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G6: Interior Ministers Meeting
Lord Wright of Richmond asked Her Majesty's Government:
In the light of their undertaking to place the conclusions of the previous meeting of the G6 Interior Ministers in the Library of the House, why the conclusions of the meeting in Venice on 11 and 12 May were not placed in the Library. [HL4310]
The Minister of State, Home Office (Baroness Scotland of Asthal): The conclusions of the meeting in Venice on 11 and 12 May were placed on the Home Office website shortly after the G6 ministerial meeting. Regrettably, however, they were not placed in the Library, something which will be done as a matter of course following future meetings of the G6.
Government: Consultation
Lord Greaves asked Her Majesty's Government:
What further steps they will take to consult citizens on the document Effective Consultation, issued by the Cabinet Office on 14 June.[HL4448]
Lord Davies of Oldham: The Government have been promoting the review of government consultation policy to known stakeholders, including bodies representing citizens of various backgrounds and consumer organisations.
In addition to submitting formal responses to the Effective Consultation paper, views can be shared with the Government via an online discussion forum, on which several citizens have already expressed views on how the Government conduct their consultation exercises. The Cabinet Office will continue to promote this channel via regional and specialist media. The Cabinet Office is also arranging workshops around the country and is investigating ways in which intermediary organisations can be used to arrange dialogue between officials and citizens on the topic of government consultations.
Government: Purchasing
Lord Hylton asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they seek to ensure that government purchasing, both direct and through contractors, gives preference to minerals and timber produced under good health and safety standards and respects sustainable forestry and the natural environment of mines. [HL4086]
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The Minister of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Rooker): Since July 2000 the Government have sought to purchase timber and wood products that derive from trees that are legally harvested in forests and plantations that are sustainably managed.
The criteria used to define “legal” timber require compliance by both the forest management organisation and any contractors with local and national legal requirements including health and safety.
OGC’s common minimum standards and Achieving Excellence in Construction guidance on sustainability set out standards by which the public sector can procure and deliver construction projects that best promote sustainable development. They include commitments to use materials that contribute to the Government's sustainability goals as well as recycling aggregates in construction.
Defra’s general conditions of contract require its contractors to comply with health and safety legislation when supplying goods and services. It is likely that a similar condition is applied by other central departments.
The Government’s recently published Sustainable Procurement Action Plan includes an objective to move towards government supply chains that respect biodiversity and deliver wider sustainable development goals.
Health: Amalgam Fillings
Lord Forsyth of Drumlean asked Her Majesty's Government:
The Minister of State, Department of Health (Lord Hunt of Kings Heath): Dental amalgam has been in use for more than 150 years to restore teeth in millions of patients and, apart from rare instances of hypersensitivity, no adverse reactions have been identified. Alternative dental restorative materials are not so easily, quickly and reliably placed; neither are they so durable. Due to improvements in oral health, the number of restorations is decreasing, with the result that the safe management and disposal of dental amalgam is more easily achieved.
Health: Food Supplements and Herbal Remedies
Earl Howe asked Her Majesty's Government:
When they expect the Bailiwick of Jersey to review its existing medicines legislation to bring it into line with relevant European Union directives; and what assistance they intend to give the bailiwick in that process; and [HL4385]
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By what date the Bailiwicks of (a) Jersey and (b) Guernsey are required to have introduced legislation to implement the European Union (i) food supplements directive; (ii) nutrition and health claims made on food regulation; and (iii) current medicines directives; and [HL4386]
When Ministers last met with representatives of the Governments of the Bailiwicks of (a) Jersey and (b) Guernsey; and whether those meetings afforded an opportunity to discuss the need for (i) Jersey to bring its medicines legislation into line with current European Union legislation, and (ii) Guernsey to introduce medicines legislation; and [HL4387]
What action is being taken by (a) the Food Standards Agency; (b) the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency; and (c) the Ministry of Justice in relation to the need under Protocol 3 of the Treaty of the European Union for the Bailiwick of Jersey to review its existing medicines legislation and for the Bailiwick of Guernsey to introduce such legislation; and by what date they expect the two Bailiwicks to be fully compliant with treaty obligations in relation to medicines and food legislation; and [HL4388]
Whether they will place in the Library of the House a copy of the response from the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency to the recent consultation by the Bailiwick of Guernsey on its draft medicines legislation; and what are the main points of that response; and [HL4389]
Whether they will invite the Governments of Guernsey and Jersey to attend a meeting with the Health Food Manufacturers' Association to discuss issues relating to the trade in food supplements and unlicensed medicinal products. [HL4390]
The Minister of State, Department of Health (Lord Hunt of Kings Heath): The Nutrition and Health Claims Regulation, the food supplements directive and the medicines directive remove barriers to the free movement of goods within the European Union (EU) by regulating content, sale and labelling of products. Jersey and Guernsey are not part of the EU; instead, they have a relationship with the EU provided by Protocol 3 of the United Kingdom's (UK) treaty of accession to the European Community. Discussions on exactly how the requirements of these directives apply to the Channel Islands are continuing between the UK and the Bailiwicks of Jersey and Guernsey.
The Bailiwicks of Jersey and Guernsey have not said when they will review current legislation or introduce new legislation to implement the requirements of the directives and the regulation. If the island Governments agree that the directives and regulation apply to them, the dates for implementation set within the original EU legislation would apply.
The Ministry of Justice is supporting the Food Standards Agency (FSA) and the Medicines and Health products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) in their communications with the Channel Islands over these
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The Lord Chancellor met the Chief Minister of Guernsey on 24 April this year. Many issues were discussed, including the UK's view on both the medicines directive and the food supplements directive. The Lord Chancellor last met the Chief Minister of Jersey at a dinner he hosted on 22 February. The opportunity to discuss these directives did not arise.
The FSA, MHRA and Ministry of Justice have met the Health Food Manufacturers' Association to discuss issues relating to the trade in food supplements and unlicensed medicinal products via the Channel Islands. Further information has been requested to assist in discussions with the island Governments. There are no plans to invite the Governments of Guernsey and Jersey to a meeting with the Health Food Manufacturers’ Association.
A copy of the MHRA's response to the consultation by the Bailiwick of Guernsey on its draft medicines legislation will be placed in the Library. The MHRA, in its response, said that the proposed legislation did not implement the medicines directive; it offered assistance to the Bailiwick of Guernsey in
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Health: Hospital Infections
Lord Morris of Manchester asked Her Majesty's Government:
How many National Health Service patients have died after being infected while in hospital in each of the last seven years. [HL4383]
The Minister of State, Department of Health (Lord Hunt of Kings Heath): Information on numbers of deaths from infections contracted in hospital is not available. Death certificates rarely specify the place where an infection was acquired. Death certificates do, however, record the place of death. The Office for National Statistics publishes analyses of deaths in England and Wales with meticillin resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) or clostridium difficile (C. difficile) mentioned on the death certificate. The following tables present the number of death certificates mentioning MRSA from 1999-2005 and C. difficile in 1999 and from 2001-2005 by place of death. Information on C. difficile is not available for 2000 (please see note 3).
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