Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Worker Protection: Hazardous Medicinal Products

Monday 9 March 2026 · 3 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 3 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Luke Akehurst asked the Minister about steps to improve worker protection against hazardous medicinal products, highlighting the need for a statutory definition and a comprehensive list of such products.
  • The Minister responded that the Health and Safety Executive is working to ensure employers comply with COSHH regulations, which require risk assessments and control measures for hazardous substances.
  • Jim Shannon inquired about recent figures on poisonings among those over 50, suggesting potential issues with medicinal products, but the Minister stated there is no evidence to suggest the current arrangements are inadequate.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Luke Akehurst Lab North Durham
Employment
Context

The question arises from concerns over the adequacy of worker protection against hazardous medicinal products in workplaces.

Question

What steps are being taken to improve the protection of workers against exposure to potentially hazardous medicinal products?

Answer from Stephen Timms

The Health and Safety Executive is working to ensure that employers know their duties under COSHH—the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2022, as amended. Those regulations require a risk assessment and the prevention of, or adequate control of, exposure of employees to hazardous medicinal products.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The answer does not provide specific steps being taken to improve protection beyond what is already required by existing regulations.

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Q2 Luke Akehurst Lab North Durham
NHS
Context

The question follows from the initial query and seeks a clearer statutory definition of hazardous medicinal products and the development of a comprehensive UK list of such products.

Question

Will the Minister consider developing a clear statutory definition of “hazardous medicinal products” and subsequently mandate the development, publication and ongoing maintenance of a comprehensive UK list of hazardous medicinal products?

Answer from Stephen Timms

My hon. Friend make an interesting suggestion, and I know there has been some campaigning around this issue. The Health and Safety Executive has not seen evidence that the current arrangements are inadequate. They appear to be robust and well established, and they seem to be doing the job that is needed. If there is evidence of a problem to which my hon. Friend is able to draw attention, the HSE will certainly look at that very seriously. For now, though, the focus is on making sure that NHS trusts and others know their obligations under the current regulations.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The answer acknowledges the suggestion but does not commit to developing a statutory definition or a comprehensive list.

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Q3 Jim Shannon DUP Strangford
Context

The question addresses concerns about poisonings among people over 50 years of age, possibly linked to medicinal products, and seeks an investigation and a follow-up report.

Question

I thank the Minister for his answers. I do not know whether he had a chance to see in the paper last week some figures for poisonings of those over 50 years of age on a number of occasions, although whether those were the unexpected effects of medicinal products or arose from lifestyle is not yet known. As a result of the uncertainty and the rising number of such poisonings, will the Minister look into this issue and come back to the hon. Member for North Durham (Luke Akehurst), me and the House on whether there is a connection?

Answer from Stephen Timms

I do not think I have seen the report the hon. Gentleman refers to. From what I have seen, there is no evidence of a problem with the current arrangements. There may be some pointers in the information he referred to, and if there are, I would be keen to have a look at them.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The answer acknowledges the possibility of evidence but does not commit to a full investigation or reporting back.

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