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what information his Department holds on allegations that tissue samples were sold by the Christie NHS Foundation Trust to pharmaceutical companies without the knowledge of the patients concerned; whether his attention was drawn to any such allegations; and what investigation his Department has (a) conducted and (b) plans to conduct into such allegations.

These allegations were not previously known to either the Department or Ministers.

This written question has been brought to the attention of The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, and the system regulators – in this case, Monitor, the Care Quality Commission, and the Human Tissue Authority. The regulators are best placed to deal with such concerns as they have statutory powers to take action where necessary.