To match an exact phrase, use quotation marks around the search term. eg. "Parliamentary Estate". Use "OR" or "AND" as link words to form more complex queries.


View sample alert

Keep yourself up-to-date with the latest developments by exploring our subscription options to receive notifications direct to your inbox

Written Question
Sea King Helicopters: Exhaust Emissions
Friday 21st April 2023

Asked by: Luke Pollard (Labour (Co-op) - Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport)

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he plans to take steps to provide blood testing for veterans who have developed cancer and had sustained exposure to Sea King helicopter exhaust fumes.

Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

There is not a simple test or surveillance procedure of reliably mass screening for any exhaust associated rare cancers over an extended time period.


Written Question
Voluntary Scheme for Branded Medicines Pricing and Access: Disclosure of Information
Thursday 30th March 2023

Asked by: Daniel Zeichner (Labour - Cambridge)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to his Department’s ongoing VPAS pre-negotiation workshops, whether he plans to make the outputs of those discussions publicly available.

Answered by Will Quince

The objective of the pre-negotiation workshops was to enable a mutual understanding of the impact of the current voluntary scheme for branded medicines pricing and access (VPAS) upon the different organisations represented and to discuss the potential objectives and priorities for a new voluntary scheme. The discussions in the workshops will feed into the upcoming negotiation of a successor to the 2019 VPAS. In order to facilitate a transparent and candid discussion, participants agreed that all contributions and resulting outputs would be kept confidential to those who attended.

The following organisations were invited to the workshops:

Industry bodies (including representatives of their member companies):

- Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry;

- British Generic Manufacturers Association;

- Ethical Medicines Industry Group;

- BioIndustry Association.

Patient organisations and civil society organisations:

- Cancer52;

- The Blood Cancer Alliance;

- The Charity Medicines Access Coalition;

- National Voices;

- The Patients Association;

- Alzheimer’s Research UK;

- Anthony Nolan;

- Cystic Fibrosis Trust;

- Genetic Alliance UK;

- The Association of Medical Research Charities;

- Breast Cancer Now;

- Myeloma UK;

- Office of Health Economics;

- King’s Fund;

- NHS Confederation.


Written Question
Voluntary Scheme for Branded Medicines Pricing and Access: Disclosure of Information
Thursday 30th March 2023

Asked by: Daniel Zeichner (Labour - Cambridge)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to his Department’s ongoing VPAS pre-negotiation workshops, if he will publish the (a) minutes and (b) attendees of those workshops.

Answered by Will Quince

The objective of the pre-negotiation workshops was to enable a mutual understanding of the impact of the current voluntary scheme for branded medicines pricing and access (VPAS) upon the different organisations represented and to discuss the potential objectives and priorities for a new voluntary scheme. The discussions in the workshops will feed into the upcoming negotiation of a successor to the 2019 VPAS. In order to facilitate a transparent and candid discussion, participants agreed that all contributions and resulting outputs would be kept confidential to those who attended.

The following organisations were invited to the workshops:

Industry bodies (including representatives of their member companies):

- Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry;

- British Generic Manufacturers Association;

- Ethical Medicines Industry Group;

- BioIndustry Association.

Patient organisations and civil society organisations:

- Cancer52;

- The Blood Cancer Alliance;

- The Charity Medicines Access Coalition;

- National Voices;

- The Patients Association;

- Alzheimer’s Research UK;

- Anthony Nolan;

- Cystic Fibrosis Trust;

- Genetic Alliance UK;

- The Association of Medical Research Charities;

- Breast Cancer Now;

- Myeloma UK;

- Office of Health Economics;

- King’s Fund;

- NHS Confederation.


Written Question
Voluntary Scheme for Branded Medicines Pricing and Access
Thursday 23rd March 2023

Asked by: Daniel Zeichner (Labour - Cambridge)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will publish (a) the minutes from and (b) a list of attendees at the workshops his Department has been running ahead of negotiations on a new Voluntary Scheme for Branded Medicines Pricing and Access.

Answered by Will Quince

The objective of the pre-negotiation workshops was to enable a mutual understanding of the impact of the current voluntary scheme upon the different organisations represented, and to discuss the potential objectives and priorities for a new voluntary scheme. The discussions in the workshops will feed into the upcoming negotiation of a successor to the 2019 voluntary scheme for branded medicines pricing and access. In order to facilitate a transparent and candid discussion, participants agreed that all contributions would be kept confidential to those who attended.

The following external organisations were invited to the workshops:

Industry bodies:

- Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry

- British Generic Manufacturers Association

- Ethical Medicines Industry Group

- BioIndustry Association

Patient organisations and civil society organisations:

- Cancer52

- The Blood Cancer Alliance

- The Charity Medicines Access Coalition

- National Voices

- The Patients Association

- Alzheimer’s Research UK

- Anthony Nolan

- Cystic Fibrosis Trust

- Genetic Alliance UK

- The Association of Medical Research Charities

- Breast Cancer Now

- Myeloma UK

- Office of Health Economics

- King’s Fund

- NHS Confederation


Written Question
Voluntary Scheme for Branded Medicines Pricing and Access
Thursday 23rd March 2023

Asked by: Daniel Zeichner (Labour - Cambridge)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to publish information about the outcomes from the workshops that his Department has been running ahead of negotiations on a new Voluntary Scheme for Branded Medicines Pricing and Access.

Answered by Will Quince

The objective of the pre-negotiation workshops was to enable a mutual understanding of the impact of the current voluntary scheme upon the different organisations represented, and to discuss the potential objectives and priorities for a new voluntary scheme. The discussions in the workshops will feed into the upcoming negotiation of a successor to the 2019 voluntary scheme for branded medicines pricing and access. In order to facilitate a transparent and candid discussion, participants agreed that all contributions would be kept confidential to those who attended.

The following external organisations were invited to the workshops:

Industry bodies:

- Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry

- British Generic Manufacturers Association

- Ethical Medicines Industry Group

- BioIndustry Association

Patient organisations and civil society organisations:

- Cancer52

- The Blood Cancer Alliance

- The Charity Medicines Access Coalition

- National Voices

- The Patients Association

- Alzheimer’s Research UK

- Anthony Nolan

- Cystic Fibrosis Trust

- Genetic Alliance UK

- The Association of Medical Research Charities

- Breast Cancer Now

- Myeloma UK

- Office of Health Economics

- King’s Fund

- NHS Confederation


Written Question
Voluntary Scheme for Branded Medicines Pricing and Access
Wednesday 8th March 2023

Asked by: Caroline Lucas (Green Party - Brighton, Pavilion)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 20 February 2023 to Question 148627 on Voluntary Scheme for Branded Medicines Pricing and Access, which (a) industry bodies, (b) patient organisations and (c) relevant civil society organisations have been invited to the workshops.

Answered by Will Quince

The following organisations have been invited to one or more of the stakeholder workshops:

Industry bodies

- Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry;

- British Generic Manufacturers Association;

- Ethical Medicines Industry Group; and

- BioIndustry Association.

Patient organisations and civil society organisations

- Cancer52;

- The Blood Cancer Alliance;

- The Charity Medicines Access Coalition;

- National Voices;

- The Patients Association;

- Alzheimer’s Research UK;

- Anthony Nolan;

- Cystic Fibrosis Trust;

- Genetic Alliance UK;

- The Association of Medical Research Charities;

- Breast Cancer Now;

- Myeloma UK;

- Office of Health Economics;

- King’s Fund; and

- NHS Confederation.


Written Question
Coronavirus: Medical Treatments
Tuesday 7th February 2023

Asked by: Lord Mendelsohn (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government how they will (1) assess, and (2) report on, the effectiveness of COVID-19 Medicine Delivery Units (CMDUs) in providing treatments for COVID-19 to vulnerable patients; and whether they have any plans (a) to disband CMDUs and devolve this responsibility to a primary care model, or (b) implement any other change of process.

Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

NHS England regularly meets with patient groups and charities, such as Blood Cancer UK, to hear feedback on the experience of individuals who have sought and/or received treatment via a COVID-19 Medicine Delivery Unit (CMDU), and with representatives of the care home sector to identify ways to facilitate timely contact and clinical assessment for potentially eligible individuals in their care. Publications reporting on treatment via CMDUs are available in an online-only format on the National Health Service website.

In the future, access to COVID-19 treatments will be determined by the guidance of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, which is currently undertaking a multiple technology appraisal covering a range of potential COVID-19 treatments. Once its final determination has been made and published, setting out which COVID-19 treatments should be made routinely available by the NHS, it will be for local integrated care boards to determine access pathways for these medicines within their local communities. The expectation is for treatment to be deployed through more routine access routes, including through GPs and other forms of primary care.


Written Question
NHS: Staff
Monday 23rd January 2023

Asked by: Caroline Lucas (Green Party - Brighton, Pavilion)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 19 December 2022 to Question 108144 on NHS: Staff, with which (a) trades unions, (b) medical royal colleges, (c) NHS system leaders, (d) voluntary organisations his Department consulted on the NHS workforce plan.

Answered by Will Quince

The following table shows the organisations that have been engaged. This list is not exhaustive because NHS England and Health Education England leaders and programme teams are also working with external stakeholders and their contribution is also informing the plan’s development.

Trade unions, royal colleges and representative bodies

Regulators

Members of Cancer Charities Group

Unison

Professional Standards Authority

Alike

Unite

General Medical Council

AMMF – the cholangiocarcinoma charity

GMB

Care Quality Commission

Anthony Nolan

Managers in Partnership

Healthcare and Professions Council

Blood Cancer UK

British Medical Association

Nursing and Midwifery Council

Bloodwise

Academy of Medical Royal Colleges

Think tanks

Bone Cancer Research Trust

Royal College of Nursing

Nuffield Trust

Bowel Cancer UK

Royal College of Midwives

The Health Foundation

Brain Trust – the brain cancer people

Royal College of Physicians

The King’s Fund

The Brain Tumour Charity

Royal College of Surgeons

Regulators

Brain Tumour Research

Royal College of General Practitioners

Professional Standards Authority

British Liver Trust

Royal College of Psychiatrists

General Medical Council

Breast Cancer Now

Royal College of Anaesthetists

Care Quality Commission

Cancer 52

Royal College of Pathologists

Healthcare and Professions Council

Cancer Research UK

Royal College of Ophthalmologists

Nursing and Midwifery Council

CATTS (Cancer Awareness for Teens & Twenties)

Royal College of Occupational Therapists

Think tanks

Chai Cancer Care

Royal Pharmaceutical Society

Nuffield Trust

Children's Cancer and Leukaemia Group

Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists

The Health Foundation

CLIC Sargent

Royal College of Ophthalmologists

The King’s Fund

CoppaFeel!

Royal College of Emergency Medicine

DKMS

Royal College of Podiatry

Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust

The Association for Clinical Biochemistry and Laboratory Medicine

Eve Appeal

The Society of Radiographers

Fight Bladder Cancer

Institute of Osteopathy

GO Girls Support

College of Operating Department Practitioners

Guts UK

British Association of Art Therapists

Haven House

British Association of Drama therapists

Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust

British Association for Music Therapy

Kidney Cancer UK

The Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists

Less Survivable Cancers Taskforce

British Dietetic Association

Leukaemia Care

British and Irish Orthoptic Society

Leukaemia UK

British Association of Prosthetists and Orthotists

Lymphoma Action

College of Paramedics

Macmillan Cancer Support

The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy

Maggie's – everyone’s home of cancer care

College of General Dentistry

Marie Curie

Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive healthcare

MDS UK Patient Support Group

Queen’s Nursing Institute

Melanoma Focus

Institute of Health Visiting

Melanoma UK

British Society of Rheumatology

Mesothelioma

The Richmond Group of Charities (including Macmillan Cancer Support, Diabetes UK, Asthma UK, Age UK)

Mylenoma UK

Cancer Charities Group (*see separate list for members)

National Cancer Research Institute

Council of Deans of Health

Neuroendocrine Cancer UK

Medical Schools Council

OcuMel UK

Universities UK

Ovacome

University Alliance

Ovarian Cancer Action

Office for Students

Pancreatic Cancer Action

Skills for Care

Pancreatic Cancer UK

Local Government Association

Paul's Cancer Support

Association of Directors of Adult Social Services

Penny Brohn UK

Social Partnership Forum

Prostate Cancer Research

NHS providers

Prostate Cancer UK

NHS Employers

Race Against Blood Cancer

The Shelford Group

Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation

ICS leaders

Salivary Gland Cancer UK

NHS Confederation

Sarcoma UK

Community Providers Network

Shine Cancer Support

Solving Kids Cancer

Target Ovarian Cancer

Teenage Cancer Trust

Trekstock

The Joshua Tree

WMUK – The charity for Waldenstrom's macroglobulinaemia

World Cancer Research Fund

Further discussions will take place before the plan is finalised. This will include engagement with patient representative groups. NHS England can discuss with any organisations interested in the development of the Plan.


Written Question
Blood Cancer: Health Services
Wednesday 21st December 2022

Asked by: Bambos Charalambous (Labour - Enfield, Southgate)

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 impact of delays in diagnosis on the treatment of blood cancers.

Answered by Helen Whately - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

No formal assessment has been made. The ‘Delivery plan for tackling the COVID-19 backlog of elective care’ sets out how the National Health Service will recover and expand elective services over the next three years, including in cancer services. NHS England is providing additional support for trusts to deliver the commitments for cancer services in the plan.


Written Question
Blood Cancer: Health Services
Wednesday 21st December 2022

Asked by: Bambos Charalambous (Labour - Enfield, Southgate)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the 10-year cancer plan will include specific plans to support patients with blood cancer.

Answered by Helen Whately - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Following the call for evidence for a 10 year cancer plan earlier this year, we received over 5,000 submissions. We are currently reviewing these responses.