Only two applications for severely ill children to have access to medical cannabis have been approved since a new licensing system was introduced, The Times has learnt.

In June the government set up an expert panel to consider licence applications for the use of cannabis in cases of exceptional medical need after the cases of Billy Caldwell and Alfie Dingley. One licence was approved for Billy, 13, on the same day that Sajid Javid, the home secretary, announced the panel. The second was awarded to Sophia Gibson, seven, in July. A licence for Alfie, six, was approved before the panel was set up. All three children have severe forms of epilepsy.

Mr Javid has been asked to urgently review the panel’s guidelines because campaigners say…