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Written Question
Dentistry: Higher Education
Thursday 1st February 2024

Asked by: John Spellar (Labour - Warley)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what information her Department holds on the number of students studying dentistry in universities in England and Wales in the 2023-24 academic year.

Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Office for Students (OfS) collects and publishes data on the intakes to dentistry degrees in England and Wales. Initial figures from the OfS suggest that, in the 2023/24 academic year, 805 students began dentistry degrees in England, and 70 students began dentistry degrees in Wales. The Department does not hold further information on the overall number of students studying dentistry at universities in England and Wales in the 2023/24 academic year.


Written Question
Department of Health and Social Care: Buildings
Thursday 26th October 2023

Asked by: John Spellar (Labour - Warley)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department made of the potential prevalence of RAAC in buildings (a) owned and (b) occupied by (i) NHS and (ii) other departmental staff.

Answered by Will Quince

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.


Written Question
Vaccination: Manufacturing Industries
Friday 8th September 2023

Asked by: John Spellar (Labour - Warley)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to A review of the Vaccine Taskforce, published by his Department on 29 August 2023, what additional vaccine production capacity, of any type, has been secured as a result of the investments made (a) by the Vaccine Taskforce and (b) subsequently by the Office for Life Sciences, as described in the report.

Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)

Through the Vaccine Taskforce, over £405 million was invested in the United Kingdom’s vaccine manufacturing capabilities across several modalities, to ensure a robust response to COVID-19 and future health emergencies. In December 2022 the Government signed a ten-year strategic partnership with Moderna which will have the capacity to produce up to 250 million cutting-edge mRNA vaccines per year onshore in the event of a pandemic. In May this year, the Government announced a Biomanufacturing Fund, worth up to £38 million, to incentivise investment in commercial-scale vaccines and biotherapeutics manufacturing.


Written Question
Vaccination: Manufacturing Industries
Friday 8th September 2023

Asked by: John Spellar (Labour - Warley)

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 paper A review of the Vaccine Taskforce, published on 29 August 2023, what funds the Office for Life Sciences has to invest in additional vaccine production capacity in the UK in order to achieve the onshoring programme objective set for the Vaccines Taskforce.

Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)

Through the Vaccine Taskforce, over £405 million was invested in the United Kingdom’s vaccine manufacturing capabilities across several modalities, to ensure a robust response to COVID-19 and future health emergencies. In December 2022 the Government signed a ten-year strategic partnership with Moderna which will have the capacity to produce up to 250 million cutting-edge mRNA vaccines per year onshore in the event of a pandemic. In May this year, the Government announced a Biomanufacturing Fund, worth up to £38 million, to incentivise investment in commercial-scale vaccines and biotherapeutics manufacturing.


Written Question
Human Papillomavirus: Vaccination
Tuesday 9th May 2023

Asked by: John Spellar (Labour - Warley)

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 increase the HPV vaccination rate.

Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)

The human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination programme is delivered in different locations to maximise access and make getting vaccinated easier. This includes school-based delivery, with alternative sites set up for those not in mainstream education, or for those who missed their initial offer. HPV vaccinations are also offered to men who have sex with men aged up to and including 45-year-olds, through Specialist Sexual Health Services and/or HIV clinics. General practices (GPs) also offer HPV catch-up vaccinations for anyone eligible, until their 25th birthday.

Additionally, the Department, NHS England and the UK Health Security Agency deliver communication campaigns across GPs and universities to encourage people to get vaccinated. It is vitally important that everyone takes up the vaccinations to which they are entitled, for themselves, their families and wider society. Anyone unsure about their eligibility or vaccination status should contact their GP for advice.


Written Question
Clinical Trials
Wednesday 3rd May 2023

Asked by: John Spellar (Labour - Warley)

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 trends in the numbers of patients participating in clinical trials; and what steps his Department plans to take to increase participation amongst diverse patient groups.

Answered by Will Quince

Recruitment of new participants into studies is an important measure of research activity taking place in the United Kingdom. This financial year, on average over 70,000 people are recruited per month.

The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) has published a strategy to promote diversity and inclusion in research and clinical trials. The NIHR also published its first randomised controlled trials data report, showing that trial participant diversity is consistent with the 2011 census population.

The Government has appointed Lord James O’Shaughnessy to conduct an independent review into the UK commercial clinical trials landscape. His review will help us to find new ways to conduct commercial clinical trials that will speed up diagnosis, enhance treatment and enable the National Health Service to deliver world-class care.


Written Question
Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency: Finance
Thursday 27th April 2023

Asked by: John Spellar (Labour - Warley)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of (a) staffing and (b) funding for the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency in the context of the agency’s new responsibilities under the Windsor Framework.

Answered by Will Quince

As part of the Spring Budget, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) will receive £10 million of additional funding for the next two years. This is to support it to accelerate routes for bringing innovative medical products developed in the United Kingdom onto the market, as well as to support the establishment of an international recognition framework, allowing the MHRA to capitalise on the expertise and decision making of trusted regulatory partners. The Government is committed to supporting the MHRA to meet its statutory obligations.


Written Question
Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency: Staff
Wednesday 26th April 2023

Asked by: John Spellar (Labour - Warley)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of staffing levels at the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency on (a) the time taken by the agency to conduct clinical studies and (b) patient access to clinical studies in each of the last three years.

Answered by Will Quince

The average response time for the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) to issue its initial written opinion following assessment of a clinical trial authorisation application in each of the last three years was 22.83 days for the financial year 2020/21; 27.45 days for the financial year 2021/22; and 45.94 days for the financial year 2022/23.

The extended timeline for financial year 2022/23 is the result of increased demand to process applications and respond to queries, in response to which the MHRA is increasing resources and improving processes in this area. Vacancies within the Clinical Trials Unit of the MHRA have been filled, including key leadership posts. The MHRA has also recruited seven new clinical trials assessors over the last 12 months and is currently prioritising their training. Moreover, the MHRA is supplementing new assessor capacity with an additional fixed-term resource of appropriately experienced and qualified specialists to support the training and supervision of new staff. The MHRA does not monitor patient access to clinical trials.


Written Question
Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency: Recruitment and Training
Wednesday 26th April 2023

Asked by: John Spellar (Labour - Warley)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will undertake an audit of skills capacity within the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency; and what steps he is taking to ensure that any skills needs are met through appropriate (a) recruitment and (b) training.

Answered by Will Quince

The Department has no plans to undertake an audit of skills within the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). The MHRA leads responsibility for the recruitment and training of its staff. We receive regular updates on the performance and capacity of the MHRA through established mechanisms, including quarterly and annual accountability reviews.


Written Question
Influenza: Vaccination
Tuesday 21st March 2023

Asked by: John Spellar (Labour - Warley)

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 10 March 2023 on Question 158778, for what reason the service specification for the school aged flu immunisation programme is not published; and if he will consider the potential merits of publishing this information.

Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)

The School Aged Immunisation Service (SAIS) specification covers all school age immunisations, including flu. It is a template for NHS England regional commissioners to commission SAIS providers that evolves in line with latest policy advice, for example, the addition of flu cohorts. Contracts are held between NHS England regions and SAIS providers and are varied to best meet local need. It is on these grounds NHS England does not publish the specification. This is in contrast to the general practitioner and community pharmacy flu service specifications, which are published as they are part of a national contract. However, each year the annual flu letter is published by the UK Health Security Agency and outlines which groups are eligible for a free vaccine as part of the National Health Service programme, including children.