Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what progress she has made with (a) regulatory, (b) research and (c) NHS partners on establishing clinical trials to test the (i) safety and (ii) efficacy of medical cannabis products.

The Department, via the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), is developing a programme of two randomised controlled trials to test the safety and efficacy of medicinal cannabis products to treat epilepsy in adults and children. The trials will start as soon as possible, and the results will be published once the trials have completed and the findings peer reviewed.

Furthermore, the Government continues to encourage manufacturers to invest in research and has highlighted that public funding is available for high quality applications. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency and the NIHR can provide applicants with scientific and research advice.