Medicines and Medical Devices Bill

Debate between Baroness Finlay of Llandaff and Lord Duncan of Springbank

Committee stage & Committee: 6th sitting (Hansard) & Committee: 6th sitting (Hansard): House of Lords
Tuesday 17th November 2020 Grand Committee

[The Deputy Chairman of Committees (Lord Duncan of Springbank) (Con)]

I thank the noble Baroness, Lady Cumberlege—that is very gracious. On that basis, we have nobody else to come in after the Minister at this point so I come directly to the noble Baroness, Lady Finlay of Llandaff.

[Baroness Finlay of Llandaff (CB) [V]]

My Lords, I thank all noble Lords who not only spoke in support of the amendments in this group but expanded on them and provided additional information.

I understand the Minister saying that it is important to get this right and not rush, and that the consultation will inform the SIs. I also understand him pointing out the rigidity of primary legislation. I accept his points and am glad for the assurances he was able to give.

I stress the importance of looking at all implantable devices, even those that look as though they are in such common use that we do not need to worry about them. An example happened just a couple of weeks ago when a guide wire for a pacemaker snapped inside a patient. Completely unknown previously, these things can happen. They need to be picked up and recorded.

We also need to update the way in which we record information and use the new artificial intelligence computer systems to analyse it. The reason I asked for expert oversight is that there is no point in putting information into any kind of database unless the right information is extracted from it, and expertise is needed to set that up. I accept, however, that this is a hub, not a decision tool in itself.

The yellow card system that the Minister spoke about needs to be publicised much more widely. I hope that, as we go forward, there will be a positive move across the whole of healthcare, in particular to make sure that patients are aware of this scheme so that they can use it appropriately and early. It is an amazing scheme; I pay tribute to Professor Phil Routledge, who instigated it many years ago—decades ago, I think—as a way of collecting adverse reactions.

I appreciate the Minister’s assurance about working with the devolved nations, particularly in the light of the unfortunate remarks made recently about devolution. It is important to have compatible information systems and oversight that allows the free movement of information. That happens in the UK Foundation Programme Office and the UK medical and dental recruitment offices, where four-nation oversight works well. I know that those types of medical practice are outside the Bill’s remit but we have examples of good working, which needs to be built on to cement the sharing of information across the different healthcare systems.

With that and with all the points made, which I hope will thoroughly inform the statutory instruments as they are developed, I beg leave to withdraw the amendment.

Agriculture Bill

Debate between Baroness Finlay of Llandaff and Lord Duncan of Springbank

Committee stage & Committee: 6th sitting (Hansard) & Committee: 6th sitting (Hansard): House of Lords
Thursday 23rd July 2020 Lords Chamber

[The Deputy Chairman of Committees]

I have received a single request to speak after the Minister and call on the noble Baroness, Lady Finlay of Llandaff.

[Baroness Finlay of Llandaff (CB) [V]]

The agrichemical monitoring system has lagged behind emerging evidence, partly because the epidemiology is so difficult to do on a population basis. The standard trial model is difficult.

Do the Government recognise that Canada’s largest agribusiness, Richardson International, is banning glyphosate spray on oats and that Bayer, which is the production route now that it has bought out Monsanto, is spending $10.9 billion settling around 125,000 cancer lawsuits out of court over cancers such as non-Hodgkin lymphoma? I worry that we cannot ignore these trends and simply rely on past papers and so on. Do the Government recognise that an amendment to this Bill that flagged up the precautionary principle would be a key plank in safety, would be completely compatible with the type of request that has come from the noble Baroness, Lady Cumberlege, in her report on health-related issues, and would move us forward to being a leader in the modern world in food production?

European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill

Debate between Baroness Finlay of Llandaff and Lord Duncan of Springbank

Report stage & Report stage (Hansard): House of Lords & Report: 1st sitting: House of Lords & Report: 1st sitting
Monday 20th January 2020 Lords Chamber

[Lord Duncan of Springbank]

I cannot give the noble and learned Lord the answer to that question, but I can give him the assurance, from speaking to my legal advisers, that in the negotiations that will unfold there will be areas that we think will be under discussion that might stand outside those areas I have touched on regarding Section 109 and the ability to direct Welsh Ministers.

[Baroness Finlay of Llandaff]

Before we finish this, I understand that the Minister cannot foresee all the issues that might arise, but what mechanism is there to ensure that, the moment something comes up that will clearly involve the specific competencies, responsibilities and regulations held by the Government of Wales, the Welsh Government will be involved from the outset—however much behind the scenes—and will have early warning that something might be coming down the road and that the Henry VIII powers might be used? The track record to date is not very reassuring.

[Lord Duncan of Springbank]

The noble Baroness is right to draw this to our attention. It is not the Government’s plan in any way to seek to surprise any of the devolved Administrations on these matters. It will be necessary, as matters arise from the negotiation’s focus on the Northern Ireland protocol that have an impact on Wales or Scotland, to ensure full dialogue with the Welsh, the Scots and the wider Northern Ireland community to ensure that they are fully aware of why these matters are necessary.

The structure that we have traditionally used is the Joint Ministerial Committee. As I said a few moments ago, our purpose is to ensure that the technical discussions are dealt with primarily at the level of technicians, to enable us to find the correct way to ensure we are in full conformity with our international obligations in good time within calendar year 2020. On that part, the Government will fully commit early and engage often on these matters to ensure there is neither a surprise nor a disappointment in these matters. Again, I stress that these are elements that will be required to deliver the Northern Ireland protocol itself. It will not be in any way an endeavour to try to reach beyond, into the current statutes within the Wales Act or the Scotland Act. That is not their purpose, and indeed they cannot do that.