Asked by: Lord Carlile of Berriew (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress has been made with initiatives to (1) encourage and enable serving members of the Royal Navy to purchase homes near to bases where they are serving, and (2) provide information about financial assistance that is available to those members.
Answered by Earl Howe - Deputy Leader of the House of Lords
As well as access to Forces Help to Buy and Government Help to Buy schemes the Royal Navy is leading on the tri-service pilot for the Future Accommodation Model which will commence at the end of September 2019. This will offer further incentive for home-ownership for Royal Navy and Royal Marine personnel.
Asked by: Lord Carlile of Berriew (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to introducing legislation to ban the practice of breast ironing.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
Breast ironing is child abuse and it is illegal. The Government is committed to challenging the cultural attitudes that underpin so called ‘honour-based’ abuse (HBA), as set out in our cross-Government Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy. No one should suffer because of who they are or which community they are born into.
In addition, the following documents provide advice and support for professionals in respect of safeguarding children from abuse, including HBA:
• Keeping Children Safe in Education (p.80-82): https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/keeping-children-safe-in-education--2
• Working Together to Safeguard Children: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/working-together-to-safeguard-children--2
• CPS Legal Guidance on Honour-Based Violence and Forced Marriage:https://www.cps.gov.uk/legal-guidance/honour-based-violence-and-forced-marriage
Border Force officers at UK ports and airports are trained to look for those at risk of HBA. Border Force conducts regular joint operations (‘Operation Limelight’) with the police at airports across the country to raise awareness with potential victims of HBA, including breast ironing.
While there is no specific offence of breast ironing, the police have a range of other offences at their disposal to deal with any cases they encounter. This includes offences of common assault, actual bodily harm or grievous bodily harm. There are also specific offences of child cruelty and causing or allowing a child to suffer serious physical harm, both of which carry a maximum sentence of 10 years imprisonment.
Asked by: Lord Carlile of Berriew (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the answer by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department on 22 March 2016 (HC Deb, col 1552) which stated that they were "absolutely committed to putting a stop to" the practice of breast ironing in the UK, what progress they have made in regard to that issue; and what further steps they intend to take to stop that practice.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
Breast ironing is child abuse and it is illegal. The Government is committed to challenging the cultural attitudes that underpin so called ‘honour-based’ abuse (HBA), as set out in our cross-Government Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy. No one should suffer because of who they are or which community they are born into.
In addition, the following documents provide advice and support for professionals in respect of safeguarding children from abuse, including HBA:
• Keeping Children Safe in Education (p.80-82): https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/keeping-children-safe-in-education--2
• Working Together to Safeguard Children: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/working-together-to-safeguard-children--2
• CPS Legal Guidance on Honour-Based Violence and Forced Marriage:https://www.cps.gov.uk/legal-guidance/honour-based-violence-and-forced-marriage
Border Force officers at UK ports and airports are trained to look for those at risk of HBA. Border Force conducts regular joint operations (‘Operation Limelight’) with the police at airports across the country to raise awareness with potential victims of HBA, including breast ironing.
While there is no specific offence of breast ironing, the police have a range of other offences at their disposal to deal with any cases they encounter. This includes offences of common assault, actual bodily harm or grievous bodily harm. There are also specific offences of child cruelty and causing or allowing a child to suffer serious physical harm, both of which carry a maximum sentence of 10 years imprisonment.
Asked by: Lord Carlile of Berriew (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the Metropolitan Police Service about how much it estimates the annual cost of using the Self Evident app would be.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
The Home Office is running an ambitious portfolio of programmes to improve the national technology capabilities available to policing. This includes: the Emergency Services Mobile Communications Programme (ESMCP) providing a single platform for critical voice and data; Home Office Biometrics provides a single platform for fingerprint, facial recognition and DNA; The National Law Enforcement Data Programme provides access across policing to national police information as well as sharing intelligence across forces; The National ANPR Service will unite all local ANPR systems into a single national system; and the Home Office continues to enhance the capabilities of the national Child Abuse Image Database.
These programmes are replacing aging and obsolete technology, as well as introducing new capabilities, and we are working with policing across this portfolio to support maximisation of the benefits these offer: cash savings, productivity opportunities and better outcomes for the public.
Asked by: Lord Carlile of Berriew (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the Metropolitan Police Service about the savings it could make by promoting the Self Evident app as a way to (1) obtain photo and video evidence of crimes from victims and witnesses, (2) enable citizens to record an initial witness statement, and (3) provide support for repeat and vulnerable victims.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
The Home Office is running an ambitious portfolio of programmes to improve the national technology capabilities available to policing. This includes: the Emergency Services Mobile Communications Programme (ESMCP) providing a single platform for critical voice and data; Home Office Biometrics provides a single platform for fingerprint, facial recognition and DNA; The National Law Enforcement Data Programme provides access across policing to national police information as well as sharing intelligence across forces; The National ANPR Service will unite all local ANPR systems into a single national system; and the Home Office continues to enhance the capabilities of the national Child Abuse Image Database.
These programmes are replacing aging and obsolete technology, as well as introducing new capabilities, and we are working with policing across this portfolio to support maximisation of the benefits these offer: cash savings, productivity opportunities and better outcomes for the public.
Asked by: Lord Carlile of Berriew (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how much funding they have provided in each year since 2012–13 to enable citizens to send the police photo, video and audio evidence of crimes they have captured on their smartphones.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
The Home Office is running an ambitious portfolio of programmes to improve the national technology capabilities available to policing. This includes: the Emergency Services Mobile Communications Programme (ESMCP) providing a single platform for critical voice and data; Home Office Biometrics provides a single platform for fingerprint, facial recognition and DNA; The National Law Enforcement Data Programme provides access across policing to national police information as well as sharing intelligence across forces; The National ANPR Service will unite all local ANPR systems into a single national system; and the Home Office continues to enhance the capabilities of the national Child Abuse Image Database.
These programmes are replacing aging and obsolete technology, as well as introducing new capabilities, and we are working with policing across this portfolio to support maximisation of the benefits these offer: cash savings, productivity opportunities and better outcomes for the public.
Asked by: Lord Carlile of Berriew (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking (1) to remedy any buprenorphine shortage, and (2) to ensure that in the long term there is consistent and adequate supply of this medication, that it is available across the country and is not subject to unpredictable price fluctuations.
Answered by Lord O'Shaughnessy
We are aware that there was a short-term supply issue which may have affected the availability in May 2018. This was because one of the main suppliers experienced delays in delivery, resulting in a short term out of stock period. Although supplies continued to remain available from other suppliers, we are aware that some may have struggled to support the increase in demand at short notice. The delivery issues were resolved quickly and the overall supply of buprenorphine tablets improved shortly afterwards.
Since this period, the Department has remained in regular contact with all United Kingdom licensed suppliers of buprenorphine and has been working closely with them to monitor their supply position. Based on these conversations, we have been assured that the available supplies are sufficient to meet the usual UK requirements for this drug. The Department continues to monitor this very closely to ensure that there is consistent and adequate supply of this medication across the country.
The Department is aware that since this short-term supply issue, the market price has increased. This increased purchase price is reflected in the reimbursement price paid to pharmacies, to ensure that supplies remain available to patients. The market for buprenorphine has generally been competitive and we expect the supply situation to improve over the coming weeks which is likely to result in an increasingly competitive market.
Asked by: Lord Carlile of Berriew (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support future patient access to new and clinically-effective medicines for glioblastoma multiforme.
Answered by Lord O'Shaughnessy
A number of drugs currently being developed for potential use in the treatment of glioblastoma have been referred to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) for the development of technology appraisal guidance. New arrangements for the assessment and adoption of cancer drugs were introduced in 2016 that are designed to ensure that patients benefit from rapid access to the most promising new cancer drugs. Under these arrangements, wherever possible, NICE aims to publish draft guidance on cancer drugs before the product receives a marketing authorisation for use in the United Kingdom, and drugs recommended in draft NICE guidance will be eligible for Cancer Drugs Fund funding from the time that the drug receives a marketing authorisation.
In May, the Government announced £40 million for brain cancer research in honour of Dame Tessa Jowell. Funding will be invested through the National Institute for Health Research to support a wide range of research from early translation (experimental medicine) through clinical and on to applied research. This will support the translation of laboratory discoveries into treatments and better care for patients.
Asked by: Lord Carlile of Berriew (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the implementation of the recommendations of the Independent Review of the Early Access to Medicines Scheme.
Answered by Lord O'Shaughnessy
Since the publication of the independent review of the Early Access to Medicines Scheme (EAMS) the Government has made a number of improvements.
Partners have worked together to provide updated guidance on the benefits and entry requirements for EAMS and are developing further guidance on collecting real world data in the scheme to support National Institute for Health and Care Excellence appraisal.
Furthermore, the EAMS task group exists to provide a forum for industry to engage with Government, the devolved administrations and arm’s length bodies regarding EAMS, as per the recommendations of the 2016 review.
Asked by: Lord Carlile of Berriew (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether new biomarker-linked treatments for glioblastoma multiforme would be considered candidate technologies for the Accelerated Access Pathway under the Accelerated Access Review.
Answered by Lord O'Shaughnessy
As set out in the response to the Accelerated Access Review, the Accelerated Access Pathway (AAP) will focus on affordable products which can dramatically improve efficiency, fill an unmet need or make a step change in patient outcomes.
There are no restrictions on what type of products the AAP should focus on. The AAP will be launched shortly after the next meeting of the Accelerated Access Collaborative.