Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have conducted research into the behavioural response of the public if alcohol labelling displayed the calorie, sugar and energy contents on the same basis as all other drinks; and, if so, when the research will be completed and published.

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

The Department, through the National Institute for Health and Care Research, is funding research into alcohol labelling.

This includes a study which seeks to understand the impact of alcohol calorie labelling on alcohol and calorie selection, purchasing, and consumption. This study is due to end in 2026. The findings from this work will show the potential impact of calorie labelling on calorie intake and alcohol consumption.

In both the Fit for the Future: 10-Year Health Plan for England and the National Cancer plan for England, the Government committed to strengthen and expand on existing voluntary guidelines for alcohol labelling by introducing a mandatory requirement for alcoholic drinks to display consistent nutritional information and health warning messages.

Question

To ask The Senior Deputy Speaker why there is a limit on the number of oral and written questions that Members of the House of Lords may table to scrutinise the performance and the legislation of His Majesty's Government.

Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble

The maximum of 6 questions for written answer a day is a longstanding convention of the House. Following a recommendation in the Procedure Committee’s second report (1988-89), the House agreed that this convention should be recorded in the Companion to the Standing Orders. The Committee stated that this convention ‘helps ensure prompt attention for those questions which are tabled’. In 2012, the Procedure Committee recommended that members should be limited to a maximum of 12 questions for written answer each sitting week: this was agreed by the House on 26 March 2012.

The cap on the number of oral questions a member can table of 7 questions in each calendar year was recommended by the Procedure Committee and agreed by the House on 24 April 2013. This followed a consultation carried out by the Procedure Committee which concluded that the House should encourage participation by a greater number of members. Before the cap was implemented only six members tabled more than 7 questions a year. The limit of four topical oral questions was agreed by the House in the Procedure Committee’s fifth report (2001-02) as part of the recommendation of the Leader’s Group on working practices.

The Procedure and Privileges Committee keeps the procedures of the House under review, and I am always happy to discuss the procedures of the House with members.

Question

To ask The Senior Deputy Speaker why there is no limitation on the number of amendments that Members of the House of Lords may table to legislation.

Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble

The arrangements for tabling amendments to bills are agreed by the House. No limit applies, in part, because the number of amendments required to achieve a desired change to a bill can vary depending on the structure and complexity of the bill in question and the nature of the change being sought. Members are not able to table an amendment to a Bill which is identical in form or effect to an amendment already in the list. The Procedure and Privileges Committee keeps the House’s procedures under regular review, and I am always happy to discuss these procedures with Members.