FOI release

Freedom of Information request on board meetings, papers, membership (FOI 21/1230)

Published 31 May 2022

© Crown copyright 2022

This publication is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. To view this licence, visit nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3 or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gov.uk.

Where we have identified any third party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned.

This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/freedom-of-information-responses-from-the-mhra-week-commencing-13-december-2021/freedom-of-information-request-on-board-meetings-papers-membership-foi-211230

FOI 21/1230

13th December 2021

Dear,

Thank you for your Freedom of Information request dated 12th November 2021, under which you requested the following information:

  1. The public involvement strategy slide says public Board sessions. Does this mean that some Board sessions are not public? If so please provide the legislative basis for this. Also how are decisions that are taken in private reported to the public?

  2. I have been onto the MHRA government website and cannot find any details of board meetings, papers, membership or anything. Its either missing or badly described.

  3. I cannot find the register of interests.

  4. I cannot find corporate policies and strategies on the website including the Patient Involvement strategy

  5. Please can I have the calender of scheduled meetings of the MHRA Board, public or otherwise.

  6. Does the Board accept written questions?

I am pleased to provide you with the information requested, please see below for the corresponding points.

  1. The public involvement strategy slide says public Board sessions. Does this mean that some Board sessions are not public? If so please provide the legislative basis for this. Also how are decisions that are taken in private reported to the public?

With regards to the format of the Board Meetings, they are held in Public where members of the public will have the opportunity to observe the Board conducting its business via an online broadcast. However, the Board Meetings are not public meetings and members of the public are not involved in making decisions at Board Meetings. Where a formal decision is required on a confidential item, a Board Meeting in Committee will be held in private. It is worth noting that the Board has no involvement in any regulatory decisions affecting medicines, medical devices or any other products or services delivered by the Agency. These are the responsibility of the Chief Executive Officer, supported by the Executive Committee.

The basis for this is the Terms of Reference for the Agency Board which is consistent with the Government Code for Public Appointments1, Code of Conduct for Board Members of Public Bodies2, and Managing Public Money3. Details of the relationship between the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (‘the Agency’) are defined in the Framework Agreement4.

  1. I have been onto the MHRA government website and cannot find any details of board meetings, papers, membership or anything. Its either missing or badly described.

Please may I kindly refer you to this link, through which you will be able to access the Board minutes, papers and public session recordings.

  1. I cannot find the register of interests.

Please follow this link for the Agency Board Declarations of Interest 2021-22.

  1. I cannot find corporate policies and strategies on the website including the Patient Involvement strategy

For the MHRA Corporate Plan, please follow this link here.

For the Delivery Plan 2021-2023, please see the following link.

Finally, the link to our Patient Involvement Strategy.

  1. Please can I have the calender of scheduled meetings of the MHRA Board, public or otherwise.

I am pleased to confirm that the next MHRA Board Meeting held in public will be conducted virtually by webinar on Tuesday 18 January 2022 from 10.00 until 12.30 hrs. (GMT). Please use the following link, under the heading MHRA Board meetings in 2022 to see subsequent meeting dates.

  1. Does the Board accept written questions?

The MHRA strongly encourages questions from the public. As such, registrants have the opportunity to pre-submit questions to the Board for response on the day of the public Board meeting as outlined in the invitation email and Eventbrite registration. Please follow this link if you would like to register for the January Board meeting.

The Freedom of Information Act only entitles you to access to information – the information supplied is subject to Crown copyright, and there are some restrictions on its re-use. For information on the reproduction or re-use of MHRA information, please visit https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/reproduce-or-re-use-mhra-information/reproduce-or-re-use-mhra-information.

I hope the information provided is helpful, but if you are dissatisfied with the handling of your request, you have the right to ask for an internal review. Internal review requests should be submitted within two months of the date of this response; and can be addressed to this email address.

Yours sincerely,

FOI Team

Back to top