Peter Dowd MP: written questions 2025
26 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Multiple Sclerosis: Health ServicesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 9 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98439More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what data his department collects to monitor potential inequalities in multiple sclerosis care access; and how those findings are used to inform policy and service delivery improvements.
Answer: The Department does not collect patient-level clinical data directly but works with NHS England and other bodies to monitor inequalities in access to multiple sclerosis (MS) services through a range of national programmes and datasets.The UK Multiple Scle...
Answered 5 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordCannabis: Medical TreatmentsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 18 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 92020More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to support and fund clinical trials aimed at achieving licensing and NHS access for complex, cannabis-based medicines used in the treatment of severe, drug-resis
Answer: The Department commissions research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The NIHR is funding two trials to investigate the safety and efficacy of cannabinoid treatments for drug-resistant epilepsy in both adults and children...
Answered 25 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordCannabis: Medical TreatmentsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 18 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 92019More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to bring responsibility for medical cannabis policy and governance to his Department in line with Schedule 2 medicines.
Answer: The Home Office is the lead department for controlled drug legislation, whilst the Department of Health and Social Care and its Arm's Length Bodies lead on healthcare and the regulation of medicines. This framework applies to all drugs under Schedules 1 t...
Answered 25 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordRare Diseases: DrugsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 30 May 2025AnsweredUIN 54852More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of suspending the medicines repurposing programme on people affected by rare conditions.
Answer: In April 2025, a decision was made to suspend the national Medicines Repurposing Programme. The decision was made with consideration to the following factors: The programme team and partners have learned that there are fewer repurposing opportunities in p...
Answered 6 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordRare DiseasesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 30 May 2025AnsweredUIN 54851More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of the abolition of NHS England on people with rare conditions.
Answer: Working under the UK Rare Diseases Framework, the Government is committed to improving the lives of those living with rare diseases.We are currently in the initial phases of scoping and designing a new integrated Department that aims to enhance the effici...
Answered 19 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordRare Diseases: Health ServicesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 30 May 2025AnsweredUIN 54850More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the specific challenges of providing specialised care for rare conditions will be included in the NHS 10 year plan.
Answer: The 10-Year Plan will reshape the National Health Service, and in many cases, will provide opportunities to address the challenges that are faced by patients, including those with rare conditions and the people who treat or support them.
Answered 5 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordRare Diseases: Health ServicesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 30 May 2025AnsweredUIN 54849More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how the NHS 10 year plan will improve the delivery of healthcare for people with rare conditions.
Answer: The 10-Year Plan will reshape the National Health Service, and in many cases, will provide opportunities to address the challenges that are faced by patients, including those with rare conditions and the people who treat or support them.
Answered 5 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordDiseasesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 13 May 2025AnsweredUIN 51864More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the (a) National Disease Registration Service and (b) National Congenital Anomaly and Rare Diseases Registration Service continue after the planne
Answer: Working under the UK Rare Diseases Framework, the Government is committed to improving the lives of those living with rare diseases. Digital data and technology are underpinning themes of the UK Rare Diseases Framework. We acknowledge the important role o...
Answered 19 May 2025
Original Parliament recordSpinal Muscular Atrophy: ScreeningDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 17 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 45629More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with the National Institute for Health and Care Research on expediting the publication of its research brief to inform the UK National Screening Committee’s in-service e
Answer: My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care is aware of the plans being developed for the National Institute for Health and Care Research’s research call and the in-service evaluation. However, its roll out and timeline will not b...
Answered 1 May 2025
Original Parliament recordSpinal Muscular Atrophy: ScreeningDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 17 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 45628More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of concerns raised by the Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) stakeholder community on the speed of progress being made by the UK National Screening Committee in its work to s
Answer: My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, is aware of the concerns raised by stakeholders. Plans for the in-service evaluation are being developed; however, its roll out and timeline will not be confirmed until after the 2025 S...
Answered 2 May 2025
Original Parliament recordSpinal Muscular Atrophy: ScreeningDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 17 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 45627More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the planned timetable is for the UK National Screening Committee's review of its advice on screening for spinal muscular atrophy.
Answer: Following the 2023 UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) recommendation for an in-service evaluation (ISE) of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), partnership planning between the Department, NHS England, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (...
Answered 23 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordSpinal Muscular Atrophy: ScreeningDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 17 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 45626More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what his timetable is for releasing funds to support the UK National Screening Committee’s review of newborn screening for Spinal Muscular Atrophy.
Answer: Following the 2023 UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) recommendation for an in-service evaluation (ISE) of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), partnership planning between the Department, NHS England, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (...
Answered 23 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordCJD: FinanceDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 21 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 32001More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what collaboration there is between NHS England, the National Institute for Health and Care Research and the Medical Research Council on Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease funding; and what assessment he ha
Answer: The Department funds research through the National Institute of Health and Care Research (NIHR). Since 2002, the Department has made over £43 million of funding available for research and surveillance of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) and prion diseases....
Answered 5 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordCJD: Medical TreatmentsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 21 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 32000More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help support advances n CJD treatment.
Answer: Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) is a rapidly progressing neurodegenerative disease. As of yet, there is no cure. Treatment options focus on symptom control and palliative care.The Department, via the National Institute for Health and Care Research, funds ...
Answered 3 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordCJD: Health ProfessionsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 21 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 31999More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that there are an adequate number of health professionals trained in (a) identifying and (b) supporting people affected by Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD).
Answer: Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) is a very rare but rapidly progressive and fatal disease. Effective diagnostic and care services are important in ensuring that patients and their families get the support that they need. Unfortunately, there is no known cu...
Answered 5 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordCJD: ResearchDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 21 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 31998More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to (a) support research into Creutzfeldt Jakob Disease and (b) ensure that UK research does not fall behind well-funded programmes in other countries.
Answer: The Department funds research through the National Institute of Health and Care Research (NIHR). Since 2002, the Department has made over £43 million of funding available for research and surveillance of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) and prion diseases....
Answered 5 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordBipolar Disorder: Mental Health ServicesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 30 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 27558More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to introduce specialist bipolar pathways in NHS mental health services.
Answer: The standard of training for general practitioners and other health care practitioners is the responsibility of the independent statutory regulatory bodies. They set the outcome standards expected at undergraduate level and approve courses, and higher edu...
Answered 6 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordBipolar Disorder: DiagnosisDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 30 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 27557More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to improve early diagnosis of bipolar.
Answer: The standard of training for general practitioners and other health care practitioners is the responsibility of the independent statutory regulatory bodies. They set the outcome standards expected at undergraduate level and approve courses, and higher edu...
Answered 6 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordBipolar Disorder: Health Services and Social Security BenefitsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 30 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 27556More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on improving co-ordination between healthcare services and the welfare system to support people with bipolar.
Answer: Ministers hold discussions with other ministerial colleagues regularly, on a range of issues.The Get Britain Working White Paper confirms the Government’s commitment to continuing to expand the number of places on Individual Placement Support schemes to h...
Answered 6 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordBipolar Disorder: DiagnosisDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 30 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 27555More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to improve training for healthcare professionals to better (a) recognise and (b) diagnose bipolar.
Answer: The standard of training for general practitioners and other health care practitioners is the responsibility of the independent statutory regulatory bodies. They set the outcome standards expected at undergraduate level and approve courses, and higher edu...
Answered 6 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordEmployment: Bipolar DisorderDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 30 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 27554More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps the Government is taking to ensure people with bipolar receive the support they need to (a) access and (b) stay in work.
Answer: Backed by £240m investment, the Get Britain Working White Paper launched on 26 November will drive forward approaches to tackling economic inactivity and work toward the long-term ambition of an 80% employment rate. Employers play a key role in increasing...
Answered 6 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordSocial Security Benefits: Bipolar DisorderDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 30 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 27553More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of welfare support for people with bipolar.
Answer: The extra costs disability benefits, Attendance Allowance, Disability Living Allowance and Personal Independence Payment (PIP), provide a contribution towards the extra costs that may arise from a long-term disability or health condition. These benefits a...
Answered 3 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordSocial Security Benefits: Mental IllnessDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 30 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 27552More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment they have made of the potential impact of welfare reforms on people living with (a) bipolar and (b) other serious mental illnesses.
Answer: The Work Capability Assessment is not working and needs to be reformed or replaced alongside a proper plan to help disabled people into work, which will help them, businesses and the economy. We know that change is desperately needed but equally these sor...
Answered 6 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordSunbedsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 14 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 23779More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of trends in the level of sunbed usage by adults.
Answer: The Committee on Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment (COMARE) published a report on the health effects and risks arising from sunbeds in 2009. This report included a chapter on sunbed use in the United Kingdom, and informed the 2010 Sunbeds (R...
Answered 20 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordSkin Cancer: Health EducationDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 14 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 23778More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to promote awareness of skin cancer (a) prevention measures, (b) signs and (c) symptoms.
Answer: The Department continues to advise patients to follow National Health Service guidance on reducing the risk of skin cancer. This advice is available publicly on the National Health Service website, at the following link:https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/melan...
Answered 5 Feb 2025
Original Parliament record
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