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Baroness Blackstone: My Lords, can the Minister tell the House whether any progress has been made in discussions with the US and French Governments on steps to renegotiate the 1946 Washington Agreement? Is it not vital to reopen that agreement, given the fact that the Swiss Government have said that it could take as long as five years to report on the matter?
Baroness Chalker of Wallasey: My Lords, I do not wish to appear difficult to the noble Baroness, Lady Blackstone, but, until the investigation is under way, I really cannot see grounds for reopening the 1946 Washington Agreement. If the investigation into the Swiss financial institutions before and during World War II brings to light new information, we would consider further action in consultation with the Swiss, the US and the French Governments. I do not believe that the five-year period mentioned by the noble Baroness is realistic; indeed, I believe that it will be done rather faster than that. There is great deal of concern in Switzerland to get on with the matter and to resolve it once and for all.
Lord Mackie of Benshie: My Lords, can the Minister tell us why it has taken 50 years for anything to be done?
Baroness Chalker of Wallasey: No, my Lords, I cannot do so. I think that I am just as impatient as the noble Lord.
Viscount Waverley: My Lords, can the Minister tell the House what is being done to attack the ill-gotten
wealth of drug traffickers whose funds are suspected of being in secret accounts? For example, is the information being shared with the authorities in producing countries?
Baroness Chalker of Wallasey: My Lords, the noble Viscount may know that a very substantial effort has been made, particularly by Commonwealth countries, both to trace the ill-gotten gains of drug traffickers and, indeed, money involved in money laundering. It is a matter of great concern at an international level, not only as regards Swiss bank accounts but also in the banking world as a whole. Some progress has already been made; more needs to be made. I believe that we are moving in a positive direction to get people to at least be honest about this money.
Lord Hylton: My Lords, with regard to moneys deposited before or during the Second World War, will Her Majesty's Government ensure that the legitimate interests of European gypsies are not overlooked?
Baroness Chalker of Wallasey: My Lords, I shall certainly bring the noble Lord's question to the notice of those authorities who are considering the matter. I cannot give the noble Lord an undertaking because I am not part of the investigation team. However, it seems to be a point of consideration which should be taken into account.
Lord Wallace of Saltaire: My Lords, given the fact that a large number of offshore banking centres are under British jurisdiction both around the British Isles and in the Caribbean, is the Minister satisfied that our rules are now tight enough to cope with money laundering, and so on, in those centres?
Baroness Chalker of Wallasey: My Lords, a major effort has been made over the past few years to tighten up the legislation in all dependent territories and, indeed, in other territories where there is offshore banking. I am not really confident that we have ever gone quite far enough. All I know is that the authorities in the countries concerned, who we suspect suffer from illicit deposits in offshore banks, are very much aware of the point. They have asked for assistance in working out how to combat the situation. We shall give that assistance whenever we possibly can.
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
2.58 p.m.
Earl Baldwin of Bewdley asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What steps they propose to take in the aftermath of the recent report of the medical Royal Colleges on chronic fatigue syndrome.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of Sate, Department of Health (Baroness Cumberlege): My Lords, the report of the medical Royal Colleges has contributed to the debate about the nature and treatment
of chronic fatigue syndrome, also known as ME. Until there is a diagnostic test or robust evidence of an effective treatment, we shall continue to fund research and to support the voluntary sector. This will help to ensure that patients receive the best possible advice and treatment available within the current state of our scientific knowledge.
Earl Baldwin of Bewdley: My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Baroness for her reply and, in particular, for her reference to the need for more research. Will the Minister agree that a crucial first step in which her department could take a leading role is to get the message across to doctors, especially GPs in the front line, that chronic fatigue syndrome is a very real condition: it is not all in the mind and needs skilful and sympathetic management?
Baroness Cumberlege: Yes, my Lords; I entirely agree with the noble Earl, Lord Baldwin. In fact, I was discussing with the Chief Medical Officer this morning the best way of getting the message across to general practitioners. He has agreed to include an article in the monthly CMO's Update which goes to every GP in the country.
Lord Dean of Beswick: My Lords, if the necessary research into this condition were to be dramatically increased, can the Minister tell the House where the funding would come from, bearing in mind the fact that the trusts which provide such services have very little money to devote to that kind of activity?
Baroness Cumberlege: My Lords, the noble Lord will be aware that this Government have given a commitment to put more resources into the health service year on year on year on year on year for five years.
Lord Rea: My Lords, I agree with the report of the Royal Colleges that the main care for this condition should be provided by primary healthcare and by general practitioners. However, does the Minister agree that the initial diagnosis and the teasing out of this condition is complicated because it could be described as a multi-faceted condition? Is the Minister satisfied that facilities are available in hospitals throughout the country to make an accurate initial diagnosis to guide general practitioners who will then carry on with the treatment?
Baroness Cumberlege: My Lords, the noble Lord is absolutely right. There is no agreed diagnostic criteria at the moment which makes it a difficult condition to combat. There is still a debate about what other factors should be taken into account in determining the nature of the disease and also its treatment. We believe that it is increasingly being dealt with more sympathetically and that provision is made for these patients in hospital. Indeed we have no reason to believe otherwise.
Lord Mackie of Benshie: My Lords, is the Minister aware that it is widely thought that the Government are suffering from this syndrome?
Baroness Cumberlege: My Lords, the Government are strong, healthy and prepared to go on for another five years.
The Countess of Mar: My Lords, is the Minister aware of the work that has been done at Glasgow University on the effects of organophosphates on chronic fatigue syndrome? Is she aware that there would appear in some cases to be a link, and that perhaps chronic fatigue syndrome has not only one cause but a number of causes?
Baroness Cumberlege: My Lords, we are aware of the research that is being carried out at the University of Glasgow. Indeed I believe that officials visited the author of the work only last week. We have not yet seen the full report.
Lord Clark of Kempston: My Lords, does my noble friend accept that the Government have increased in real terms the money available for the National Health Service? The Opposition, who criticise the funding of the National Health Service, would be better advised to say where they would get the money from if they reformed it.
Baroness Cumberlege: Yes, my Lords, of course.
Baroness Jay of Paddington: My Lords, I follow that simple point with another one. Are the Government concerned that one of the suggestions of the Royal Colleges is that this whole business should be handed to general practitioners, and that the care of people with this syndrome should rest in the hands of family doctors? Is it not the exact opposite of the whole policy of evidence based medicine that this complicated work is being handed to general practice at a time when that service is in flux and, as we understand it, may well end up in the hands of private pharmacologists?
Baroness Cumberlege: My Lords, the noble Baroness is right to say that this is a complex area. That is why we are putting more resources into research on it. One of the two projects that we are funding at the moment to the tune of £65,000 concerns looking at whether GPs are best placed to manage this condition.
Earl Baldwin of Bewdley: My Lords, would not the noble Baroness agree that, in line with the Government's stated policy of putting patients first, patient organisations should now be actively involved with the medical profession in taking the agenda forward, which is something which has not necessarily happened in the past?
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