House of Commons
Parliament

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Health Minister Philip Dunne winds up the debate, saying: "This affects all our constituents - regardless of party."

He sets out that valproate is still considered an effective treatment for epilepsy where patients are unable to take other drugs.

He says what is important is "open communications about risks and benefits" of the drug, but he acknowledges "this has not always been the case".

House of Commons
Parliament

Responding to the debate, shadow health minister Sharon Hodgson asks for it to be mandatory for every physician prescribing sodium valproate to discuss the risks with their patient, in order to address the current "lack of knowledge".

"We have a duty to set the oversights of previous governments right," she adds, "and that's why we're here - to seek justice.

"There are many families living with the repercussions."

House of Commons
Parliament

SNP health spokesperson Philippa Whitford emphasises that decisions affecting women's health need to be made by them with the help of specialists.

She also says the recording of side effects "has to be reformed".

If a child is born with a defect and the mother is on a drug, she adds, "I don't care what the drug is, I feel it should be reported".

House of Lords
Parliament

As the final piece of business in the House of Lords for the week, Labour is putting down a regret motion on a statutory instrument, external that delays a review of the provision of local pharmacy services by one year, to 2018.

Labour say delaying the review will not keep community pharmacies open. The Lords health spokesperson Lord Hunt of Kings Heath says he's "concerned" at recent reductions in funding for community pharmacies.

He says he finds it "remarkable" that a Conservative government would undermine patient choice and small businesses at the same time.

Westminster Hall

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Closing the debate, Minister Tobias Ellwood quips that an "officers' mess" of experience has spoken this afternoon.

He tells MPs that the defence budget is being increased to "0.5% above inflation".

Mr Ellwood finishes by saying that the government is "committed" to working hard for the armed forces but admits we are in "fiscally difficult times" which make spending decisions "tough".

House of Commons
Parliament

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Labour's James Frith tells the House he was left with epilepsy after developing meningitis as a child, from which he later recovered after taking sodium valproate.

He recalls the experience of feeling your limbs are disconnected from the "control centre" of your brain.

He says he was "stunned" when he learned of efforts in the 1970s to prevent the effects of the drug being more widely known, and urges: "The truth must come out."

Westminster Hall

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SNP defence spokesperson Stewart McDonald says the review is welcome and necessary.

We are "AWOL in the high north" he says, referring to what he says is the absence of major surface vessels in Scotland.

This is an area where we are "letting our allies down", he adds.

House of Commons
Parliament

Labour's Liz McInnes, who used to be a biochemist for the NHS, says the risks of sodium valproate were known to be "significant" as far back as 1995.

She also highlights the "yellow card" system which anyone can use to report side effects of a drug, saying it should be more widely publicised.

She mentions the "over-prescription" of the drug as another issue to look at.

Westminster Hall

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Chair of the Defence committee, Julian Lewis, is on his feet.

Mr Lewis says he "does not know" what the defence capability review will contain, but he is fearful of more cuts.

Defence spending has "indisputably" fallen down our list of national priorities.

The idea that HMS Bulwark and Albion would be retired early is "diabolical", he adds.

House of Commons
Parliament

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Lib Dem MP Norman Lamb, introducing the debate, says it is an "absolute scandal" with similarities to the thalidomide scandal.

He emphasises that the women who took Sodium Valporate were not told of the dangers associated with the drug, even though the side effects were known.

He reads from a transcript of a 1973 meeting of the now-defunct Committee on the Safety of Medicines where it was decided that women would not be told of side-effects of the medicine, "especially as it could give rise to fruitless anxiety". The committee decided that doctors should be told of possible side effects, but information would be kept off of the medicine's packaging.

Westminster Hall

Labour MP Luke Pollard raises planned cuts to Plymouth warships in his Devonport constituency.

He refers to HMS Ocean which he says is "due to be scrapped" and the rumours that HMS Bulwark and HMS Albion are also facing the axe.

Mr Pollard calls the plans "deeply concerning".

Foreign Office Minister Tobias Ellwood intervenes to say no decisions have been made regarding the ships mentioned, and decisions are "quite some distance off".

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Westminster Hall

Conservative MP Marcus Fysh says the government should not underestimate the "economic value" of defence spending to communities across the country.

Mr Fysh praises the work of the armed forces and says that personnel need to know that even when they are not thanked, "we are thankful".

We need to give our defence "what it needs now", he says.

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Westminster Hall

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MPs have now moved on to debate the government's defence capability review.

Just before summer recess, the government launched a review of national security capabilities, to be led by the National Security Advisor, Mark Sedwill.

The review is understood to include the defence capabilities of the armed forces. It is unclear when the review will be published or in what format.

The debate this afternoon is being led by the Conservative MP, Marcus Fysh.

House of Commons
Parliament

MPs are debating Valproate and foetal anticonvulsant syndrome.

Foetal Anticonvulsant Syndrome is caused when a mother uses anti-convulsant medication during pregnancy.

Anti-convulsant medication is more commonly known as anti-epileptic drugs, or AEDs.

The OACS charity - the Organisation for Anti-Convulsant Syndrome - says mothers can see epileptic episodes worsen during pregnancy, causing doctors to increase dosages.

The syndrome can have effects on the unborn foetus, causing long term medical problems for the child or even death.

Sodium Valproate is regarded as the worst, with up to a 40% chance that the child conceived will be affected.

Westminster Hall

Business Minister Claire Perry winds up the debate.

We want to see this technology deployed effectively in "all parts of the UK" where there are industrial clusters, she says.

We want to be the "movers and shakers" in this field, she adds.

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House of Commons
Parliament

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Health Minister Steve Brine discusses the government's existing progress on tackling smoking, including banning smoking in cars with children and plain packaging.

"But there can be no patting on backs," he continues.

The aim is to reduce the number of adult smokers to 12% over five years and teenagers to 3%.

He pledges a focus on those who are unemployed or in manual jobs, and on those with mental health problems.

Westminster Hall

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Shadow energy minister Alan Whitehead says the recent cancellation of carbon capture storage projects have spread "doubt and concern" over the industry.

A project in North Yorkshire was cancelled, as well as the project in Peterhead, Aberdeenshire. Both were axed in 2015.

The shadow minister concludes by asking the minister to note the "cross-party" consensus of the "urgency" to develop carbon capture and storage in the UK .

House of Commons
Parliament

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Shadow health minister Sharon Hodgson welcomes the new tobacco control plan but says Labour has concerns over how it will be implemented.

She stresses how much better it would be if the money currently spent on treating smoking-related diseases if it could be put back into the NHS.

Like others, she draws attention to the higher exposure to smoking among poorer communities, warning "they aren't being given enough support to quit smoking".