Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has received legal advice on the PATHWAYS trial.

The healthcare of children, like all patients, deserves evidence-based treatments where possible. That is why we are following expert, independent advice from the Cass Review to implement a programme of research to support the National Health Service to provide the best support to children and young people with gender incongruence. The programme includes the PATHWAYS trial, a carefully designed clinical trial to assess the relative benefits and harms of puberty-suppressing hormones as a treatment option for children and young people with gender incongruence.

The Government Legal Department is the Government’s principal legal advisers. Its core purpose is to help the Government to govern well, within the rule of law. They regularly provide advice to the Department of Health and Social Care.