Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Wyre)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what information his Department holds on the number of children who have (a) been harmed by sodium valproate use during pregnancy and (b) received a diagnosis of Foetal Valproate Spectrum.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department does not hold information regarding the number of children that have been harmed by sodium valproate use during pregnancy, or those who have received a diagnosis of foetal valproate spectrum.
The National Disease Registration Service in NHS England collects and quality assures data about people with congenital conditions and rare conditions across the whole of England.
In the most recent official statistics on congenital conditions in England, the 2022 Congenital Condition Official Statistics Report, which contains information on congenital conditions detected in babies delivered in England between 1 January and 31 December 2022, as well as in previous publications of this series back to its inception in 2018, there were no foetus' or babies reported to have a diagnosis of fetal sodium valproate syndrome.
It is likely that while some of the individual conditions, for instance neural tube defects, cardiac, oro-facial clefts, and/or limb difference, that can be associated with this condition are recorded on the register, the overarching diagnosis of fetal sodium valproate syndrome may not yet be registered because fetal sodium valproate syndrome may take more than a year after birth to be confirmed as a diagnosis, so the number reported in any year is the minimum level in the population.
The National Disease Registration Service is assessing the feasibility and reliability of better ascertainment of fetal sodium valproate syndrome by linking the congenital condition register to primary care prescription data.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the comment of the universities Minister, Baroness Smith of Malvern, that UK education has become "a prime target for foreign states", whether they will publish the details of the threats posed by foreign states to UK universities, and how individual universities have responded to those threats.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
It is the long-standing policy of successive UK governments not to comment either on individual cases or operational intelligence.
The world-class reputation of our universities makes them a prime target for foreign states and hostile actors, who seek to erode that reputation by promoting, shaping or censoring what universities can offer.
We are working together across government and with universities themselves to defend the UK’s thriving academic environment. By working together and sharing information, we will foster the confidence needed to stand strong in the face of foreign pressure.
To tackle this enduring threat, MI5 and cyber security services delivered a rare briefing to over 70 Vice Chancellors. The government is also investing £3 million to bolster existing support and access to expert advice on national security risk management, including a new Academic Interference Reporting Route and new guidance.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government when they received a warning from MI5 of a threat posed by the Chinese Communist Party to British universities; and what action they have taken in response to that warning.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
It is the long-standing policy of successive UK governments not to comment either on individual cases or operational intelligence.
The world-class reputation of our universities makes them a prime target for foreign states and hostile actors, who seek to erode that reputation by promoting, shaping or censoring what universities can offer.
We are working together across government and with universities themselves to defend the UK’s thriving academic environment. By working together and sharing information, we will foster the confidence needed to stand strong in the face of foreign pressure.
To tackle this enduring threat, MI5 and cyber security services delivered a rare briefing to over 70 Vice Chancellors. The government is also investing £3 million to bolster existing support and access to expert advice on national security risk management, including a new Academic Interference Reporting Route and new guidance.
Asked by: Clive Jones (Liberal Democrat - Wokingham)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what provision the National Cancer Plan will make for orphan drug pathways for patients with rare cancers requiring personalised treatment plans; and how those pathways will differ from existing commissioning arrangements.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
On 4 February 2026, NHS England and the Department published a National Cancer Plan for England. The National Cancer Plan is part of our work to build a National Health Service that is fit for the future and will make England a world-leader for cancer survival.
The orphan drug designation is assessed by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency and is granted at the same time as the marketing authorisation. It provides a period of market exclusivity during which similar competitor medicines cannot enter the United Kingdom market. The orphan drug regulations are designed to support the development of medicines to treat rare diseases including rare cancers.
All new licensed medicines, including orphan medicines, are evaluated by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), which makes recommendations for the NHS on whether they represent a clinically and cost-effective use of NHS resources. NICE aims wherever possible to issue recommendations on new medicines close to the time of licensing, and the NHS in England is legally required to fund medicines recommended by NICE. NICE has a strong track record in recommending orphan medicines for use on the NHS and many thousands of patients with rare diseases have benefitted from access to new medicines as a result.
The Rare Cancers Bill, currently going through the House of Lords, places a duty on the Government to publish a review of the law related to marketing authorisation for rare cancer drugs, for instance orphan drugs for cancer, comparing the UK’s approach to other approaches internationally. Through the National Cancer Plan the Government has committed to full implement of the Rare Cancers Bill to streamline trial pathways and review regulatory barriers that prevent access to promising new treatments.
Asked by: Clive Jones (Liberal Democrat - Wokingham)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to page 75 of the policy paper entitled A National Cancer Plan for England: delivering world class cancer care, whether it is his policy that patients with rare cancers should be offered targeted and personalised therapies where genomic testing identifies a suitable potential treatment.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The National Cancer Plan, published on 4 February 2026, sets out clear actions to expand diagnostic genomic testing and ensure that this is matched by access to targeted therapies. The plan confirms that every cancer patient who would benefit from genomic testing, including those with rare cancers, will receive it within a clinically relevant timeframe.
To support timely access to treatments identified through genomic testing, a new joint National Institute for Health and Care Excellence and Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency process from April 2026 will accelerate licensing and appraisal so that National Health Service funding recommendations can be made more quickly. The expansion of the NHS Genomic Medicine Service will also help identify suitable targeted therapies, connect patients to clinical trials faster, and integrate genomic data into the Single Patient Record by 2028.
With reference to page 75 of the National Cancer Plan, it is Government policy that patients with rare cancers should benefit from personalised and targeted therapies where genomic testing identifies a suitable option. The plan also strengthens specialist multidisciplinary teams for rare cancers so that patients can access expertise from specialist centres and the most up‑to‑date evidence‑based treatments.
Asked by: Clive Jones (Liberal Democrat - Wokingham)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that the expansion of diagnostic genomic testing for cancer is accompanied by timely NHS access to targeted therapies identified by that testing, including where such therapies are not routinely commissioned.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The National Cancer Plan, published on 4 February 2026, sets out clear actions to expand diagnostic genomic testing and ensure that this is matched by access to targeted therapies. The plan confirms that every cancer patient who would benefit from genomic testing, including those with rare cancers, will receive it within a clinically relevant timeframe.
To support timely access to treatments identified through genomic testing, a new joint National Institute for Health and Care Excellence and Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency process from April 2026 will accelerate licensing and appraisal so that National Health Service funding recommendations can be made more quickly. The expansion of the NHS Genomic Medicine Service will also help identify suitable targeted therapies, connect patients to clinical trials faster, and integrate genomic data into the Single Patient Record by 2028.
With reference to page 75 of the National Cancer Plan, it is Government policy that patients with rare cancers should benefit from personalised and targeted therapies where genomic testing identifies a suitable option. The plan also strengthens specialist multidisciplinary teams for rare cancers so that patients can access expertise from specialist centres and the most up‑to‑date evidence‑based treatments.
Asked by: Neil Duncan-Jordan (Labour - Poole)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps is her Department taking to help ensure pedestrians are kept safe from accidents involving e-bikes and scooters.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The safety of pedestrians like all road users is a priority for this government.
The Highway Code updates in January 2022 implemented a Hierarchy of Road Users. This places those road users most at risk in the event of a collision, such as pedestrians, at the top of the hierarchy.
Our new Road Safety Strategy, published in January 2026 sets out our vision for a safer future on our roads for all. The Strategy sets an ambitious target to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured on British roads, including pedestrians, by 65% by 2035.
We are also making our streets safer for pedestrians, by introducing new cycling offences in the Crime and Policing Bill to tackle those rare instances where victims have been killed or seriously injured by irresponsible cyclist behaviour.
It is illegal to ride a cycle, e-cycle or e-scooter on the pavement; enforcement against illegal or irresponsible e-scooter use is a matter for the police.
Asked by: Neil Duncan-Jordan (Labour - Poole)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of medication available on the NHS to treat Acute Myeloid Leukaemia in babies.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Acute myeloid leukaemia is rare in babies, as there are approximately 10 cases in England each year. Standard upfront chemotherapy is available but options for patients who do not respond to standard chemotherapy or relapse are limited. NHS England encourages clinicians to submit proposals to expand the range of clinical commissioning policies, helping to ensure that patients are able to access the latest, evidence-based treatments and care.
The Department continues to work with NHS England, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence to support the development of new treatments for rare paediatric cancers.
Asked by: Baroness McIntosh of Pickering (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what additional resources they will make available to fire services in England to tackle fires at battery storage plants.
Answered by Lord Whitehead - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Fires at battery storage plants are rare and government expects any related fire services costs to be resourced from overall budgets.
Last year the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government published the 2025/26 Local Government Finance Settlement (LGFS) which sets out funding allocations for all local authorities, including Fire and Rescue Authorities. These allocations, which include the National Insurance Contribution Grant, will see standalone fire and rescue authorities receiving an increase in core spending power of £69.1 million in 2025/26. This is an increase of 3.6 per cent in cash terms compared to 2024/25.
Asked by: Kim Johnson (Labour - Liverpool Riverside)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of trends in the level of geographic variation in access to tissue-freezing services; and what steps his Department is taking to ensure equitable access to advanced treatments, accurate genome sequencing and research participation.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Pathology services in England are delivered through 27 regional pathology networks, and offer a comprehensive range of tests, including the analysis of brain tissues.
Individual pathology services maintain their own standard operating procedures (SOPs) for fresh, or the snap-freezing of, tissue samples. These SOPs outline local capabilities and practices.
It is important that everyone, regardless of where they live, can access the latest innovations in the health and care system through research. The Department invests over £1.6 billion each year in research through the National Institute of Health and Care Research (NIHR). The NIHR's investments for capital equipment, technology, and modular buildings supports NHS trusts across England to deliver high-quality research to improve the health of the population. This investment includes cutting edge research equipment and fixed assets such as ultra-low and cryogenic freezers, to strengthen research capacity and improve access to samples for research.
The Government also supports the Rare Cancers Private Members Bill. The bill will make it easier for clinical trials to take place in England, by ensuring the patient population can be more easily contacted by researchers.