Asked by: Michelle Scrogham (Labour - Barrow and Furness)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking with the Department for Business, Innovation, Science & Trade to align the Government's life sciences priorities with its ambition to reduce premature deaths from heart disease and stroke.
Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department of Health and Social Care works closely to deliver all the Government’s life science priorities with the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade. In relation to the ambition to reduce premature deaths from heart disease and stroke, this joint effort includes extensive funding of research, and the Cardiovascular Disease Modern Service Framework highlights innovation-focused challenge areas which recognise the potential for technologies to support this aim. We will work with the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade to promote the spread and adoption of innovation via Health Innovation Networks and will ensure that National Health Service patients have timely access to cutting edge new medicines.
Asked by: Michelle Scrogham (Labour - Barrow and Furness)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions she has had with pharmaceutical companies on the continuing provision of compassionate use schemes.
Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Pharmaceutical companies can establish compassionate use or early access programmes through which medicines may be made available to National Health Service patients free of charge ahead of an NHS commissioning decision. Such schemes operate outside the established commissioning arrangements for medicines, and their provision remains a matter for the pharmaceutical companies concerned.
Following discussions with the industry, the Government announced on 23 June 2026 that it will bring forward a new approach to the VAT treatment of free-of-charge donations of medicines, either through changes to the VAT rules or a reimbursement scheme. Officials are continuing to engage with industry to explore the options.
Asked by: Michelle Scrogham (Labour - Barrow and Furness)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps the Government are taking to help underperforming NHS Trusts tackle delays in beginning cancer treatment.
Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 1 July 2026 in response to Question 12518.
Asked by: Michelle Scrogham (Labour - Barrow and Furness)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment she has made on the adequacy of brain tumour freezer capacity across the country.
Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
I refer the Hon Member to the response given on 22 September to Question HL2877.
Asked by: Michelle Scrogham (Labour - Barrow and Furness)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of the creation of a register of postpartum individuals, to allow for early detection and intervention of postpartum mental illnesses.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce is currently considering a wide range of evidence and proposals to inform its development of the Maternity and Neonatal Action Plan to be published later this year. Maternal mental health is a key area of focus for the Taskforce, and we will ensure that the Hon Member’s proposals are fed into that process.
We recognise how important it is for women with perinatal mental health problems to get the right care and support they need. Specialist Perinatal Mental Health Services, including mother and baby units, specialist perinatal community teams, and Maternal Mental Health Services, are available for women with or at risk of mental health conditions for up to two years after giving birth.
Asked by: Michelle Scrogham (Labour - Barrow and Furness)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of creating a single point of contact for mental health support for postpartum individuals.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce is currently considering a wide range of evidence and proposals to inform its development of the Maternity and Neonatal Action Plan to be published later this year. Maternal mental health is a key area of focus for the Taskforce, and we will ensure that the Hon Member’s proposals are fed into that process.
We recognise how important it is for women with perinatal mental health problems to get the right care and support they need. Specialist Perinatal Mental Health Services, including mother and baby units, specialist perinatal community teams, and Maternal Mental Health Services, are available for women with or at risk of mental health conditions for up to two years after giving birth.
Asked by: Michelle Scrogham (Labour - Barrow and Furness)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when her Department plans to publish consultations on (a) healthier food sales targets and (b) mandatory reporting requirements for the food and drinks industry.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 17 July in response to Question 18395.
Asked by: Michelle Scrogham (Labour - Barrow and Furness)
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 establish national accountability for improving brain cancer outcomes, including the development of a time sensitive clinical trials pipeline; and whether he plans to introduce ring fenced funding to support delivery in that area.
Answered by Preet Kaur Gill
The National Cancer Plan, published on the 4 February 2026, sets out several commitments and ambitions, to be delivered within the next 10 years. The role of the reformed National Cancer Board will be to support and monitor the delivery of the commitments and ambitions and provide regular updates to ministers.
To hold us accountable across these commitments, and to drive forward progress for rare cancer patients, we will appoint a National Clinical Lead for Rare Cancers, who will bring accountability, to oversee performance against the rare cancers commitments in the plan, including for brain cancer. They will sit on the reformed National Cancer Board and will play an important advisory role in supporting and monitoring delivery of the commitments set out in the National Cancer Plan. This role is separate to the National Specialty Lead for Rare Cancers appointed under the Rare Cancers Act 2026, which will be based in the National Institute for Health and Care Research’s (NIHR) Research Delivery Network and will support research delivery for rare cancers.
The Department invests over £1.8 billion each year on research through the NIHR. Cancer is a major area of NIHR spending at £141.6 million in 2024/25, reflecting its high priority.
We are committed to furthering our investment in brain cancer research and have already taken steps to stimulate scientific progress and build scientific capacity to do research on brain cancer. For example, in December 2025 an initial NIHR Brain Tumour Research Consortium award of £13.7 million was confirmed. In January 2026, the NIHR announced further investment of a minimum of £11.7 million in the Consortium through the funding of work packages. This brings the Consortium funding to over £25 million over its lifespan.
It is not the usual process of the NIHR to ringfence funds for research into specific conditions. The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health and care, including brain cancer. Our approach to funding research is through open and fair competition and peer review to ensure that the highest-quality proposals, most likely to deliver real impact for patients, are funded without imposing financial targets or limits.
The Department is committed to ensuring that all patients, including those with brain cancer, have access to cutting-edge clinical trials, and innovative, lifesaving treatments through the NIHR.
As set out in the Life Sciences Sector Plan and reinforced in the 10-Year Health Plan for England, the Department is committed to cutting the current time it takes to get a clinical trial set up, to under 150 days, with the aim of increasing access to patients and making the United Kingdom a world leader in clinical trials. The Life Sciences Sector Plan and the 10-Year Health Plan for England are available at the following two links respectively:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/life-sciences-sector-plan
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/10-year-health-plan-for-england-fit-for-the-future
Data published in April 2026 shows that the median average set-up time for commercial interventional trials in the first six months of 2025/26 was 122 days, down from 169 days in the same period last year.
Asked by: Michelle Scrogham (Labour - Barrow and Furness)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what guidance his Department has issued on how care leavers aged up to 25 should evidence their entitlement to free NHS prescriptions, dental treatment and eye care.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Secretary of State for Wales
The Department of Health is progressing work to operationalise the extension of free National Health Service prescriptions, dental treatment and eye care services for care leavers up to 25 years old. We will ensure that clear information is provided on the arrangements, including the process for validating care leaver status.
Asked by: Michelle Scrogham (Labour - Barrow and Furness)
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 bereaved parents who require specialist psychological support following (a) pregnancy and (b) baby loss are able to access such support through the NHS.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government recognises that the experience of losing a baby or pregnancy loss can be a very difficult time for parents and families. We are determined to make sure all bereaved parents, regardless of where they live, have access to specialist psychological support through the National Health Service.
Maternal Mental Health Services (MMHS) provide expert assessment and treatment for women experiencing moderate to severe or complex mental health difficulties due to loss, trauma, or severe fear of childbirth, known as tokophobia, related to their maternity or neonatal experiences. Referrals are typically made through a general practitioner, midwife, or health visitor, although some MMHS accept self-referrals.
The NHS also provides mental health support for bereaved parents through Talking Therapies services and specialist hospital-based bereavements teams. All NHS England trusts have signed up to the National Bereavement Care Pathway, which acts as a set of standard and guidance aimed at ensuring all families, including fathers and partners, receive consistent, individualised, and sensitive care.