Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he has taken to mandate the release of data for the data linkage study.

NHS England is committed to delivering the data linkage study, as part of a wider programme of research that will ensure research is embedded at the heart of the new children and young people’s gender services.

The study was planned to take place during the lifespan of the Independent Cass Review, and a statutory instrument was brought forward in 2022 aiming to protect those disclosing protected information. It is well documented that some NHS adult Gender Dysphoria Clinics did not send data to allow the study to commence and the study was not completed.

After the Cass Review concluded, NHS England took on responsibility for delivering the data linkage study. Following a further period of engagement with study data contributors, including adult gender clinics, the Department and NHS England are now ensuring all necessary requirements are in place to allow the study to successfully progress.

As a publicly funded study, the updated protocol is subject to refreshed research approvals from the Health Research Authority, before the study can begin.