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1722834

registered interest
date	23/07/2024
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Social Security Benefits: Disability
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when she plans to publish her Department's response to the consultation entitled Modernising support for independent living: the health and disability green paper, published in April 2024.
tabling member constituency	Lancaster and Wyre
tabling member printed	Cat Smith
uin	1285
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/07/2024 answer text <p>The consultation on the Modernising Support Green Paper closed on Monday 22 July. Over 16,000 responses have been received and we will review these responses.</p><p> </p><p>The proposals in this Green Paper were developed by the previous government. We will be considering our own approach to social security in due course.</p> answering member constituency East Ham answering member printed Sir Stephen Timms question first answered 29/07/2024 11:58:24 answering member 163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms
tabling member	4436 label Biography information for Cat Smith

1722947

registered interest
date	23/07/2024
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Animal Welfare
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department plans to launch a consultation on which activities should be banned from being (a) advertised and (b) offered for sale under the Animals (Low-Welfare Activities Abroad) Act 2023.
tabling member constituency	Lancaster and Wyre
tabling member printed	Cat Smith
uin	1286
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/07/2024 answer text <p>The Animals (Low Welfare Activities Abroad) Act 2023 provides a framework for the introduction of a future bans on the advertising and offering for sale, in England and Northern Ireland, of low-welfare animal activities abroad. Future decisions on the next steps will be evidence-based and subject to Parliamentary scrutiny.</p><p> </p><p>The Government will introduce the most ambitious programme for animal welfare in a generation. We are considering the most effective ways to deliver these commitments and will be setting out next steps in due course.</p> answering member constituency Cambridge answering member printed Daniel Zeichner question first answered 30/07/2024 16:44:40 answering member 4382 label Biography information for Daniel Zeichner
tabling member	4436 label Biography information for Cat Smith

1721322

registered interest
date	17/07/2024
answering body	Department of Health and Social Care
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health and Social Care
answering dept sort name	Health and Social Care
hansard heading	Gender Dysphoria: Children
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of restricting puberty blockers for the treatment of gender incongruence on the (a) physical and (b) mental health of young trans people.
tabling member constituency	Lancaster and Wyre
tabling member printed	Cat Smith
uin	87
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/07/2024 answer text <p>The emergency banning Order, restricting the sale or supply of puberty blockers, was introduced by the previous Government. The Order enables those who were already on a course of treatment with Gonadotrophin-Releasing Hormone Analogues, before 3 June 2024 from a UK based private or National Health Service provider, to continue to have them supplied. Those who were already on a course of treatment prescribed by an EEA or Switzerland registered prescriber can legally switch to a UK based prescriber to continue their treatment.</p><p>The expert Cass Review, which is one of the most comprehensive reviews of gender identity services for children and young people to date, states that the rationale for early puberty suppressing hormones to treat gender dysphoria is unclear and the effects on cognitive and psychosexual development are unknown. This Government will always act in the interests of patient safety, which is why the Secretary of State signalled his intention to renew the Order and consult on a permanent ban (subject to the outcome of the ongoing judicial review).</p><p>We are committed to implementing the recommendations of the Cass Review to ensure that young people presenting to the NHS with gender dysphoria are receiving appropriate and high-quality care. That is why NHS England and the National Institute of Health and Care Research, the research arm of the Department, are working together to commission a study into the potential benefits and harms of puberty suppressing hormones as a treatment option for children and young people with gender incongruence. The study team is now in place and are finalising their application for funding which will be assessed by an independent scientific review study ahead of the commencement of wider approvals, including ethics, and set up.</p><p>We will continue to monitor the impacts of the Order, including on mental health. Professor Louis Appleby, Chair of the National Suicide Prevention Strategy Advisory Group, has examined evidence for a large rise in suicides claimed by campaigners. His paper, which was published on 19 July 2024, concluded that the data do not support the claim that there has been a large rise in suicide in young gender dysphoria patients at the Tavistock clinic.</p><p>Some children and young people may be concerned by these changes. If they are already under the care of a Children and Young People’s mental health provider or the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services, they can contact their team for advice. If they are not, their general practice team will be able to assess whether further referrals for mental health support are required. Patients can also be signposted to the advice on getting mental health support available on the NHS.UK website. Anyone in need of urgent support can contact NHS 111 and choose the mental health option, option two. Further details are available at the following link:</p><p><a href="https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/mental-health-services/where-to-get-urgent-help-for-mental-health/" target="_blank">https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/mental-health-services/where-to-get-urgent-help-for-mental-health/</a></p><p>Professor Appleby’s paper is available at the following link:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/review-of-suicides-and-gender-dysphoria-at-the-tavistock-and-portman-nhs-foundation-trust/review-of-suicides-and-gender-dysphoria-at-the-tavistock-and-portman-nhs-foundation-trust-independent-report" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/review-of-suicides-and-gender-dysphoria-at-the-tavistock-and-portman-nhs-foundation-trust/review-of-suicides-and-gender-dysphoria-at-the-tavistock-and-portman-nhs-foundation-trust-independent-report</a></p> answering member constituency Gorton and Denton answering member printed Andrew Gwynne grouped question UIN 109 91 question first answered 29/07/2024 13:55:40 answering member 1506 label Biography information for Andrew Gwynne
tabling member	4436 label Biography information for Cat Smith

1721323

registered interest
date	17/07/2024
answering body	Department of Health and Social Care
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health and Social Care
answering dept sort name	Health and Social Care
hansard heading	Gender Dysphoria: Children
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department is taking steps to ensure that those proscribed puberty blockers for the treatment of gender incongruence will continue to receive them.
tabling member constituency	Lancaster and Wyre
tabling member printed	Cat Smith
uin	88
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/07/2024 answer text <p>The emergency banning order limiting the sale or supply of puberty blockers against private or non-United Kingdom prescriptions allows a child under 18 years old, who was already on a course of treatment with Gonadotrophin-Releasing Hormone Analogues before 3 June 2024 from a UK based private or National Health Service provider, to continue to have them supplied. Those who were already on a course of treatment prescribed by an EEA or Switzerland registered prescriber can legally switch to a UK based prescriber to continue their treatment.</p><p>This government has committed to implementing the expert recommendations of the Cass Review to ensure that young people presenting to the NHS with gender dysphoria are receiving appropriate and high-quality care. That is why NHS England and the National Institue of Health and Care Research – the research arm of the department – are working together to commission a study into the potential benefits and harms of puberty suppressing hormones as a treatment option for children and young people with gender incongruence. The study team is now in place and are finalising their application for funding which will be assessed by an independent scientific review study ahead of the commencement of wider approvals, including ethics, and set up.</p><p>Children and young people unable to access puberty blockers are strongly advised to meet with their clinician. We expect clinicians to be working with impacted patients to consider what the best care for them is going forward. Some children and young people may be concerned by these changes. If they are already under the care of a Children and Young People’s mental health provider or the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services, they can contact their team for advice. If they are not, their general practice team will be able to assess whether further referrals for mental health support are required. Patients can also be signposted to the advice on getting mental health support available on the NHS.UK website. Anyone in need of urgent support can contact NHS 111 and choose the mental health option, option two. Further details are available at the following link:</p><p><a href="https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/mental-health-services/where-to-get-urgent-help-for-mental-health/" target="_blank">https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/mental-health-services/where-to-get-urgent-help-for-mental-health/</a></p> answering member constituency Gorton and Denton answering member printed Andrew Gwynne question first answered 29/07/2024 14:33:23 answering member 1506 label Biography information for Andrew Gwynne
tabling member	4436 label Biography information for Cat Smith

1721324

registered interest
date	17/07/2024
answering body	Department of Health and Social Care
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health and Social Care
answering dept sort name	Health and Social Care
hansard heading	Gender Dysphoria: Children
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has made a comparative assessment of the UK’s position on the prescription of puberty blockers for the treatment of gender incongruence with that of other European countries.
tabling member constituency	Lancaster and Wyre
tabling member printed	Cat Smith
uin	89
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/07/2024 answer text <p>The Cass Review is one of the most comprehensive reviews of gender identity services for children and young people to date worldwide.</p><p>The Cass review included an assessment of evidence from other countries and concluded that there was a lack of evidenced-based guidelines and, therefore, limitations for adopting these for National Health Service gender services. Informed by the Cass review, we are now reforming transgender care for young people in this country, based on the best possible evidence. That means a holistic approach, with puberty suppressing hormones only considered within a much broader needs assessment, and only then in the context of a clinical trial. We are committed to implementing the recommendations of the Cass Review, as that is the care model we believe to be the best approach in the interests of patient safety.</p><p>It is simply not possible for pharmacists to check whether prescriptions issued from overseas registered prescribers have been issued in a similarly safe and effective way, and we know that some overseas providers who advertise their services do not follow this approach.</p> answering member constituency Bristol South answering member printed Karin Smyth question first answered 29/07/2024 14:25:58 answering member 4444 label Biography information for Karin Smyth
tabling member	4436 label Biography information for Cat Smith

1721325

registered interest
date	17/07/2024
answering body	Department of Health and Social Care
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health and Social Care
answering dept sort name	Health and Social Care
hansard heading	Gender Dysphoria: Children
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what his timetable is for the clinical trial being conducted on the use of puberty blockers for the treatment of gender incongruence.
tabling member constituency	Lancaster and Wyre
tabling member printed	Cat Smith
uin	90
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/07/2024 answer text <p>The expert Cass Review, which is one of the most comprehensive reviews of gender identity services for children and young people to date, states that the rationale for early puberty suppressing hormones to treat gender dysphoria is unclear and the effects on cognitive and psychosexual development are unknown. This is why NHS England and the National Institute of Health and Care Research, the research arm of the department, are working together to commission a study into the potential benefits and harms of puberty suppressing hormones as a treatment option for children and young people with gender incongruence. The study team is now in place and are finalising their application for funding which will be assessed by an independent scientific review study ahead of the commencement of wider approvals, including ethics, and set up.</p> answering member constituency Bristol South answering member printed Karin Smyth grouped question UIN 443 question first answered 29/07/2024 14:21:24 answering member 4444 label Biography information for Karin Smyth
tabling member	4436 label Biography information for Cat Smith

1721326

registered interest
date	17/07/2024
answering body	Department of Health and Social Care
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health and Social Care
answering dept sort name	Health and Social Care
hansard heading	Gender Dysphoria: Children
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential risks of harm being caused by restrictions on puberty blockers for treatments of gender incongruence.
tabling member constituency	Lancaster and Wyre
tabling member printed	Cat Smith
uin	91
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/07/2024 answer text <p>The emergency banning Order, restricting the sale or supply of puberty blockers, was introduced by the previous Government. The Order enables those who were already on a course of treatment with Gonadotrophin-Releasing Hormone Analogues, before 3 June 2024 from a UK based private or National Health Service provider, to continue to have them supplied. Those who were already on a course of treatment prescribed by an EEA or Switzerland registered prescriber can legally switch to a UK based prescriber to continue their treatment.</p><p>The expert Cass Review, which is one of the most comprehensive reviews of gender identity services for children and young people to date, states that the rationale for early puberty suppressing hormones to treat gender dysphoria is unclear and the effects on cognitive and psychosexual development are unknown. This Government will always act in the interests of patient safety, which is why the Secretary of State signalled his intention to renew the Order and consult on a permanent ban (subject to the outcome of the ongoing judicial review).</p><p>We are committed to implementing the recommendations of the Cass Review to ensure that young people presenting to the NHS with gender dysphoria are receiving appropriate and high-quality care. That is why NHS England and the National Institute of Health and Care Research, the research arm of the Department, are working together to commission a study into the potential benefits and harms of puberty suppressing hormones as a treatment option for children and young people with gender incongruence. The study team is now in place and are finalising their application for funding which will be assessed by an independent scientific review study ahead of the commencement of wider approvals, including ethics, and set up.</p><p>We will continue to monitor the impacts of the Order, including on mental health. Professor Louis Appleby, Chair of the National Suicide Prevention Strategy Advisory Group, has examined evidence for a large rise in suicides claimed by campaigners. His paper, which was published on 19 July 2024, concluded that the data do not support the claim that there has been a large rise in suicide in young gender dysphoria patients at the Tavistock clinic.</p><p>Some children and young people may be concerned by these changes. If they are already under the care of a Children and Young People’s mental health provider or the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services, they can contact their team for advice. If they are not, their general practice team will be able to assess whether further referrals for mental health support are required. Patients can also be signposted to the advice on getting mental health support available on the NHS.UK website. Anyone in need of urgent support can contact NHS 111 and choose the mental health option, option two. Further details are available at the following link:</p><p><a href="https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/mental-health-services/where-to-get-urgent-help-for-mental-health/" target="_blank">https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/mental-health-services/where-to-get-urgent-help-for-mental-health/</a></p><p>Professor Appleby’s paper is available at the following link:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/review-of-suicides-and-gender-dysphoria-at-the-tavistock-and-portman-nhs-foundation-trust/review-of-suicides-and-gender-dysphoria-at-the-tavistock-and-portman-nhs-foundation-trust-independent-report" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/review-of-suicides-and-gender-dysphoria-at-the-tavistock-and-portman-nhs-foundation-trust/review-of-suicides-and-gender-dysphoria-at-the-tavistock-and-portman-nhs-foundation-trust-independent-report</a></p> answering member constituency Gorton and Denton answering member printed Andrew Gwynne grouped question UIN 109 87 question first answered 29/07/2024 13:55:40 answering member 1506 label Biography information for Andrew Gwynne
tabling member	4436 label Biography information for Cat Smith

1721327

registered interest
date	17/07/2024
answering body	Department of Health and Social Care
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health and Social Care
answering dept sort name	Health and Social Care
hansard heading	Gender Dysphoria: Children
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will meet with (a) young trans young people and (b) their families to discuss the prescription of puberty blockers for the treatment of gender incongruence.
tabling member constituency	Lancaster and Wyre
tabling member printed	Cat Smith
uin	92
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/07/2024 answer text <p>The emergency banning order limiting the sale or supply of puberty blockers against private or non-United Kingdom prescriptions allows a child under 18 years old, who was already on a course of treatment with Gonadotrophin-Releasing Hormone Analogues before 3 June 2024 from a UK based private or National Health Service provider, to continue to have them supplied. Those who were already on a course of treatment prescribed by an EEA or Switzerland registered prescriber can legally switch to a UK based prescriber to continue their treatment.</p><p>This government has committed to implementing the expert recommendations of the Cass Review to ensure that young people presenting to the NHS with gender dysphoria are receiving appropriate and high-quality care. That is why NHS England and the National Institue of Health and Care Research – the research arm of the department – are working together to commission a study into the potential benefits and harms of puberty suppressing hormones as a treatment option for children and young people with gender incongruence. The study team is now in place and are finalising their application for funding which will be assessed by an independent scientific review study ahead of the commencement of wider approvals, including ethics, and set up.</p><p>We recognise the value of engaging with representative groups and want to reset the relationship the department has with LGBT+ groups. My rt. Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, will be meeting with LGBT+ stakeholders as soon as possible to hear directly about the health and care issues that are most important to them.</p> answering member constituency Bristol South answering member printed Karin Smyth question first answered 29/07/2024 14:19:06 answering member 4444 label Biography information for Karin Smyth
tabling member	4436 label Biography information for Cat Smith

1719565

registered interest
date	21/05/2024
answering body	Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
answering dept id	211
answering dept short name	Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
answering dept sort name	Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
hansard heading	Local Government: Elections
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, pursuant to the Answer of 20 May 2024 to Question 25652 on Local Government: Elections, if he will survey returning officers on the number of completed postal vote packs that arrived with the returning officer after the close of polls on 2 May 2024.
tabling member constituency	Lancaster and Fleetwood
tabling member printed	Cat Smith
uin	27406
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/05/2024 answer text <p>This information is not collected centrally by the Government.</p> answering member constituency North Dorset answering member printed Simon Hoare question first answered 24/05/2024 10:06:31 answering member 4494 label Biography information for Simon Hoare
tabling member	4436 label Biography information for Cat Smith

1717145

registered interest
date	10/05/2024
answering body	Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
answering dept id	211
answering dept short name	Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
answering dept sort name	Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
hansard heading	Local Government: Elections
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will make an estimate of the number of postal votes which arrived with returning officers after the close of polls on 2 May 2024.
tabling member constituency	Lancaster and Fleetwood
tabling member printed	Cat Smith
uin	25652
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/05/2024 answer text <p>I refer the Hon Member to my answer to Question UIN <a href="https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2024-02-20/14836" target="_blank">14836</a> on 27 February 2024.</p><p>At the elections on 2 May, the Government centrally funded a national ‘sweep’ by Royal Mail of their mail centres to ensure that completed postal ballot packs were pulled out at mail centres on the evening of polling day and delivered directly to local Returning Officers.</p> answering member constituency North Dorset answering member printed Simon Hoare question first answered 20/05/2024 13:49:08 answering member 4494 label Biography information for Simon Hoare
tabling member	4436 label Biography information for Cat Smith