Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.
These initiatives were driven by Baroness Gale, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.
A Bill to make provision in connection with the ratification by the United Kingdom of the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (the Istanbul Convention).
This Bill received Royal Assent on 27th April 2017 and was enacted into law.
Baroness Gale has not co-sponsored any Bills in the current parliamentary sitting
In December 2020 the Minister for Women and Equalities set out a new approach to tackling inequality, including in relation to gender. This involves moving beyond the previous roadmap and narrow focus of protected characteristics; and reflects the new expanded remit of the Equality Hub.
Since then, the Hub has been concentrating on improving the quality of evidence and data about disparities and the types of barriers different people face. This evidence is enabling us to support the development of policy across government to make the UK a fairer place to live and work.
The Government keeps section 106 of the Equality Act 2010 under review but remains of the view that political parties should lead the way in increasing diverse electoral representation through their own approaches to the selection of candidates.
Members may use their own robes for ceremonial occasions or hire them from outside suppliers who offer a choice of real or artificial fur. The House has a small stock of robes which members can borrow for occasions such as introduction and prorogation ceremonies. These robes have been gifted to the House over many years by former members and there is a choice of real or artificial fur. The House has no plans to purchase new robes, nor to replace any real fur in this existing stock.
The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.
A response to the Noble Peer’s Parliamentary Question of 29 March is attached in the answer. It should be noted that these estimates are not National Statistics and caution should be taken when using this, data due to the impact of the reduced data collection period and lower response rates on the quality of the estimates.
The Rt Hon. Baroness Gale
House of Lords
London
SW1A 0PW
31 March 2023
Dear Lady Gale,
As National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority, I am responding to your Parliamentary Question asking when to expect a report from the Office for National Statistics on the number of victims of domestic abuse of those over the age of 74 (HL6995).
Data collection for the face-to-face Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW) resumed on 4 October 2021, with the upper age limit for the self-completion modules on domestic abuse, sexual assault and stalking removed. Data based on six months of CSEW interviews between October 2021 and March 2022 were used in our domestic abuse articles for the year ending March 2022 [1].
The CSEW estimated that 2.1% of adults aged 75 years and over experienced domestic abuse in the year ending March 2022. These data, as well as prevalence rates for other personal characteristics can be found in Table 6 of our Domestic abuse prevalence and victim characteristics tables [2]. Estimates for numbers of victims are only produced for our headline domestic abuse measures. It should be noted that these estimates are not National Statistics and caution should be taken when using these data due to the impact of the reduced data collection period and lower response rates on the quality of the estimates.
We plan to release domestic abuse data for those aged 75 years and over for the year ending March 2023 in late November 2023 and will share this with you once published.
Yours sincerely,
Professor Sir Ian Diamond
[1] https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/crimeandjustice/bulletins/domesticabuseinen glandandwalesoverview/latest
[2] https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/crimeandjustice/datasets/domesticabuseprev alenceandvictimcharacteristicsappendixtables
We expect to receive the Animal Welfare Committee’s updated opinion on the welfare of farmed fish at the time of killing by the end of March this year.
Regulation 1099/2009 on the protection of animals at the time of killing requires that farmed fish are spared avoidable pain, distress or suffering during their killing and related operations.
Following publication of the Post Implementation Review of the Welfare of Animals at the Time of Killing (England) Regulations 2015 in January 2021, and as part of the Action Plan on Animal Welfare, we are currently considering a number of improvements that could be made to the welfare of farmed fish at the time of killing.
We have also asked the Animal Welfare Committee (AWC) to update its 2014 Opinion on the welfare of farmed fish at the time of killing and look forward to receiving AWC’s updated advice later this year.
The Government shares the British public’s high regard for animal welfare. There are restrictions on some skin and fur products which may never be legally imported into the UK. These include fur from cats and dogs and seal skins and products from commercial hunts. Fur farming has been banned in England and Wales since 2000 (2002 in Scotland and Northern Ireland).
In addition, we do not allow imports of fur from wild animals caught using methods which are non-compliant with international humane trapping standards. Where fur is from an endangered species protected through the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), its import or trade will be subject to CITES controls.
During the transition period it is not possible to introduce restrictions relating to the fur trade. Once our future relationship with the EU has been established there will be an opportunity for the Government to consider further the steps it could take in relation to fur sales.
The Government Equalities Office has engaged with more than 25 women’s organisations by phone, email, online and in person in 2020. GEO regularly meets with relevant umbrella organisations including, most recently, Equally Ours, the UK Civil Society Women’s Alliance, National Alliance of Women's Organisations and Business in the Community to discuss the gendered impacts of COVID-19 to feed into policy advice. GEO is working to ensure the government can hear and be influenced by a wide range of women’s voices.
Our priority throughout this health emergency continues to be to protect the public and staff, while ensuring people get the benefits they are entitled to quickly and safely. Reviews and reassessments remain suspended while we review what activity we can gradually start reintroducing in line with the latest public health advice. We will confirm next steps as soon as possible.
To support the workforce as a whole we have commissioned NHS England to develop a Long Term Workforce Plan, which will include independently verified forecasts for the number of healthcare professionals required in future years. The Plan is for the whole of the National Health Service workforce, including mental health; however, it will not provide detailed workforce assessments for individual services or staff groups.
The mental health workforce has grown. Latest data shows that as of December 2022 there has been an increase of over 8,900, 6.9%, full-time equivalent staff compared to December 2021. This includes only those people who work directly on mental health, across NHS trusts and integrated care boards in England.
National Health Service employers are responsible for ensuring that staff are trained and competent to carry out the duties for which they are employed, including those providing care to those with Parkinson’s disease.
While no formal assessment has yet been made waiting times and staffing levels for neurological patients are kept under review.
Whilst there is currently no specific National Clinical Director or Specialty Adviser for neurology services, NHS England and NHS Improvement keep this under review and new National Clinical Directors or Specialty Advisers are appointed as necessary. The recent review of the clinical advisory infrastructure is concluding and the outcome will be announced in due course. The proposed changes will enable clinical leaders to continue to play an important role alongside NHS England delivering shared goals for service transformation and clinical improvement
Walking frames, four-wheeled walkers and rollators are largely made of tubular aluminium for lightweight purposes and therefore no impact of the reported steel shortages is expected.
The reform of social care and its funding arrangements are complex areas and a range of options for how to deliver on this commitment are being considered. We will bring forward proposals in 2021.
No assessment has been made. It is the responsibility of individual National Health Service trusts to have staffing arrangements in place that deliver safe and effective care.
In 2021-22 our focus is on supporting the immediate recovery of National Health Service staff and services. We are working with NHS England and NHS Improvement, Health Education England and systems and employers to determine our future workforce and people priorities. This will feed into the development of a longer term strategy, overseen by the National People Board.
On 5 March, we announced £79 million of the funding from the Spending Review that will be used to significantly expand children’s mental health services.
Further details about how the remainder of the funding will be allocated will be given in due course.
On 5 March, we announced £79 million of the funding from the Spending Review that will be used to significantly expand children’s mental health services.
Further details about how the remainder of the funding will be allocated will be given in due course.
No Improving Access to Psychological Therapies for Long Term Condition services have been commissioned specifically for people with Parkinson’s or neurological conditions.
During the COVID-19 emergency period, National Health Service Continuing Healthcare (CHC) and Funded Nursing Care (FNC) assessments have not been required due to changes made under section 14 of the Coronavirus Act 2020.
The COVID-19 Hospital Discharge Service Requirements were published on 17 March 2020 to support the safe and timely discharge of patients who no longer need acute care. A copy is attached.
We made £1.3 billion funding available via the National Health Service to support the discharge process. On 17 July 2020, as part of the £3 billion new funding announced for winter, extra funding was confirmed to continue enhanced discharge arrangements over winter.
As set out in the on the third phase of NHS response to COVID-19, from Sir Simon Stevens and Amanda Pritchard, published online by NHS England on 31 July 2020, NHS CHC assessments will resume from 1 September 2020. The COVID-19 discharge service requirements will continue to apply until 31 August 2020.
Where CHC assessments have continued during the emergency period, these must be compliant with the NHS Commissioning Board and Clinical Commissioning Groups Regulations 2012 and the National Framework for CHC and FNC 2018 (Revised).
While the Department has not made a specific assessment, NHS England and NHS Improvement work closely with the National Neurosciences Advisory Group (NNAG) which is a collaborative leadership group for neurosciences in England. The group is co-chaired by Professor Adrian Williams, who is also Chair of the Neurosciences Clinical Reference Group, at NHS England and NHS Improvement. The report published on 24 July, stems from the June 2019 Mental Health and Neurosciences Leaders Away Day, which was attended by senior NHS England and NHS Improvement officials.
The NNAG will begin consulting NHS England and NHS Improvement on the drafting of new clinical pathways across neurology shortly and aims to publish these on the Neurological Alliance website by the end of 2020. Furthermore, work is ongoing in other areas of NHS England and NHS Improvement to improve integration of care for neurology patients. For example, the training curriculum for Improving Access to Psychological Therapies Long-Term Conditions programme is being updated and, once completed, mental health services will be able to pursue integration with neurological pathways
During the COVID-19 emergency period, National Health Service Continuing Healthcare (CHC) assessments have not been required due to changes made under section 14 of the Coronavirus Act 2020. Where CHC assessments have continued during the emergency period, these must be compliant with the NHS Commissioning Board and Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) Regulations 2012 and the CHC National Framework.
CCGs may use a number of approaches to arrange Multidisciplinary Team assessments, including video conference. Preferences for how these are carried out should be indicated by the individual being assessed or their representatives.
To ensure the delivery of high-quality assessments, local assurance processes should be in place. There is also a detailed review process for eligibility decisions if an individual is dissatisfied with the outcome.
During the COVID-19 emergency period, National Health Service Continuing Healthcare (CHC) assessments have not been required due to changes made under section 14 of the Coronavirus Act 2020. Where CHC assessments have continued during the emergency period, these must be compliant with the NHS Commissioning Board and Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) Regulations 2012 and the CHC National Framework.
CCGs may use a number of approaches to arrange Multidisciplinary Team assessments, including video conference. Preferences for how these are carried out should be indicated by the individual being assessed or their representatives.
To ensure the delivery of high-quality assessments, local assurance processes should be in place. There is also a detailed review process for eligibility decisions if an individual is dissatisfied with the outcome.
During the COVID-19 emergency period, National Health Service Continuing Healthcare (CHC) assessments have not been required due to changes made under section 14 of the Coronavirus Act 2020. Where CHC assessments have continued during the emergency period, these must be compliant with the NHS Commissioning Board and Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) Regulations 2012 and the CHC National Framework.
CCGs may use a number of approaches to arrange Multidisciplinary Team assessments, including video conference. Preferences for how these are carried out should be indicated by the individual being assessed or their representatives.
To ensure the delivery of high-quality assessments, local assurance processes should be in place. There is also a detailed review process for eligibility decisions if an individual is dissatisfied with the outcome.
The information requested on the number of people who have paid for prescriptions is not collected centrally. The NHS Business Services Authority collects data on the number of prescription items dispensed and paid for but does not hold data on the number of people who have paid for their prescriptions.
The NHS Business Services Authority processes the NHS Low Income Scheme and issues HC2 certificates. It does not hold data on how many people have used their certificate after it is issued; and multiple people in a household in addition to the applicant might be covered by a certificate, including partner and children. However, data is supplied on the number of HC2 certificates issued in 2014-15, 2015-16, 2016-17, 2017-18 and 2018-19. This is shown in the following table:
Period | Number of HC2 certificates issued |
2014-15 | 214,975 |
2015-16 | 225,239 |
2016-17 | 214,867 |
2017-18 | 206,599 |
2018-19 | 182,661 |
Note: Data is recorded April-March. Data provided is recorded on a monthly basis and recorded in the NHS Low Income Scheme Annual Statistics Report. This data relates to the number of certificates issued, not the number of people supported by the NHS Low Income Scheme.
The information requested on the number of people who have paid for prescriptions is not collected centrally. The NHS Business Services Authority collects data on the number of prescription items dispensed and paid for but does not hold data on the number of people who have paid for their prescriptions.
The NHS Business Services Authority processes the NHS Low Income Scheme and issues HC2 certificates. It does not hold data on how many people have used their certificate after it is issued; and multiple people in a household in addition to the applicant might be covered by a certificate, including partner and children. However, data is supplied on the number of HC2 certificates issued in 2014-15, 2015-16, 2016-17, 2017-18 and 2018-19. This is shown in the following table:
Period | Number of HC2 certificates issued |
2014-15 | 214,975 |
2015-16 | 225,239 |
2016-17 | 214,867 |
2017-18 | 206,599 |
2018-19 | 182,661 |
Note: Data is recorded April-March. Data provided is recorded on a monthly basis and recorded in the NHS Low Income Scheme Annual Statistics Report. This data relates to the number of certificates issued, not the number of people supported by the NHS Low Income Scheme.
The Department has no plans to suspend or conduct a review of the current system for prescription charges and exemptions, including for those people with long-term conditions in England. Extensive arrangements are already in place to help people access National Health Service prescriptions. These include a broad range of exemptions from the prescription charge for which someone with a long-term condition may qualify, including for people on low incomes through receipt of specific benefits and through the NHS Low Income Scheme.
To support those with the greatest need who do not qualify for an exemption, prescription pre-payment certificates are available for three months or 12-month periods. A holder of a 12-month certificate can get all the prescriptions they need for just over £2 per week.
The Department has no plans to suspend or conduct a review of the current system for prescription charges and exemptions, including for those people with long-term conditions in England. Extensive arrangements are already in place to help people access National Health Service prescriptions. These include a broad range of exemptions from the prescription charge for which someone with a long-term condition may qualify, including for people on low incomes through receipt of specific benefits and through the NHS Low Income Scheme.
To support those with the greatest need who do not qualify for an exemption, prescription pre-payment certificates are available for three months or 12-month periods. A holder of a 12-month certificate can get all the prescriptions they need for just over £2 per week.
In March 2018, NHS England and NHS Improvement and NHS Clinical Commissioners published Conditions for which over the counter items should not routinely be prescribed in primary care: Guidance for Clinical Commissioning Groups.
Since publication of this guidance, there has been a reduction in spend of £32 million on over the counter items. This reduction includes spending on over the counter items for conditions that are self-limiting and conditions which lend themselves to self-care, as well as vitamins, minerals and probiotics. This estimate is correct as at 10 July 2020.
The list of over the counter products is updated as new products become available.
If a prescription item is recalled, the patient is issued with a new prescription for an alternative product which will then be dispensed as a separate item. The prescriptions data systems are unable to identify this as a replacement product; therefore, this information is not held centrally.
We recognise the crucial role that day services and respite care play to provide care, support and respite for carers.
Decisions on the running and re-opening of day services are made on a local basis.
We are working with the Social Care Institute of Excellence, local government and other key sector partners, to publish guidance soon which will support local authorities and providers to restart day services. In addition, Public Health England is developing guidance on the use of personal protective equipment in community settings, which will be applicable to day services.
Local authorities and service providers should have maintained contact with carers and service users throughout the lockdown. They will now be discussing arrangements to reintroduce care packages including where possible respite care and breaks.
We recognise there is a need for long-term reform in social care. Therefore, we are reviewing options and have invited cross-party talks to find the best solutions to these complex questions. We will put forward a plan following those talks.
The response to the COVID-19 pandemic has shown that the United Kingdom healthcare research and approvals system has the agility and flexibility to respond efficiently to a national crisis. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and the Health Research Authority (HRA) instigated procedures for rapid scientific advice, reviews and approvals for COVID-19 trials, prioritising these and authorising them in about one week.
As of 2 July, the MHRA has authorised a total of 61 trials for the treatment or prevention of COVID-19 in an average of nine days. A total of 50 trials for the treatment or prevention of COVID-19 have been approved by both the MHRA and the HRA in an average of 12 days. Both the MHRA and the HRA have also produced guidance on regulatory flexibilities available to clinical trial sponsors and proportionate approaches so that trials could be run as efficiently as possible.
We recognise the crucial role that unpaid carers play in supporting people with conditions like dementia, especially during the pandemic.
On 8 April we published COVID-19 guidance for unpaid carers in an online only format on GOV.UK to support carers during the pandemic, which includes general advice on infection control and caring where someone has symptoms.
We have commissioned research through the National Institute for Health Research on the best ways to mitigate the psychological and social impact of COVID-19 on people with dementia living in the community and their family carers. Work has already started with phased outputs to August 2020.
Throughout the COVID-19 outbreak, the National Health Service has been clear on the importance of maintaining face to face care for those patients who need it, and of patient choice in determining suitability for digital appointments.
When delivering face to face appointments, mental health services are expected to follow the latest guidance on the use of personal protective equipment in healthcare settings to support infection prevention and control. Services will be further enabled by the roll out of the NHS Test and Trace service to reduce transmission risk and deliver face to face services in as safe a way as possible.
As set out in the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guideline Parkinson’s disease in adults, published in July 2017, symptoms such as hallucinations are an increased risk for people taking some Parkinson’s disease medications. The guidance sets out that people with Parkinson’s disease should have a comprehensive care plan agreed between themselves, their family members and carers and specialist and secondary healthcare providers. A copy of the guidance is attached.
The National Health Service has issued guidance to services to support them in managing demand and capacity across inpatient and community mental health services and keeping services open for business.
There is broad consensus that there is the potential for an increase in demand and we are working with the NHS, Public Health England and other key partners to gather evidence and assess the potential longer-term mental health impacts and plan for how to support mental health and wellbeing throughout the ‘recovery’ phase.
National Health Service mental health services have remained open for business throughout the COVID-19 outbreak, including delivering support digitally and over the phone where possible. In doing so, the NHS has been clear on the importance of maintaining face to face care for those patients who need it, and of patient choice in determining suitability for digital appointments.
When delivering face to face appointments, mental health services are expected to follow the latest guidance on the use of personal protective equipment in healthcare settings to support infection prevention and control. Services will be further enabled by the roll out of the NHS Test and Trace service to reduce transmission risk and deliver face to face services in as safe a way as possible.
We are unable to provide the data as requested.
The information on whether appointments take place face-to-face or by phone or video is only available in the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies annual publications. This information covering the period 1 April 2019 - 31 March 2020 is due to be published on 30 July 2020.
Whilst routine treatments were suspended to provide capacity to treat COVID-19 patients, we are now working closely with the National Health Service and other partners to restart these in a safe way, with excellence in infection prevention and control as a key principle. Guidance has already been issued on this, and approaches are being tailored at local level according to local capacity and local demand, with the most urgent services being restarted first.
The NHS ‘Help us to help you’ media campaign encourages all patients in need of urgent or emergency medical care to seek appropriate treatment.
The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has restarted suspended complaints and anticipates reopening for new complaints in the coming weeks. Members of the public will not lose their right of appeal, and complaints regarding the COVID-19 outbreak period will be considered in due course. The Ombudsman is not an emergency service, and members of the public are required by law to first have their complaints investigated by their council or care provider. The Ombudsman has also opened up a helpline to give advice and support to concerned members of the public.
Expert doctors in England have identified specific medical conditions that, based on what we knew about the virus so far, place someone at greatest risk of severe illness from COVID-19. These were signed off by the United Kingdom Senior Clinicians Group, including the four UK Chief Medical Officers and clinical leadership at NHS England and NHS Improvement, NHS Digital and Public Health England. The list of conditions is kept under review and there are no plans at present to add Parkinson's disease to it.
General practitioners and hospital specialists are able to add individual people with Parkinson’s disease onto the shielded patients list on a case by case basis if it is their clinical judgement that the person is clinically extremely vulnerable.
The Government Equalities Office (GEO) does not maintain a list of every women's organisation in the UK, however officials are meeting frequently with women’s organisations, primarily to talk about the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. GEO continues to work to ensure the government can hear and be influenced by a wide range of women’s voices.
We are considering our activity to mark the day. Last year, there was a programme of cross-Governmental activity around the International Day for Elimination of Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) and the 16 days of activism that followed. This included Ministers across Government conducting visits, attending events, making speeches, debating these important issues in Parliament and a series of announcement on action to tackle VAWG.
Tackling VAWG is a Government priority. We have made significant progress since we published the Tackling VAWG Strategy in July 2021 and the complementary Tackling Domestic Abuse Plan in March 2022.
In July, we launched the fifth round of the Safer Streets Fund which provides an additional £43 million in funding to projects focused on protecting women in their communities across England and Wales. We also announced the launch of a new national operating model for the investigation and prosecution of rape, which all forces and CPS Areas in England and Wales are implementing to ensure investigations of rape are suspect-focused and considerate to the needs of victims.
To improve the police response to tackling these crimes, we have supported the introduction of a new full-time National Policing Lead for VAWG, DCC Maggie Blyth, and have added VAWG to the Strategic Policing Requirement, meaning it is now set out as a national threat for forces to respond to alongside other threats such as terrorism, serious and organised crime and child sexual abuse.
The UK signed the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (Istanbul Convention) in 2012, signalling our strong commitment to tackling violence against women and girls. This Government remains committed to ratifying the Convention as soon as possible and this commitment was reiterated in the new Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Strategy, published in July.
The Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence (Ratification of Convention) Act 2017 requires Ministers to publish annual reports on their progress towards being able to ratify the Convention. The fifth such report was published on 1 November and can be found on gov.uk. Once the Government is satisfied that the UK is compliant with the Convention then Ministers will, in line with section 1(3) of the 2017 Act, make a statement to Parliament confirming this and setting out the timetable for ratification.
The UK signed the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (Istanbul Convention) in 2012, signalling its strong commitment to tackling violence against women and girls (VAWG), and this Government remains committed to ratifying it.
The Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence (Ratification of Convention) Act 2017 requires Ministers to publish annual reports on their progress towards being able to ratify the Convention. The most recent report was published on 22 October 2020 and can be found here: Ratification of the Council of Europe convention on combating violence against women and domestic violence - progress report 2020 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)