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  • Baroness Tonge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Baroness Tonge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2016-05-19.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the inclusion of Universal Health Coverage as a target in the World Health Organization report Health in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, published on 8 April 2016.

    Baroness Verma

    The UK Government welcomes the report of the World Health Organisation, which highlights the integrated and indivisible nature of all the Goals in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and the role of health among them, and presents Universal Health Coverage as a target in itself and a contributor to the other health targets

  • Baroness Tonge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Baroness Tonge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2016-05-19.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they plan to take within the World Health Organization to ensure that targets on universal access to sexual and reproductive health-care services and reproductive rights are treated on an equal footing with other targets in terms of implementation, financial support, follow-up and review.

    Baroness Verma

    We support the World Health Assembly resolution that proposes to review, at future World Health Assemblies, the report of the Every Woman Every Child Independent Accountability Panel. The proposed accountability mechanism will review key indicators under the strategic themes of Survive, Thrive and Transform, including those on sexual and reproductive services (including for adolescents) and including rights.

    UK officials are engaged in developing the rights component of the accountability mechanism.

  • Baroness Tonge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Baroness Tonge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2016-05-19.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they intend to make to ensure that decisions on follow-up and review of the World Health Organization’s report Health in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development are fully integrated into the work of the United Nations High-Level Political Forum when following-up and reviewing the United Nations 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development.

    Baroness Verma

    The UK is fully engaged in the development of the follow up and review mechanisms for the United Nations High-Level Political Forum.

    As these mechanisms become clearer we will promote alignment with the accountability processes for specific goals and themes in the 2030 Agenda, including the World Health Organization’s report: Health in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

  • Lord Trees – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Lord Trees – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Trees on 2016-05-19.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to require all abattoirs to have CCTV recordings of the slaughter process in the interests of animal welfare, and to require storage of such recordings and access to them by third parties.

    Lord Gardiner of Kimble

    The primary responsibility for protecting animal welfare in slaughterhouses rests with business operators, who must have operating procedures in place to prevent animals suffering avoidable pain, suffering and distress. Business operators must also have appropriate monitoring procedures in place.

    The vast majority of animals are slaughtered in slaughterhouses which have CCTV present, so the Government is not currently persuaded of the case for introducing regulation which would require all abattoirs to have CCTV, but we are keeping the issue under review.

    In their report last year, the Farm Animal Welfare Committee recommended that CCTV should be retained, by the slaughterhouse, for a period of at least three months and the Government supports that recommendation. Official Veterinarians of the Food Standards Agency are present in all approved slaughterhouses to monitor and ensure operators comply with strict animal welfare regulations and have the power to seize CCTV footage if they suspect a breach of welfare standards.

  • Lord Willis of Knaresborough – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Lord Willis of Knaresborough – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Willis of Knaresborough on 2016-05-19.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the process by which Global Challenge Research Fund programmes will be agreed; and whether final decisions will be determined by reference to the Haldane principle.

    Baroness Neville-Rolfe

    As stated in the recent White Paper, Government is committed to the Haldane principle, including with respect to Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF). As with other areas of science and research activity, Research Councils will work with other delivery partners to prepare a high-level research strategy for the GCRF, which they will agree with Ministers. The specific approach to be taken to currently unallocated funds will be developed with delivery partners over the coming months, and will include using the funding to promote multidisciplinary research, in line with Sir Paul Nurse’s recommendations.

  • Lord Willis of Knaresborough – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Lord Willis of Knaresborough – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Willis of Knaresborough on 2016-05-19.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what involvement ministers will have in determining the areas of global challenge before monies from the Global Challenge Research Fund are allocated to Research Councils.

    Baroness Neville-Rolfe

    As stated in the recent White Paper, Government is committed to the Haldane principle, including with respect to Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF). As with other areas of science and research activity, Research Councils will work with other delivery partners to prepare a high-level research strategy for the GCRF, which they will agree with Ministers. The specific approach to be taken to currently unallocated funds will be developed with delivery partners over the coming months, and will include using the funding to promote multidisciplinary research, in line with Sir Paul Nurse’s recommendations.

  • Lord Willis of Knaresborough – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Lord Willis of Knaresborough – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Willis of Knaresborough on 2016-05-19.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the process for agreeing cross-research council proposals before accessing Global Challenge Research Fund monies.

    Baroness Neville-Rolfe

    As stated in the recent White Paper, Government is committed to the Haldane principle, including with respect to Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF). As with other areas of science and research activity, Research Councils will work with other delivery partners to prepare a high-level research strategy for the GCRF, which they will agree with Ministers. The specific approach to be taken to currently unallocated funds will be developed with delivery partners over the coming months, and will include using the funding to promote multidisciplinary research, in line with Sir Paul Nurse’s recommendations.

  • Lord Willis of Knaresborough – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Lord Willis of Knaresborough – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Willis of Knaresborough on 2016-05-19.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government when the Strategic Advisory Group for the Research Councils will be established, what will be its membership, and what are its terms of reference.

    Baroness Neville-Rolfe

    The Government encourages Research Councils to work closely with other Research Councils and their communities. With regards to the Global Challenges Research Fund, Research Councils are establishing an advisory group – as they do with other areas of research. Details of the group can be found on the Research Councils UK website: http://www.rcuk.ac.uk/media/news/160526/.

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  • Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool on 2016-05-19.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Prior of Brampton on 10 May (HL7949), what factors are thought to be responsible for differences in the number of serious adverse incidents of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) between each of the three years from 2010 to 2012 compared to 2013 and 2014; and whether the reference to professional standards applies only to clinicians or also to the activities of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority in attempting to mitigate the risks of OHSS.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has advised that whilst certain factors may increase the risk of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS), there is no agreed method to predict the amount of severe OHSS that will occur. Therefore, the Authority cannot infer what factors, if any, would cause year to year variation in the number of incidents reported.

    Professional clinical standards are set by the appropriate Royal Colleges and issued to guide clinicians and health professionals directly, not the HFEA.

  • Baroness Barker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Baroness Barker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Barker on 2016-05-19.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether there will be UK ministerial attendance at the UN High Level Meeting for ending AIDS in June.

    Baroness Verma

    The UK government will be represented at the UN General Assembly high-level meeting on ending AIDS at the UN headquarters in New York in June 2016 and the International AIDS Conference in Durban in July. Precise attendance has still to be finalised.