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 assessment his Department has made of the potential implications for his policies of the health-related findings in the Institute of Alcohol Studies report entitled Spin the Bottle: How the UK alcohol industry twists the facts on harm and responsibility; and what steps he is taking to ensure that engagement with industry stakeholders aligns with the Principles for Engaging with Industry Stakeholders published by Public Health England.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department has noted the publication of the Institute of Alcohol Studies’ report. It will consider its findings and reflect on the relevant policies, as necessary.
External engagement is a fundamental part of what United Kingdom ministerial Government departments do. We recognise the importance of promoting transparency through engagement and the need to take a balanced approach. Details of ministers’ meetings with external individuals and organisations are published quarterly in arrears on the GOV.UK website.
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 steps his Department is taking to (a) recognise and (b) address the increased risk of developing cancer associated with alcohol consumption.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Alcohol has been identified as a causal factor in more than 200 medical conditions, including mouth, throat, stomach, liver and breast cancers. The Government is committed to reversing the trend on alcohol-specific deaths and shortening the amount of time people spend in ill-health related to due to alcohol-related harm.
Under our Health Mission, the Government is committed to prioritising preventative public health measures to support people to live longer, healthier lives. The Department will continue to work across Government to better understand how we can best reduce alcohol-related harms. Furthermore, the National Cancer Plan will cover the entirety of the cancer pathway, from referral and diagnosis to treatment and ongoing care- as well as prevention and research and innovation. The plan will build on the shift from sickness to prevention set out by the 10-Year Health Plan and will seek to reduce risk factors.
The United Kingdom Chief Medical Officers’ low-risk drinking guidelines state: “The risk of developing a range of health problems (including cancers of the mouth, throat and breast) increases the more you drink on a regular basis” and that “To keep health risks from alcohol to a low level it is safest not to drink more than 14 units a week on a regular basis”. The low risk drinking guidelines are available at the following link:
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a80b7ed40f0b623026951db/UK_CMOs__report.pdf
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 steps his Department is taking to support (a) GPs and (b) other healthcare professionals to distribute the pregnancy prevention program for people prescribed Sodium Valproate.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), taking advice from the Commission on Human Medicines (CHM), has worked to raise awareness among healthcare professionals and patients of the risks of valproate when taken during pregnancy through several updates to the valproate Summary of Product Characteristics for healthcare professionals, as well as Patient Information Leaflets and educational materials. The magnitude and type of risks associated with valproate use in pregnancy have been communicated in articles in the MHRA’s bulletin, Drug Safety Update, and letters through the NHS Central Alerting System, supported by messages from professional bodies and reinforced through changes to clinical guidelines and improved alerts in general practitioner prescribing systems.
The valproate Pregnancy Prevention Programme, implemented in 2018, is supported by educational materials for healthcare professionals and patients, and describes the neurodevelopmental disorders and major congenital malformations associated with the use of valproate in pregnancy, with information available electronically and in a hard copy format for healthcare professionals.
In January 2024, the MHRA communicated in an article in Drug Safety Update advice from the CHM that valproate must not be started in new patients, either male or female, younger than 55 years old unless two specialists independently consider and document that there is no other effective or tolerated treatment, or there are compelling reasons that the reproductive risks do not apply. It was advised that women and girls of childbearing potential already receiving valproate should have their treatment discussed by two specialists at their next annual review. The requirement for two specialists to review these patients is a one off, and subsequent annual reviews required under the Pregnancy Prevention Programme (PPP) are undertaken by a single specialist.
In May 2025, further updates to the PPP’s educational materials have been made available to all healthcare professionals and patients electronically, and these will be sent to healthcare professionals in a hard copy format that can provided to patients, to support the discussions between healthcare professionals and patients.
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 steps he is taking to ensure that disabled children with a diagnosis of Foetal Valproate Syndrome between the ages of 16yrs old and 18 yrs old receive the full amount of care which was given during their paediatric years.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Everyone who has been harmed by sodium valproate has our deepest sympathies.
NHS England recognises that healthcare transition should be need and complexity based, not managed solely on diagnosis or what is routinely provided. Its Children and Young People’s Transformation Programme, along with key stakeholders, has developed a framework to aid the design of healthcare transition pathways that reduce health inequalities and improve health outcomes for all young people.
The guidance outlines key principles and examples of models of care for those aged between zero and 25 years old, including clearer accountability and improved services for those aged 16 to 17 years old. NHS England is due to publish this guidance later this summer.
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, with reference to the oral contribution of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health and Social Care in the debate of 27 March 2025 on Hughes Report: First Anniversary, Official Report, column 472WH, what his planned timetable is for considering the costs of the Patient Safety Commissioner's report on valproate.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is carefully considering the work by the Patient Safety Commissioner and her report, which set out options for redress for those harmed by valproate and pelvic mesh. This is a complex issue involving input from different Government departments. The Government will provide a further update to the Patient Safety Commissioner’s report.
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, whether his Department has met with Sanofi to discuss the topic of redress for people affected by Sodium Valproate in pregnancy since July 2024.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is carefully considering the work by the Patient Safety Commissioner and her report, which set out options for redress for those harmed by valproate and pelvic mesh. This is a complex issue involving input from different Government departments. The Government will provide a further update to the Patient Safety Commissioner’s report.
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, whether he has allocated funding for Valproate (a) financial redress and (b) interim payments.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is carefully considering the work by the Patient Safety Commissioner and her report, which set out options for redress for those harmed by valproate and pelvic mesh. This is a complex issue involving input from different Government departments. The Government will provide a further update to the Patient Safety Commissioner’s report.
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 estimate he has made of the number of potential claimants for redress for valproate.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is carefully considering the work by the Patient Safety Commissioner and her report, which set out options for redress for those harmed by valproate and pelvic mesh. This is a complex issue involving input from different Government departments. The Government will provide a further update to the Patient Safety Commissioner’s report.
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, whether the National Cancer Plan will place a priority on (a) recognising and (b) addressing the cancer risks associated with alcohol.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Alcohol has been identified as a causal factor in more than 200 medical conditions, including mouth, throat, stomach, liver and breast cancers. The Government is committed to reversing the trend on alcohol-specific deaths and shortening the amount of time people spend in ill-health related to due to alcohol-related harm.
Under our Health Mission, the Government is committed to prioritising preventative public health measures to support people to live longer, healthier lives. The Department will continue to work across Government to better understand how we can best reduce alcohol-related harms. Furthermore, the National Cancer Plan will cover the entirety of the cancer pathway, from referral and diagnosis to treatment and ongoing care- as well as prevention and research and innovation. The plan will build on the shift from sickness to prevention set out by the 10-Year Health Plan and will seek to reduce risk factors.
The United Kingdom Chief Medical Officers’ low-risk drinking guidelines state: “The risk of developing a range of health problems (including cancers of the mouth, throat and breast) increases the more you drink on a regular basis” and that “To keep health risks from alcohol to a low level it is safest not to drink more than 14 units a week on a regular basis”. The low risk drinking guidelines are available at the following link:
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a80b7ed40f0b623026951db/UK_CMOs__report.pdf
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 steps his Department is taking to ensure that disabled children between the ages of 16 and 18 with a diagnosis of foetal valproate syndrome receive the full amount of care that was provided during their paediatric years.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Everyone who has been harmed by sodium valproate has our deepest sympathies.
NHS England recognises that healthcare transition should be need and complexity based, not managed solely on diagnosis or what is routinely provided. Its Children and Young People’s Transformation Programme, along with key stakeholders, has developed a framework to aid the design of healthcare transition pathways that reduce health inequalities and improve health outcomes for all young people.
The guidance outlines key principles and examples of models of care for those aged between zero and 25 years old, including clearer accountability and improved services for those aged 16 to 17 years old. NHS England is due to publish this guidance later this summer.