Contributions
1,562 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDPathways Study: Puberty SuppressionMy hon. Friend asks about the data linkage study, and I apologise to my hon. Friend the Member for North Northumberland (David Smith), who a few seconds ago also asked about…22 Jun 2026HANSARDPathways Study: Puberty SuppressionI thank the hon. Lady for her remarks, and for her tone and approach to this sensitive matter. Sadly, we have waiting lists across many different parts of the NHS. This Government…22 Jun 2026HANSARDPathways Study: Puberty SuppressionDr Cass has raised that point a number of times, particularly when she has spoken in public and been interviewed on her concerns about young people accessing equivalent drugs…22 Jun 2026HANSARDPathways Study: Puberty SuppressionAs a result of the work that the MHRA has been doing with these trial sponsors in recent months, there are now objective set criteria against which children and young people…22 Jun 2026HANSARDPathways Study: Puberty SuppressionThe hon. Lady is right to draw attention to some of the gateways that children and young people will have to go through before being accepted on to the trial. That will involve…22 Jun 2026HANSARDPathways Study: Puberty SuppressionI reassure the hon. Lady, as I set out in my responses to earlier questions, that while my starting point is that clinical evidence should be the basis for our way forward, I have…22 Jun 2026HANSARDPathways Study: Puberty SuppressionAs my hon. Friend will know, the recommendations in Dr Hilary Cass’s review set out how to establish better services for young people in the future. The focus of today’s…22 Jun 2026HANSARDPathways Study: Puberty SuppressionI absolutely agree with my hon. Friend about the importance of following clinical evidence and taking a clinically led and evidence-based approach to this decision. As I said, I…22 Jun 2026HANSARDPathways Study: Puberty SuppressionI am sure that the hon. Lady will agree that this is now one of the most heavily scrutinised clinical trials in this country in recent history, and rightly so—it is right that it…22 Jun 2026HANSARDPathways Study: Puberty SuppressionMy hon. Friend raises an important point about the relationship between politics and clinical evidence and clinically led decisions. Being led by clinical advice and clinical…22 Jun 2026HANSARDPathways Study: Puberty SuppressionI agree with the shadow Minister that most children and young people who are questioning their identity and gender are likely to resolve those questions on their own, and I think…22 Jun 2026HANSARDPathways Study: Puberty SuppressionDespite our different conclusions on this matter, I respect my hon. Friend. Part of taking decisions as Health Secretary involves sometimes approaching issues where one might feel…22 Jun 2026HANSARDPathways Study: Puberty SuppressionWith your permission, Madam Deputy Speaker, I shall make a statement on the Pathways trial. I know what a sensitive, emotive and difficult issue this is. I myself have wrestled…22 Jun 2026HANSARDPathways Study: Puberty SuppressionThe hon. Lady refers, apparently with some certainty, to what she considers to be the clinical outcomes of these puberty blockers on young people. I have to say, with all due…22 Jun 2026HANSARDPathways Study: Puberty SuppressionI welcome the fact that the hon. Lady agrees with the Government that we should base our decisions about whether and how to provide support for children, particularly in the case…22 Jun 2026HANSARDPathways Study: Puberty SuppressionThis trial has been paused since earlier this year while the MHRA worked to strengthen the safeguards. Those stronger safeguards are now in place, which gives greater protection…22 Jun 2026HANSARDPathways Study: Puberty SuppressionThe reason for having this trial is to establish whether there are in fact benefits to this treatment for some children and young people as well as what the risks of harm are. I…22 Jun 2026HANSARDPathways Study: Puberty SuppressionI thank the right hon. Gentleman for his comments, and although he and I come to a different conclusion on this, I do not doubt for a second the sincerity of his motivation in…22 Jun 2026HANSARDPathways Study: Puberty SuppressionThere is a fundamental difference of approach between me and the hon. Lady. The reason for the trial is not to ensure that young people on the waiting list can get access to…22 Jun 2026HANSARDPathways Clinical TrialI refer hon. Members to the oral statement I made in the House today, 22 June 2026, on the Pathways clinical trial. [HCWS135]22 Jun 2026