Asked by: Lord Hay of Ballyore (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had about processes for supporting patients presenting at GP surgeries with mental health issues related to potential gambling habits.
Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Primary care services play an important role in supporting people with mental health conditions, including in helping them to access the most appropriate services for their needs.
As set out in the NHS Mental Health Implementation Plan, 15 new National Health Service specialist problem gambling clinics will be opened by March 2024. This will include piloting provision for children under 18 years old. Twelve of these clinics are already operational with the remaining three expected to open by the end of the year. Through the clinics, representing every region of England, the NHS will be able to treat up to 3,000 people experiencing gambling-related harm each year.
In April 2023, the Government published its white paper, High Stakes – gambling reform for the digital age. This announced the introduction of a statutory levy on gambling operators to fund research, prevention, and treatment of gambling-related harms. Once operational, the levy will help to expand and improve existing treatment and support service to ensure those in need are able to access the right care at the right time. A copy of the white paper is attached.
Asked by: Lord Hay of Ballyore (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the services available to address gambling addiction in the UK; and how they plan to further support those affected.
Answered by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
His Majesty’s Government recognises that, while millions of people gamble without experiencing problems, for some it becomes an addiction with serious consequences. The Gambling White Paper, published in April this year, outlines a balanced and proportionate package of measures in response.
The White Paper committed to introducing a statutory levy charged to gambling operators to raise trusted, ring-fenced funding for research into, and the prevention and treatment of, gambling-related harms. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has since launched a public consultation on the structure, distribution, and governance of the levy, which closes on 14 December.
We propose that the levy provides sustainable funding for HM Government to develop a co-ordinated approach to prevention at local, regional, and national levels. It will provide investment for organisations, including in the third sector, for harm-prevention activities across Great Britain. This will facilitate more upstream interventions in the prevention of gambling-related harms, and will raise awareness of harms and support pathways.
In England, the NHS Long-term Plan committed to expanding the geographical coverage of NHS services in England for people with serious gambling problems through the creation of 15 specialist gambling clinics by 2023/24, with £15 million of funding over this same period. Twelve of the 15 planned clinics are now open, with representation across every part of England. The three remaining clinics – in Liverpool, Blackpool, and Sheffield – will open by the end of the year.
Asked by: Lord Hay of Ballyore (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that the UK is actively enforcing its fishing rights.
Answered by Lord Benyon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
As an independent coastal state, the UK has full responsibility over how it ensures compliance in its fisheries. All fishing vessels in UK waters are required to fish in accordance with UK laws and the conditions of their licences. As control and enforcement is a devolved matter, Defra, the Scottish Government, the Welsh Government and the Northern Ireland Executive work together to share information and ensure a coordinated approach to monitoring, compliance and enforcement across UK waters.