Preventing Ill Health 2026-02-24
2026-02-24
TAGS
Response quality
Questions & Answers
Q1
Direct Answer
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Context
In Bradford West, childhood obesity rates are alarmingly high. Over one in five children start primary school overweight or obese, with this figure rising to over one in three by the time they leave primary school.
In Bradford West, more than one in five children begins primary school overweight or obese. By the time they leave primary school, that figure rises to one in three children. Will the Minister set out how this Government's world-leading new ban on junk food advertising will help parents to give every child the best and healthiest start in life?
I thank my hon. Friend for outlining the very real crisis of childhood obesity. It is a problem that robs children of the best possible start in life and sets them up for a whole lifetime of health problems. This Government have come down hard and delivered our commitment to restrict advertisements for junk food on TV and online. That action will remove around 7.2 billion calories from children's diets every single year.
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Assessment & feedback
Response accuracy
Q2
Partial Answer
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Context
Pharmacies are facing challenges due to rising costs and a lack of funding. The questioner has written multiple times to the Minister for Care about these issues.
Last week, I raised the challenges that pharmacies in my constituency of South West Hertfordshire and across the country are facing due to rising costs and a lack of funding support. How can I arrange a meeting with him to discuss these concerns further?
The Minister responsible runs a regular ministerial surgery and would be more than happy to meet the hon. Member.
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Assessment & feedback
Working With Partners
Response accuracy
Q3
Partial Answer
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Context
The puberty blockers trial has been paused due to a letter from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency. The Minister is asked when they were first aware of this.
I declare an interest as a consultant paediatrician in the NHS. Prevention of ill health is crucial. It is particularly important in children, perhaps most especially when one is trying to prevent ill health in children caused by doctors. I have expressed concerns previously about the puberty blockers trial, as have many in both Houses. The trial has now been paused due to a Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency letter. When were Ministers first aware of that letter and when were they first aware of the concerns described within it?
This is a perfectly ordinary occurrence in certain research trials. The trial has been paused, and we will leave the regulators and clinicians to do their jobs to ensure that all trials are done appropriately.
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Assessment & feedback
Dates of awareness of the MHRA letter and concerns
This Is A Perfectly Ordinary Occurrence
Response accuracy
Q4
Partial Answer
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Context
The MHRA's view on the puberty blockers trial has changed. The Minister is asked to explain why.
That is a very interesting answer. Before Christmas, the Secretary of State had confidence in an allegedly vigorous and rigorous process. Fertility preservation techniques have not deteriorated over the last few months. The ages at which children reach the Tanner stages of puberty have not changed over the last few months, but the MHRA's view has. Why? Given that this is such a scrutinised trial, does that not call into question the MHRA's wider competence and due diligence? Will the Minister publish the MHRA's letter from November referred to in the more recent correspondence published on Friday?
Why the MHRA has changed its view is a question for the MHRA. That is why we run such trials. It is an independent regulator.
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Assessment & feedback
Reasons for change in MHRA's view and publishing letters
Why The Mhra Has Changed Its View Is A Question For The Mhra
Response accuracy