Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to provide financial support to redress schemes relating to pelvic mesh and valproate proposed by devolved governments.

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. To progress this, I met with the patient safety commissioner late last year and we continue to work closely together.

Should a decision be made for any United Kingdom-wide scheme, appropriate steps would also be taken to engage across the UK at the earliest opportunity. I am also in contact with ministers within the devolved administrations, with engagement between officials across the UK occurring regularly.