Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, for what reason his Department has not yet responded to the public consultation by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency on proposals for legislative changes for clinical trials, published on 17 January 2022; and what recent steps his Department has taken to help ensure that the transparency expectations of regulators are met.

The response to the public consultation by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency on proposals for legislative changes for clinical trials will be published shortly.

All arm’s length bodies, including those which fulfil a regulatory role, are expected to be transparent, including in the obligation to publish annual reports and accounts, adhering to the framework agreement documents and regular accountability meetings with the Department.