Found: told us: “I do not think we have plans for a wholesale formal evaluation at this point.”118 Baroness Merron

Found: Correspondence from Baroness Merron re National Maternity and Neonatal Investigation Correspondence

Found: Emma Cox: It was led by Baroness Merron, and it was NHS England, the Department of Health and Social

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Merron on 21 November (HL11829), whether they plan to ask (1) the Medical Cannabis Clinicians Society, and (2) patient bodies such as the Medcan Family Foundation, to contribute to the review of the effect of the 2018 law change to allow access to unlicensed cannabis-based products for medicinal use; and what steps they are taking to ensure that that review includes consultation with scientists and patients.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

On 1 November 2018, cannabis-based products for medicinal use were placed in Schedule 2 to the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001. The regulations permit the prescribing of these products by, or under the direction of, specialist clinicians on the General Medical Council Specialist Register, and for use in clinical trials.

On 2 June, the Government asked the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD), a statutory independent scientific advisory body that advises the Government on drug-related issues, to review the effects of the 2018 law change. This will look at whether the changes have had the desired impact, and whether there are any unintended consequences. The ACMD is an independent scientific advisory body and determines its own procedures.

The ACMD published a public call for evidence running from 17 September 2025 to 17 October 2025, inviting submissions of evidence from all stakeholders, including, but not exclusive to, clinicians, patient bodies, scientists, and researchers. The Department alerted interested parties to the ACMD call for evidence, including the Medical Cannabis Clinicians Society, as secretariat to the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Medical Cannabis under Prescription, and patient bodies, including the Medcan Family Foundation.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Merron on 20 November (HL11652), what projects for reform of occupational health services are funded through the Small Business Research Initiative; how much funding was provided to each of those projects, and whether they will place a copy of the self-reported outcomes of those projects in the Library of the House.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The fund for stimulating innovation in occupational health (OH) funded five projects in Phase 2. Up to £300,000, inclusive of VAT, was allocated for each contract, to develop a prototype and undertake field testing for up to 12 months. The following table shows the projects to reform OH, their actual spend, and the project participant’s name:

Further details on each of the projects have been published on the Innovate UK transparency page.

Following the normal practice of Innovate UK, projects will not be required to deposit their self-reported outcomes in the Library of the House due to commercial confidentiality considerations.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Merron on 18 November (HL11324), how many reports they have received via the HSA4 abortion notification form of women who have died within 14 days of taking at-home abortion medication prescribed by the British Pregnancy Advisory Service in each of the past four years.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department is unable to provide this information as to do so would risk identifying individuals due to the small numbers involved.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the answer by Baroness Merron on 13 October (HL Deb cols 9–10), what plans they have to introduce an 18-week referral-to-treatment target for dementia to ensure parity with other conditions and to address current waiting times.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

We will deliver the first ever Frailty and Dementia Modern Service Framework to deliver rapid and significant improvements in quality of care and productivity. This will be informed by phase one of the independent commission into adult social care, expected in 2026.

The Frailty and Dementia Modern Service Framework will seek to reduce unwarranted variation and narrow inequality for those living with dementia and will set national standards for dementia care and redirect National Health Service priorities to provide the best possible care and support.

In developing the Frailty and Dementia Modern Service Framework, we are engaging with a wide group of partners to understand what should be included to ensure the best outcomes for people living with dementia. As part of this exercise, we will consider what interventions should be supported to improve diagnosis waiting times, which we know are too long in many areas. We are considering all options to help reduce variation, including reviewing metrics and targets.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Merron on 24 October (HL10891), whether the father's NHS number, email address and telephone number will be added to a baby's Patient Demographic Service records through linking with the father's health record; and if so, who will add those details, how those details will be added, and when those details will be added relative to the baby's birth.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

A father’s, and second parent’s, National Health Service number, emails, and telephone numbers will become available via a look up rather than via an actual field population, if parents have shared their data on the General Registry Office. Information added to the baby’s Personal Demographics Service Record in England will be through an automated process, completed after the birth registration.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the answer by Baroness Merron on 12 November (HL Deb col 252), what specific reasons she has for saying that "the evidence base for telemedical medicine is sound".

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Abortions are generally very safe, and most women will not experience any complications. The evidence-base for home use of early medical abortion pills has been assessed by leading statutory and professional organisations and it is recognised to be a safe procedure in evidence-based guidance, including the World Health Organisation’s abortion care guideline, the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists 2022 report on best practice in abortion care, and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s clinical guidelines on abortion care.

The Abortion Notification System (ANS) collects information on complications that occur up until the time of discharge for all abortions, and where the medicine was administered for medical abortions. Since 2015, there has been a marginal downward trend in complication rates reported in the ANS. In 2022, complications were reported in only 0.12% of abortions.

The Department continues to work with NHS England, the Care Quality Commission, and abortion providers to ensure that women have safe and timely access to abortion services as decided by Parliament.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the answer by Baroness Merron on 12 November (HL Deb col 254), what was the specific evidence base for saying that "The data available does not point to concerns about the provision of telemedicine".

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Abortions are generally very safe, and most women will not experience any complications. The evidence-base for home use of early medical abortion pills has been assessed by leading statutory and professional organisations and it is recognised to be a safe procedure in evidence-based guidance, including the World Health Organisation’s abortion care guideline, the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists 2022 report on best practice in abortion care, and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s clinical guidelines on abortion care.

The Abortion Notification System (ANS) collects information on complications that occur up until the time of discharge for all abortions, and where the medicine was administered for medical abortions. Since 2015, there has been a marginal downward trend in complication rates reported in the ANS. In 2022, complications were reported in only 0.12% of abortions.

The Department continues to work with NHS England, the Care Quality Commission, and abortion providers to ensure that women have safe and timely access to abortion services as decided by Parliament.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Merron on 19 September 2024 (HL968), why the Privacy Enhancing Technology data protection impact assessment has not been published, and when they plan to publish it.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

NHS England has recently completed a substantial update to the suite of Data Protection Impact Assessments (DPIAs) relating to the Privacy Enhancing Technology (PET). These updates were necessary to ensure that the DPIAs reflect the latest technical developments and governance requirements.

These comprise: a Technical DPIA; a Local Operational DPIA; and a National Operational DPIA. NHS England is now undertaking the final stages of review and preparation to ensure that these documents meet all publication standards and accessibility requirements. It is anticipated that the updated PET DPIAs will be published in December 2025.

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Found: Nil Return Stephen Kinnock Nil Return Nil Return Nil Return Nil Return Nil Return Nil Return Baroness Merron

Found: Return Stephen Kinnock 2025-10-03 Asian Media Group Dinner at the Pharmacy Business Awards No 60 Baroness Merron

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Found: Parliamentary Under- Secretary of State for Patient Safety, Women’s Health and Mental Health, Baroness Merron

Found: Letter dated 21/11/2025 from Baroness Merron to Baroness Smith of Llanfaes regarding points raised in

Found: Letter dated 21/11/2025 from Baroness Merron to Baroness Coffey regarding points made during the Terminally