Health: Tropical Diseases

Debate between Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead and Lord Strathclyde

Thursday 26th January 2012 Lords Chamber

[Lord McColl of Dulwich]

My Lords—

[Lord Strathclyde]

Let us hear from the noble Baroness.

[Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead]

Does the Minister agree that the distribution of drugs and the setting up of treatment programmes present a huge challenge in many of the countries where these neglected tropical diseases are endemic, where health systems are already struggling to provide even the most basic services? Would she also agree that a further challenge comes from meeting requirements to regulate a range of what will be new medical products and to evaluate their safety, their efficacy and their quality in very particular conditions, for instance in Africa? Will the Minister assure the House that funding will be provided to support efforts to strengthen health systems and to build capacity to regulate the new drugs?

Zimbabwe

Debate between Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead and Lord Strathclyde

Wednesday 10th November 2010 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead]

My Lords—

[The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (Lord Strathclyde)]

My Lords, I think that, strictly speaking, it is the turn of the noble Baroness, Lady Kinnock.

[Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead]

My Lords, the noble Baroness will be aware that the European Union common position on Zimbabwe will be under review in February. Does she anticipate that there are likely to be calls for modification of the common position on targeted measures against Zimbabwe? If there are, can she assure us that the United Kingdom will insist that, before any such changes are made, there has to be a serious improvement in human rights, good governance and democracy in Zimbabwe?