Asked by: Peter Kyle (Labour - Hove)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to page 68 of Her Majesty’s Inspector of Prisons’ Annual Report 2019-20, for what reason the use of force and persistent use of pain-inducing techniques have increased in young offender institutions.
Answered by Lucy Frazer - Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
The safety and wellbeing of children in custody is paramount and I am clear that restraint should be used only when there is no other suitable alternative. Whilst the number of children in custody has reduced by 68% over the last ten years since 2009/10, this has resulted in a concentrated cohort with particularly complex needs or challenging behaviour, with children and young people (including 18 year olds) serving sentences for violence against the person offences accounting for over half (55%) of the youth custody population in 2019/20.
Following the publication of Charlie Taylor’s independent review in June, we have committed to removing the use of pain inducing techniques (PITs) from the Minimising and Managing Physical Restraint (MMPR) syllabus, to ensure that these are a last resort to prevent serious physical injury to children or staff. Work is well underway on this, and we are looking to remove the use of PITs from the MMPR syllabus by the end of the year, with a suite of training to commence throughout 2021 to ensure full implementation and understanding across sites. In line with the recommendations made, an independent review panel has been set up which will sit for the first time in December to agree Terms of Reference, prior to the panel reviewing incidents involving PITs or serious injury or warning signs (SIWS) in each establishment twice a year and creation of individual action plans for each site.
HM Inspectorate of Prisons (HMIP) have visited all under 18 Young Offender Institutions for scrutiny visits during the Covid-19 period. It is encouraging that they found all sites to appear ‘calm and well-ordered’. However, there is still more work to do and the Youth Custody Service will continue to closely monitor levels of violence, self-harm and restrictive physical intervention across the youth secure estate as work continues to evaluate and learn lessons from the Covid-19 period and inform future planning.
Asked by: Sarah Champion (Labour - Rotherham)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his Department will implement the recommendations of the Independent Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Review report entitled First Do No Harm, published on 8 July 2020.
Answered by Nadine Dorries
All recommendations of the Independent Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Review are being considered carefully. The Government will provide an update in due course.
Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Fleetwood)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the oral contribution of the the Minister for Patient Safety, Mental Health and Suicide Prevention of 9 July, Official Report, Column 1151, what discussions he has had with the Minister on implementing recommendation one of the Independent Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Review report entitled First Do No Harm, published on 8 July 2020.
Answered by Nadine Dorries
Recommendation one of the Independent Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Review has been implemented.
In my statement to the House of Commons on 9 July following the publication of the Independent Medicines and medical Devices Safety Review, (Official Report, vol. 678, cols 1147-1148), I apologised on behalf of the health and care sector to the patients and families affected by Primodos, sodium valproate and pelvic mesh for the time the system took to listen and respond.
Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Fleetwood)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will implement recommendation one of the Independent Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Review report entitled First Do No Harm, published on 8 July 2020.
Answered by Nadine Dorries
Recommendation one of the Independent Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Review has been implemented.
In my statement to the House of Commons on 9 July following the publication of the Independent Medicines and medical Devices Safety Review, (Official Report, vol. 678, cols 1147-1148), I apologised on behalf of the health and care sector to the patients and families affected by Primodos, sodium valproate and pelvic mesh for the time the system took to listen and respond.
Asked by: Caroline Nokes (Conservative - Romsey and Southampton North)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps (a) have been and (b) are being taken to implement the recommendations of the Independent Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Review report entitled First Do No Harm, published on 8 July 2020.
Answered by Nadine Dorries
All recommendations of the Independent Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Review are being considered carefully. The Government will provide an update in due course.
Asked by: Baroness Browning (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government when they plan to respond to the Report of the Independent Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Review First Do No Harm, published on 8 July.
Answered by Lord Bethell
The recommendations of the Independent Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Review are being considered carefully.
The Government will provide an update in due course.
Asked by: Emma Hardy (Labour - Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the recommendations of the Independent Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Review entitled First Do No Harm, what his timescale is for implementing recommendations (a) 1, (b) 2, (c) 3, (d) 4 and (e) 6.
Answered by Nadine Dorries
All recommendations of the Independent Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Review are being considered carefully.
The Government will provide an update in due course.
Asked by: Jackie Doyle-Price (Conservative - Thurrock)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when his Department plans to update the House on its response to the Independent Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Review; what the Government's priorities are for women's health; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Nadine Dorries
We do not consider it appropriate to commit to a specific timeframe for a response while these recommendations are being considered. While this report was published on 8 July, it took over two years to compile and we therefore consider it vitally important that it is given full consideration.
Supporting women’s health is critical for the health and care system. We know that there are significant differences and inequalities between different groups of women in terms of access to services, experience of services and health outcomes. We are reflecting on the detailed and thorough First Do No Harm Report published by Baroness Cumberlege and what this tells us about priorities for women’s health.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have received (1) from the Association for Children Damaged by Hormone Pregnancy Tests on behalf of families affected by Primados, and (2) following the report of the Independent Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Review First do no harm, published on 8 July; and when they intend to respond to any such representations.
Answered by Lord Bethell
On behalf of affected families, the Chair of the Association for Children Damaged by Hormone Pregnancy Tests (HPTs) attended every meeting of the Commission on Human Medicines’ Expert Working Group on HPTs and was invited to discuss their draft recommendations and give a statement to the Commission on the draft report of the Group. In addition, 13 affected families gave their personal experiences with Primodos to the Expert Working Group. Since publication of the report of the Independent Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Review, we have received a letter from the Chair of the Association for Children Damaged by Hormone Pregnancy Tests and will be responding shortly.
The Independent Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Review published its report on 8 July and all of its recommendations will be considered carefully. The Government will provide an update in due course.
Asked by: Julian Lewis (Conservative - New Forest East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the vaginal mesh implants scandal, if he will take steps to require (a) medical personnel who are consultants to firms making medical products that they propose to use for their patients (i) declare their interest and (ii) draw their patients' attention to such a declaration when recommending the use of those products and (b) victims of that scandal of whatever age do not have to pay prescription charges for medication required to treat their resultant injuries and symptoms.
Answered by Nadine Dorries
The General Medical Council already has guidance covering financial and commercial arrangements and conflicts of interest, which all medical practitioners must adhere to and which came into effect on 22 April 2013. We will consider whether these arrangements should be strengthened.
National Health service prescription charge exemptions are in place to help those with greatest need.
The Government will consider the recommendations in the First Do No Harm report published on 8 July very carefully.