Asked by: Ian Paisley (Democratic Unionist Party - North Antrim)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the funding for antimicrobial resistance research through the Global AMR Innovation Fund, whether his Department has a long-term investment strategy for stimulating non-profit innovation to help tackle antimicrobial resistance.
Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
Research and innovation are crucial pillars of activity under the Government’s five-year National Action Plan (NAP), covering the period 2019 to 2024, for tackling antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and will continue to be a priority under the next NAP. The Government is currently developing this second five-year NAP, which will run from 2024 to 2029. This includes development of a series research priorities, commitments, and deliverables.
As part of this approach, the Global AMR Innovation Fund (GAMRIF) is a One Health UK aid fund that supports research and development around the world to reduce the threat of AMR in humans, animals, and the environment for the benefit of people in low- and middle-income countries. GAMRIF collaborates with academia, non-profit global initiatives, industry, and governments to support innovation and product development, while also ensuring sustained investment from other global donors to tackle AMR.
Asked by: Ian Paisley (Democratic Unionist Party - North Antrim)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many times the RAF has been deployed to intercept aircraft in Republic of Ireland airspace in each of the last three years.
Answered by James Heappey
There have been no instances over the last three years of RAF aircraft being deployed to intercept aircraft within the airspace of the Republic of Ireland.
Asked by: Ian Paisley (Democratic Unionist Party - North Antrim)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what guidance he has issued to (a) providers of (i) inpatient and (ii) outpatient care and (b) patients receiving community care on (A) the assessment and selection of the most clinically appropriate absorbent continence care products for patients with incontinence and (B) the delivery of person centred care; and whether he has made an estimate of the cost of provision of products other than the most clinically appropriate for such patients.
Answered by Will Quince
While no known central guidance has been issued to date on this topic, local areas may have developed a local formulary where they recommend the use of specific products. We have not made a central estimate of the cost of different provision. However, we are working to improve spend data systems through implementation of the medtech strategy.
National Health Service commissioners in England are responsible for urinary continence care based on the available evidence and taking into account guidance from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for the commissioning of health services in their local health economy.
NHS England’s Excellence in Continence Care guidance, published in July 2018, which brings together evidence-based resources and research for guidance for commissioners, providers, health and social care staff, further indicates that personalised care including personal health budgets can be arranged locally by ICBs to help people manage and pay for their continence care needs.
Asked by: Ian Paisley (Democratic Unionist Party - North Antrim)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department has an agreement in place with the Republic of Ireland on air defence cover.
Answered by James Heappey
I am withholding any response to questions on other nation's sovereign airspace access, as these should be for the nation in question to answer; therefore any further questions on Irish airspace should be directed to the Government of Ireland.
Asked by: Ian Paisley (Democratic Unionist Party - North Antrim)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to his Department's guidance entitled Procedures for the approval of independent sector places for termination of pregnancy (abortion) in England, what specific implications relating to the taking of abortion medicines beyond the legal limit of 9 weeks and 6 days gestation women should be made aware of under that guidance when having an early medical abortion at home.
Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
Women having an early medical abortion at home should be informed of the implications, health and otherwise, of taking the abortion medicine beyond the legal limit of nine weeks and six days gestation. Women would also be advised on self-management including any signs and symptoms and when to obtain healthcare support, how to dispose of or return the abortion pills if they are not used and how they can be sure that the pregnancy has ended.
The Department’s Required Standard Operating Procedures, which all independent abortion providers must comply with, set out that woman seeking an abortion should be informed about their options so that they can make an informed choice about their preferred course of action within the legal framework for abortion in England.
Asked by: Ian Paisley (Democratic Unionist Party - North Antrim)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 24 April 2023 to Question 181199 on Development Aid: Genito-urinary Medicine, if his Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of monitoring the level of funding that is allocated to (a) overseas abortion services and (b) supporting pregnant women and children overseas.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
FCDO tracks funding for comprehensive sexual and reproductive health services, including safe abortion services. However, as FCDO takes an integrated approach to our programming on sexual and reproductive health and rights, it is not possible to give a specific figure for our funding for the provision of safe abortion services.
Asked by: Ian Paisley (Democratic Unionist Party - North Antrim)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make representations to her US counterpart on the potential merits of granting whiskey from Northern Ireland the same level of distinctive product protection as afforded to Scotch whisky in that country.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The UK Government fully recognises the importance of Irish Whiskey to the Northern Ireland economy, and we welcome the recent rise in exports of Irish Whiskey to the United States. We are fully supportive of attempts by the industry to strengthen the protection of Irish Whiskey in US federal law and will ask the US Government to pursue this to align with protection afforded already to Scotch Whisky.
Asked by: Ian Paisley (Democratic Unionist Party - North Antrim)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on the movement of livestock between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK.
Answered by Steve Baker - Minister of State (Northern Ireland Office)
The Windsor Framework respects that for decades the island of Ireland has been treated as a single epidemiological unit, meaning that there have been additional requirements for the movement of livestock. These include identification requirements, health certificates and the physical inspection of animals by vets.
In 2021, technical easements were agreed with the EU to simplify livestock moving between Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Defra is working closely with the livestock sector to ensure movements can continue with as little friction as possible.
Asked by: Ian Paisley (Democratic Unionist Party - North Antrim)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent progress her Department has made on negotiating a free trade agreement with India; whether she has had discussions with her Indian counterpart on the potential merits of including tariff reductions for Irish whiskey exporters in that agreement; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
A free trade agreement with India offers the opportunity to deepen our already strong trade relationship, worth £34 billion in the year to end Q3 2022.
We seek a forward-looking FTA which includes a solid market access offer that can boost firms like Irish whiskey exporters, as well as easing red tape for services and ensuring greater legal certainty for investment.
On 10 February 2023, the seventh round of UK-India FTA concluded. We do not discuss details of live negotiations, and will only sign a deal that is fair, reciprocal, and ultimately in the best interests of the British people and the economy.
Asked by: Ian Paisley (Democratic Unionist Party - North Antrim)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether she plans to take steps to undertake (a) trade missions and (b) other export promotion activities to help support Irish whiskey exporters from Northern Ireland to increase sales in Australia, in the context of the UK-Australia free trade agreement.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
Our world-class trade agreement with Australia will bring opportunities to every part of the UK. Whiskey Distilleries from Northern Ireland will benefit from tariffs being cut to 0%, the slashing of red tape and simplified customs procedures, making it cheaper and easier to export their products to Australia.
The Department for Business and Trade works in close partnership with the Irish Whiskey Association on a range of issues. These include trade policy and export promotion activities focussing on opportunities in their target priority markets, which include Australia.