Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions his Department has had with staff representatives at the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency on proposed redundancies at that agency; and if he will undertake an equality impact assessment relating to those proposed redundancies.

Ministers and officials meet regularly with the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) to discuss a range of issues, including its transformation plans to become a more dynamic and efficient organisation. The Department has not made a specific assessment of the MHRA’s staffing levels.

The MHRA is carrying out a series of equality and diversity impact assessments throughout the transformation continues to engage with trade unions and employees through a formal consultation as well as continuing opportunities for engagement with senior leaders.