Palestine
Questions
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the likelihood of the Palestinian Authority becoming bankrupt and the potential causes of that.[HL2356]
The Senior Minister of State, Department for Communities and Local Government & Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Warsi): The Palestinian Authority (PA) is in a dire financial situation. This is of serious concern to us and EU partners. We have been clear that the only way to achieve a sustainable development of PA finances would require fundamental changes to the way the PA and the Palestinian economy can operate, including getting Israel to ease restrictions in Gaza and the West Bank in order to allow the private sector to provide greater revenues. It would also mean ensuring that Israeli transfers of Palestinian revenues flow regularly and transparently. The UK and EU partners continue to work on these issues, including on access to Area C, and to provide financial support for the PA.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the consequences of Palestine seeking to be recognised as a “non-member observer state” by the United Nations General Assembly. [HL2465]
Baroness Warsi: At this stage, no resolutions have been tabled in New York. If a UN General Assembly resolution were to be put to a vote we would consider our position and assess the consequences of Palestine seeking to be recognised as a non-member observer state. We continue to work for progress on the peace process more widely and would consider any resolution in this context.
Plasma Resources UK
Questions
Asked by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have for the future of Plasma Resources UK.[HL2420]
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how they will ensure the security of plasma supplies in the event of any sale of Plasma Resources UK.[HL2421]
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much plasma is used by the National Health Service each year in the manufacture of products used for the treatment of NHS patients.[HL2422]
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what advice they have received on the potential sale of Plasma Resources UK; and whether they will publish that advice.[HL2423]
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what consultation they will undertake before any sale of Plasma Resources UK.[HL2424]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Earl Howe): I refer the noble Lord to the Ministerial Written Statement on July 13 (WS 167) in which I announced the department’s intention to explore new opportunities for the development of Plasma Resources UK Ltd (PRUK). This follows an independent strategic review carried out by Ernst and Young which found that the best interests of the company, the taxpayer and patients would now be served by investment from the private sector. This is to allow PRUK to grow and be successful in an established global industry while also seeking to ensure jobs are maintained in the bioscience sector of the economy.
Lazard and Co have now been appointed to consider the most appropriate level of departmental ownership to deliver the department’s objectives. This work will examine in detail the sale of all or part of the business, as well as other structures to determine the best solution for the business. Any future partner or investor would be chosen through a fair and open process and have to be able to demonstrate the necessary skills, experience and resources to work with the organisation to develop its potential, including investing new sums in plant technology.
The advice received from Ernst and Young and Lazard and Co will inform the advice and recommendations given to Ministers by officials on the outcome of this work. There will be a public statement on Ministers’ decisions and the next steps in the near future for which the reasoning and rationale will be fully transparent.
One of the key strategic aims of the review process is to ensure the security of plasma supplies. PRUK, through one of its two constituent companies, Bio Products Laboratory (BPL), is a commercial manufacturer of medicinal products such as clotting factors and immunoglobulin preparations which are made from large pools of human plasma. These products are sold around the world in competition against other major suppliers. In addition, BPL is a key supplier of relatively small amounts of specialist or niche products—it is the only supplier currently with a United Kingdom licence for the production of tetanus, rabies and VZ hyperimmunes. For these reasons we need to ensure the right investment takes place in BPL’s infrastructure. The National Health Service currently relies on these products and we need to ensure this supply continues. Given the increasingly competitive nature of what is a global industry, it is essential that PRUK takes steps now to maximise the opportunities to secure both the capital investment and wider skills necessary to compete effectively.
The level of plasma used to manufacture commercial plasma products will vary from supplier to supplier. Each litre of plasma can be used to manufacture a range of products from the same litre and the actual range of products made will also vary from supplier to supplier.
BPL produces a range of products from each litre, albeit a smaller range than some of its larger competitors. All plasma used at BPL is sourced commercially from DCI Biologicals Inc in the United States of America, the other constituent company of PRUK. None of its plasma is sourced from voluntarily donated blood in the UK.
No UK plasma is used for the manufacture of any fractionated plasma products. As such, virtually all plasma used at BPL is sourced commercially from DCI Biologicals Inc.
Like other manufacturers, BPL sells products around the world and different countries buy different proportions of the product ranges. BPL, as with other suppliers, may also sell surplus intermediate product, for example, paste, to other suppliers if this makes economic sense.
It is therefore not possible to give a precise answer from the level of end products used in the NHS to the amount of plasma used in the production process even for BPL. Also, figures for plasma consumption in a time period do not equate directly to the sale price in the same period because of the time lag between the collection of plasma and use of the finished product, any licensing requirements and other factors.
Figures from BPL for the financial years 2009-10 and 2010-11 are given in the following table. BPL has approximately 25-35% of the market share for the supply of immunoglobulins, which is generally regarded as the key product range, to the NHS in England and Northern Ireland.
| 2009-10 £ Million | 2010-11 £ Million | |
The department does not have access to data from other companies.
Plasma is also used as a therapeutic treatment (as opposed to plasma products) and some UK plasma is issued to hospitals, by the UK blood services, as Fresh Frozen Plasma (FFP) and Cryoprecipitate for direct clinical use; the rest is discarded.
In 2011-2012, NHS Blood and Transplant issued 248,600 units of FFP and 25,200 units of pooled Cryoprecipitate to hospitals (both NHS and private)1 in England and North Wales. Supplies to other hospitals in the UK are managed by the Scottish, Welsh and Irish blood services. As a measure to prevent potential transmission of Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease to patients receiving transfusions, a smaller amount of FFP is imported from Europe for use in all babies and children up to the age of 16.
This review process does not involve NHS service changes and the associated statutory consultation duties. Any major proposals would be subject to the appropriate staff consultation.
Notes:
1NHSBT does not hold information on the number of units issued to hospitals for use on NHS patients but the majority of NHSBT's customers are NHS hospitals.
Police: Firearms
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government when the Home Office Guidance to Police on Firearms Law will be published.[HL2480]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office (Lord Taylor of Holbeach): The Government are reviewing the current guidance document and consulting with relevant parties. We will issue an updated version in due course.
Prisoners: Hepatitis C
Questions
Asked by Baroness Masham of Ilton
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the findings of the Health Protection Agency's National Survey of Hepatitis C Services in Prisons in England, published in July 2012.[HL2402]
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in light of the Health Protection Agency's National Survey of Hepatitis C Services in Prisons in England, whether they plan to issue guidance on best practice, in particular in relation to (1) the availability of dried blood testing, (2) the routine testing of blood samples for polymerase chain reaction if they have a positive antibody test result, and (3) ensuring prisons have a written care pathway in place to describe what happens to prisoners who test positive for hepatitis C infection.[HL2403]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Earl Howe): The July 2012 National Survey of Hepatitis C Services in Prisons in England was co-designed, conducted and published through partnership work between Offender Health, the department’s National Liver Disease Strategy Team (Strategy Team) and the Health Protection Agency’s (HPA’s) Prison Infection Prevention Team. A copy has been placed in the Library.
The survey will provide policymakers, commissioners and service providers with useful information on the current level of service provision. Although the results show that the majority of prisons are working actively with their National Health Service partners and other stakeholders to improve access to diagnosis, treatment and care for prisoners, some variations in models of care in prison and following release were identified.
From April 2013, the NHS Commissioning Board will commission health services for people in prison, replacing current primary care trust commissioners. This presents an opportunity to address some of the variations identified in this survey.
On the specific issue of the availability of dried blood spot testing (DBST), the survey results showed that 10% of responding prisons provide this service but usually as an adjunct to venous blood sampling. The provision of DBST in both community and custodial settings is the subject of active discussion between the HPA, local commissioners and service providers.
The department recommends, based on the findings of the survey, that laboratories should ensure that all blood samples that test positive for the hepatitis C antibody should be routinely tested for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) as the first step in accessing a care pathway in prison. This issue has been raised with the HPA.
The Prison Health Performance and Quality Indicators (PHPQIs) already require evidence that there is a “hepatitis C policy agreed by the PCT/Prison Partnership Board, including as a minimum, health promotion, criteria for offering testing and a care pathway with clear criteria for referral to specialist treatment where this is indicated”.
Suggested supporting evidence to meet this criterion include “a written hepatitis C policy which includes health promotion, criteria for offering testing and a care pathway with clear criteria for referral to specialist treatment where this is indicated”.
The department and HPA are planning to conduct a detailed audit in a representative sample of prisons of hepatitis C services which will pick up details such as access to DBST and use of PCR tests following a positive antibody result on serology and written care pathways, pending usual approvals. We expect to publish this audit report next year.
Prisoners: Mental Health
Questions
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many transfers have taken place under the Mental Health Act between prisons and hospitals in England and Wales in each year since 2007, and what proportion of these have taken (1) fewer than 14 days and (2) more than 14 days.[HL2395]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Earl Howe): The Ministry of Justice publishes information about the number of Mental Health Act transfers between prisons and hospitals and this is shown in the following table.
| Year | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 |
Source:
Ministry of Justice Offender Management Caseload Statistics 2011.
The Government do not have reliable information about the time taken to transfer prisoners between prison and hospital.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to ensure that transfer of prisoners to hospitals under the Mental Health Act are completed within 14 days in line with the recommendation in the Bradley report.[HL2396]
Earl Howe: In March 2011, the department published good practice guidance concerning the transfer of prisoners to hospital under the Mental Health Act. Additional, revised guidance has been agreed by the department and the Ministry of Justice and will be published for the National Health Service and prisons later in the year.
Racial Economic Equality
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they will publish the report of the inquiry into the barriers preventing black and minority ethnic groups of people from accessing loans as announced by the Deputy Prime Minister in last year's Scarman Memorial lecture.[HL2453]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Communities and Local Government (Baroness Hanham): The DCLG-led cross-government review into the barriers preventing black and minority ethnic entrepreneurs from accessing business finance will report back on its findings shortly.
Research and Development: Expenditure
Question
Asked by Lord Willis of Knaresborough
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what percentage of gross domestic product was spent on research and development in 2010; what is their estimate for 2011; and what is the projected spend for 2015. [HL2539]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (Lord Marland): In 2010, gross expenditure on research and development (GERD) was £26.4 billion and represented 1.8% of gross domestic product.
The 2011 GERD figures will be published by the Office for National Statistics in March 2013.
Business expenditure research and development figures (BERD) accounts for around two-thirds of GERD. The 2011 BERD figures will be published in November 2012.
Neither the Government nor the Office for National Statistics forecast gross expenditure on research and development.
Retail: Small Shops
Question
Asked by Lord Janner of Braunstone
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action is being taken to support small shops.[HL2587]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (Lord Marland): The Government are actively working to help retailers. Retail is vital to local and national economies. This was why it was chosen to be one of the first sectors to be the subject of a growth review, and was the first theme chosen for the Red Tape Challenge. These initiatives identified a number of barriers to successful retail performance and growth, which the Government are addressing.
As a result the Government have committed to extending small business rate relief and announced that 160 regulations impacting on retailers or their customers will be scrapped or simplified. We are also conducting a review of employment law.
In March, the Government’s formal response to the recommendations made by Mary Portas in her report, An Independent Review into the Future of our High Streets, was published by the Department for Communities and Local Government.
The report contained 28 recommendations, raising a number of important issues affecting today’s high streets, and provided some useful and interesting ways in which government, local authorities, business and the public can begin to address them.
DCLG took immediate action in implementing some of the recommendations, including on high street pilots.
Four hundred and nineteen town teams put in bids to become Portas Pilots, bringing communities together from across the country planning to secure the future of their town centres. Twenty-seven Portas Pilots have now been announced.
DCLG are offering the remaining 392 town teams the opportunity to put their town first by becoming a town team partner—they will receive access to a share of a £4 million fund to take forward key elements of their original plan for reviving their high streets, as well as support from the Association of Town Centre Management, which will provide town team partners access to a range of advice, information, mentoring support and events.
The Government also announced a £1 million Future High Street X-Fund, which will award prizes to the location or locations which have delivered the most creative and effective schemes for revitalising their high street, since the Portas review was launched in May 2011. The fund is open to all. The closing date for applications is 6 December. Winners will be announced in March 2013.
Retailers are also able to benefit from the same range of support offered by BIS to help small and medium businesses to start and thrive, through:
improved access to finance;a more positive business environment which supports growth and ease of starting a business, and where new businesses and economic opportunities are more evenly shared between regions and industries;a major programme to reform the way that people running a business get the information, guidance and support they need to start and grow a business; andbuilding a more entrepreneurial culture, equipping people with the skills and ambition to start a business.
Schools: Creationism
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the Exemplar Academy in Newark will be teaching creationism as part of the curriculum; if so, whether it will teach creationism as one theory of many or as fact; and whether they will publish any guidance they have provided to Ofsted on the matter.[HL1675]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Schools (Lord Hill of Oareford): We would not approve any free school application where we had any concerns that the applicants intended to teach creationism as a valid scientific theory, in science or any other subject. Furthermore, the teaching of creationism as science in any lesson is forbidden by the funding agreement entered into with all free schools.
Issues relating to the appropriateness of the teaching of aspects of the curriculum are within the scope of school inspection. Such concerns would be considered during the course of an inspection and this would be reflected in Ofsted’s assessment of the school. We do not provide any specific guidance to Ofsted on this matter as the Government’s position is clear and unambiguous.
Sunday Trading
Question
Asked by Lord Kennedy of Southwark
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to change the law with respect to Sunday trading.[HL2404]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (Lord Marland): The Government have no plans at this stage to change the law on Sunday trading.
Turkey
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will observe the pending trials of 90 journalists in Turkey, in order to verify their fairness.[HL2355]
The Senior Minister of State, Department for Communities and Local Government & Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Warsi): The British Government do not plan to observe all the pending trials of 90 journalists in Turkey. The EU delegation in Ankara co-ordinates attendance and monitoring by officials of member states at high-profile trials of journalists. As a member state of the EU, UK officials support this process.
The Deputy Prime Minister, my right honourable friend the Member for Sheffield, Hallam (Mr Clegg), raised the issue of freedom of expression in his recent visit to Turkey.
The 2012 European Commission’s annual progress report on Turkey strongly criticised Turkey’s human rights record. Along with our EU partners, we urge Turkey to make further progress on issues such as freedom of expression and access to fair trials.
UN: International Day of the Child
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to support the United Nations’ International Day of the Girl Child.[HL2520]
Baroness Northover: We welcomed the inaugural International Day of the Girl on 11 October as a critical opportunity to highlight the importance of
advancing girls’ lives and opportunities across the globe. This is a priority for the UK Government and we have put girls and women at the heart of international development.
To mark the day I spoke at the launch of Plan International’s report on the State of the World’s Girls and announced funding for a new three-year multi-country programme to build the self-confidence, leadership and advocacy skills of 24,000 girls and young women in developing countries through sports programmes.
The Department for International Development (DfID) also held internal events to highlight the work we are doing through the Girl Hub and hosted an expert panel on early and forced marriage. A new resource was also launched to help staff consider how to address early and forced marriage through development interventions.
Universal Credit
Question
Asked by Baroness Scott of Needham Market
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the regime for universal credit will limit the number of hours of volunteer activity which can be undertaken by a claimant.[HL2438]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Work and Pensions (Lord Freud): Claimants can undertake as many hours undertaking voluntary work as they want but for the purposes of UC we can only allow up to 50% of their expected hours of work as a relevant deduction against their work-search activities for the week.
The maximum expected hours of work search per week under UC will be 35 hours. This means the maximum we can allow as a relevant deduction against their expected hours of work is 17.5 hours per week.
Uzbekistan
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they have taken to encourage the Government of Uzbekistan to outlaw child slave labour in the cotton textile industry and to prevent products made using child slave labour in Uzbekistan from entering the United Kingdom.[HL2560]
The Senior Minister of State, Department for Communities and Local Government & Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Warsi): The British Government have long-standing concerns about the use of child labour
in Uzbekistan. While we welcomed Uzbekistan’s ratification of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) conventions on the minimum age of employment and on the elimination of the worst forms of child labour, we are concerned by the continuing gap between legislative measures taken by the Uzbek authorities and their practical implementation. We regularly make our concerns clear to the Uzbek authorities. We also make clear that we are ready to assist them in implementing the international commitments to which they have signed up.
We continue to engage with the Uzbek authorities on practical ways to support the diversification of Uzbekistan’s agricultural sector. There are some indications that the Uzbek Government’s focus on diversification is having an impact both on reducing the use of child labour in the cotton harvest and on developing a more sustainable livelihood for farmers.
However, limited access makes the situation difficult to assess. Our embassy in Tashkent takes every opportunity to gather information first hand and works closely with the international community and non-governmental organisations.
We continue to call on businesses to look at their supply chains and take appropriate action if they find evidence that goods have been produced using child labour. However, the Government believe that decisions on import controls are best taken at EU level to ensure a level playing field across the EU single market. Given the practical difficulties in linking specific imports with the use of child labour, we do not believe that an import ban would solve the problem.
Waste Management: Incinerators
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to refer the proposal for a 190,000-ton capacity mass burn incinerator at Javlin Park, Haresfield, Gloucestershire to the Planning Inspectorate prior to the granting of planning consent.[HL2388]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Communities and Local Government (Baroness Hanham): The Government will only refer the case to the Planning Inspectorate if the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government decides to call-in the application for his own determination.
The application is currently under being considered by Gloucestershire County Council and is still out to public consultation. It is not the policy of the Government to consider call-in of applications at such an early stage.
The Secretary of State is very selective about calling in applications and will only do so if they raise issues of national importance.