Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had regarding the extension of the Household Support Fund after September.

Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

£500 million is being provided to enable the current Household Support Fund, including funding for Devolved Administrations through the Barnett formula to be spent at their discretion. This means Local Authorities in England are receiving £421 million to support those in need locally.

The current Household Support Fund will be in place until 30 September 2024.

As a new government, we are reviewing all policies, including the Household Support Fund.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the Household Support Fund.

Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

There have been five separate iterations of the Household Support Fund (HSF). Since the first iteration was introduced over £2.5 billion has been allocated to Local Authorities in England to distribute to those in need (October 2021- September 2024).

DWP requires that Local Authorities provide Management Information (MI) returns to the Department, which demonstrate that they are delivering the scheme in accordance with the guidance and grant determination that the Department have set out for the scheme. This includes information on the type of household supported, category of spending, types of support and how support has been accessed.

MI has been published for the first three iterations of HSF following their completion. The latest MI covering HSF3 was published in August 2023 and can be found here: Household Support Fund 3 management information for 1 October 2022 to 31 March 2023 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

The MI shows that just under £1.3 billion was spent in England during HSF1-3, corresponding to 26 million individual awards. Approximately 66% of funding of HSF1-3 (around £800 million) was spent on households with children.

Additionally, DWP is conducting a process and impact evaluation of the fourth iteration of the Household Support Fund. This includes research with a selection of representative Local Authority case study areas, consisting of interviews with Local Authority officials and their delivery partners, and surveys and interviews with recipients of the HSF. This evaluation will provide key evidence on how Local Authorities are delivering the scheme and the impacts of the funding for recipients.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the role of vaccines in keeping people healthy and in work, what steps they will take to support the development and deployment of new and innovative vaccines, and what steps they will take to increase vaccine take up.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The United Kingdom has one of the most extensive immunisation programmes in the world, with high vaccine confidence and uptake rates. The UK’s immunisation programme is acknowledged to be world leading in its ability to innovate and achieve value for money, and plays an important role in the Government’s focus on preventing people from getting ill.

The independent Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) advises the Department on the approach to vaccination and immunisation. The Department does not currently ask the JCVI to complete an assessment of the wider productivity and economic benefits of an immunisation programme, but rather focuses on the range of health benefits that arise from vaccination, including the prevention of hospitalisation and death.

The JCVI has a horizon scanning subcommittee, which reviews evidence from industry to understand new products under development, and to identify evidence gaps early, ensuring that they have the right information to assess those products in a timely manner once they reach the right phase of the approvals process. The Department is working with NHS England and the UK Health Security Agency to increase vaccine uptake, reduce inequalities, and ensure maximum population protection from preventable diseases. The NHS Vaccination Strategy sets out how the National Health Service and partners are aiming to maximise uptake and coverage of vaccinations across all communities.

Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report from the General Consumer Council in Northern Ireland published in July regarding trade flows between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the impact on consumers.

Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The UK government continues to monitor internal trade between Northern Ireland and Great Britain. The Windsor Framework represents a massive improvement on the arrangements under the old Northern Ireland Protocol, removing unnecessary checks and paperwork, lifting the bans on a range of plants and products, and giving the Northern Ireland Assembly greater democratic powers over new EU legislation through the Stormont Brake.

This Government is committed to implementing the Framework in good faith and taking all steps necessary to protect the UK internal market.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask His Majesty's Government what priority they will give to pursuing a Sanitary and Phytosanitary Veterinary Agreement; and when they expect any such negotiations with the European Union to commence.

Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Defra in conjunction with the Department for Business and Trade will work to reset the relationship with our European friends to strengthen ties and tackle barriers to trade, while recognising that there will be no return to the single market or customs union.

We will tackle trade barriers through seeking to negotiate a veterinary / Sanitary and Phytosanitary agreement with the European Union to prevent unnecessary border checks and help tackle the cost of food.

I will update this House in due course on the next steps.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they will take to address supply chain challenges with the shortages of some medicines in the UK, including for treatment of ADHD, asthma and psychosis; and what are the reasons for the shortages in such medicines.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Medicine supply chains are complex, global, and highly regulated, and there are a number of reasons why supply can be disrupted, many of which are outside of the Government’s control. These include manufacturing difficulties, access to raw materials, sudden demand spikes or distribution issues, and regulatory issues. There are approximately 14,000 licensed medicines, and the overwhelming majority are in good supply.

The Department has been working hard with industry to help resolve the supply issues with some attention deficit hyperactivity disorder medicines, which are affecting the United Kingdom and other countries around the world, due to increased demand and manufacturing site capacity constraints. As a result of this intensive work, some issues have been resolved. All strengths of atomoxetine capsules and guanfacine prolonged-release tablets are now available. However, medicine supply issues remain for some strengths of lisdexamfetamine and methylphenidate.

We are engaging with all suppliers of methylphenidate prolonged-release tablets and lisdexamfetamine capsules to assess the challenges faced, and their actions to address them. We have asked suppliers to secure additional stocks, expedite deliveries where possible, and review plans to further build capacity to support continued growth in demand for the short and long-term.

Supply of salbutamol nebules, used to treat asthma, has now improved, although there may still be some short intermittent interruptions in supply experienced. We are also aware of issues with ipratropium nebules due to constrained supply from a manufacturing plant. We are working with NHS England to manage the supply issues and mitigate risks to patients. Communications advise all pharmacy teams to work with prescribers to use unlicensed imports, where licensed supplies are unavailable, or alternative treatments that are available.

Supply issues affecting some strengths of quetiapine tablets, used in the treatment of schizophrenia and bipolar disorders, have been caused by increased demand on some companies as other companies exited the market, and by active pharmaceutical ingredient constraints. Supplies of other strengths of quetiapine are being closely monitored. Serious Shortage Protocols have been issued to enable pharmacists to supply patients alternative strength tablets if those prescribed are not available. We are also aware of intermittent disruptions in the supply of olanzapine (Zypadhera) prolonged-release suspension for injections due to a global manufacturing capacity constraint. NHS England is actively working with the supplier to address these manufacturing issues as quickly as possible, to ensure that UK patients have access to this medication. Comprehensive guidance will be issued to healthcare professionals in the coming days.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether the National Immunisation Programme will be included in the recently announced NHS performance review.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has commissioned Professor Lord Darzi of Denham to conduct an immediate and independent investigation of the National Health Service. Professor Lord Darzi will be considering data and intelligence across a broad range of measures to assess patient access to healthcare, the quality of healthcare being provided, and the overall performance of the health system. Full Terms of Reference for the review can be found on the GOV.UK website, in an online only format.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what are the national coverages rates of (1) influenza, and (2) pertussis, vaccination among pregnant women, and what steps they are taking to improve coverage rates for all maternal immunisations, ahead of delivering a new vaccination programme for the respiratory syncytial virus.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) routinely monitors and reviews the vaccination coverage of all the routine immunisation programmes in England. Flu vaccine uptake for pregnant women for the 2023/24 flu season was 31.2%. Pertussis vaccine uptake for pregnant women for 2024, from January to April, was 59.1%.

To improve coverage rates for all maternal immunisations, the UKHSA provides public facing information, including information leaflets in multiple languages and accessible formats. The UKHSA also provides training slides and information resources for healthcare professionals.

Ahead of delivering a new vaccination programme for the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), the UKHSA hosted two RSV webinars for healthcare professionals: the older person RSV vaccine programme; and the maternal RSV programme. Resources are also available for the RSV programme on the Health Publications Website.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the expected coverage rates of maternal respiratory syncytial virus vaccination in the first year of the programme.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation considered uptake when developing their advice on a maternal respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccination programme. Uptake for the RSV vaccination programme is expected to be like that of other year-round maternal respiratory immunisation programmes.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what actions they are taking to deliver Labour’s Child Health Action Plan, and in particular what actions they will take to improve access to childhood immunisation.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government is committed to raising the healthiest generation of children in our history. This will include giving children a healthy, happy start to life, and protecting them from the growth of infectious diseases.

To achieve this, the Department works with NHS England and the UK Health Security Agency to make accurate and up to date information on the benefits of vaccines and their eligibility, available to parents, carers, and patients. We are also learning lessons from the COVID-19 vaccine programme about the power of real-time, specific data to improve uptake, as well as looking at system changes for delivery, to make getting vaccinated easier for all. The Department, alongside partners, is also exploring how to enable vaccinations for babies and children as part of health visits.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to remarks by the Secretary of State for the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on 18 July that "the biggest threat to nature and food security ... is the climate crisis" (HC Deb col 189), what plans they have to appoint a Climate Envoy.

Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

We cannot address the urgency of the climate and nature crisis without co-ordinated global action. Failure to act would cause environmental devastation, fuelling displacement, conflict and famine. We are committed to reinvigorating the UK's international leadership on climate and nature, working with our international partners. We will set out further details of our approach in due course.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will establish an Industry-NHS vaccine working group to consider how best to accelerate the National Immunisation Programme.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Officials are working with the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry to refresh our industry-Government vaccine working group, which includes representation from across industry, the Government, and national health partners including NHS England, and will consider potential improvements to the National Immunisation Programme.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask His Majesty's Government what measures they will put in place to mitigate the administrative burden on firms sending business-to-business parcels from Great Britain to Northern Ireland following the full implementation of customs controls under the Windsor Framework from autumn.

Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government is committed to delivering the Windsor Framework. It has carried out extensive engagement with businesses (including parcel carriers) to implement the changes agreed under the Windsor Framework for moving goods from Great Britain to Northern Ireland, and will continue to do so.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to communicate the next stage of the implementation of the Windsor Framework in autumn to businesses in Northern Ireland.

Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government is committed to delivering the Windsor Framework. It has carried out extensive engagement with businesses (including parcel carriers) to implement the changes agreed under the Windsor Framework for moving goods from Great Britain to Northern Ireland, and will continue to do so.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the Northern Ireland Executive regarding public consultation in advance of the Democratic Consent Vote in respect of the Windsor Framework, due to take place in the Northern Ireland Assembly by the end of 2024.

Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The Government is committed to supporting the Northern Ireland Executive as appropriate in consulting with businesses, civil society groups, and representative organisations. There is regular contact between the Government and the Northern Ireland Executive on a range of issues and further detail will be provided in due course.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to implement the enhanced physical checks set out in the Border Target Operating Model and if so, when they plan to do so.

Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The BTOM sets outs out a risk-based, proportionate regime of controls which assesses the inherent biosecurity or public health risk presented by an import, together with the prevalence of relevant pests and diseases and our confidence in the exporting country’s production standards and health controls.

This assessment allows us to set controls at the most appropriate level and focus on the areas of highest risk to the UK. The goods posing the highest biosecurity risk are being prioritised as we build up to full check rates and high levels of compliance.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what conditions they have attached to the renewal of funding and support for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, and whether they plan to increase funding to address the humanitarian situation in Gaza.

Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) plays a critical role in Gaza and the wider region. The Foreign Secretary announced on 19 July that the UK will resume funding to UNRWA, releasing £21 million. Some of the UK's funding will be directed at supporting the implementation of UNRWA's management reforms, that will implement the recommendations made by Catherine Colonna's independent report. The reforms include delivering stronger independent oversight, better detection systems, improved screening procedures and other areas.

The UK continues to play a leadership role in trying to alleviate the suffering - on 14 July, the Foreign Secretary also announced £5.5 million new funding to UK-Med to fund their life-saving medical work in Gaza.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government how they have responded to the Israeli Knesset's decision to designate the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East as a terrorist organisation, and whether this will impact on future UK support and funding to that agency.

Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The Foreign Secretary announced on 19 July that the UK will resume funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), providing £21 million. We are committed to continuing our support to UNRWA, which plays a critical role in delivering humanitarian aid in Gaza and contributing to regional stability. Some of the UK's funding will be directed at supporting the implementation of management reforms recommended by Catherine Colonna's independent review. We are deeply concerned that draft legislation is being considered by the Israeli Knesset which would designate UNRWA as a terrorist organisation and will continue to monitor developments closely.

Found: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Lab) noted that the GBE Bill applies to the whole of the UK and asked

Found: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Lab) noted that the GBE Bill applies to the whole of the UK and asked