Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of existing AI regulatory frameworks; whether they are sufficient to govern advanced AI systems; and if not, what new institutional arrangements are being considered to address regulatory gaps.

Answered by Lord Vallance of Balham - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Artificial intelligence is the defining opportunity of our generation, and the Government is taking action to harness its economic benefits for UK citizens. As set out in the AI Opportunities Action Plan, we believe most AI systems should be regulated at the point of use, with our expert regulators best placed to do so. Departments are working proactively with regulators to provide clear strategic direction and support them on their AI capability needs. Through well-designed and implemented regulation, we can fuel fast, wide and safe development and adoption of AI.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what tangible steps they will take to fulfil their manifesto pledges on tackling unsustainable debt for developing nations and unlocking climate finance, following reductions made to Official Development Assistance.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)

We are working with all our partners to tackle unsustainable debt and ensure all countries can invest and grow. The Economic Secretary (EST) is co-chairing the 'London Coalition on Sustainable Sovereign Debt', launched in June to work with private creditors on sovereign debt issues, and at the Fourth Conference on Financing for Development, the UK co-led the launch of the Debt Pause Clause Alliance. We continue to drive progress in the G20 on strengthening and accelerating debt restructurings via the G20 Common Framework.

The UK is committed to playing our part alongside other developed countries and providers to deliver our international climate finance commitments, including through our shareholdings at the Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs), the largest providers of public climate finance. We are also pushing for new sources of funding such as agreement on the International Maritime Organisation's Net Zero Framework alongside efforts to mobilise more private capital.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the level of sarcoma care and treatment in NHS England.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Between April 2024 and April 2025, the Faster Diagnosis Standard performance for suspected sarcoma improved by 13.1%. However, more needs to be done to improve outcomes and experience for cancer patients, especially for rarer cancers such as sarcoma.

The Government supports Scott Arthur’s Private Members Bill on rare cancers. The bill will make it easier for clinical trials into rare cancers, such as sarcoma, to take place in England by ensuring the patient population can be easily contacted by researchers. The Government is committed to backing innovative clinical research ecosystem in the United Kingdom so that British patients can be among the first to benefit as we make the National Health Service fit for the future.

The National Cancer Plan will include further details on how the Department will improve outcomes for cancer patients, as well as speeding up diagnosis and treatment, by ensuring that patients have access to the latest treatments and technology. The plan will seek to improve every aspect of cancer care, to improve the experience and outcomes for people with cancer, including sarcoma.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they will take to launch an urgent review of sarcoma care and treatment in NHS England.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Between April 2024 and April 2025, the Faster Diagnosis Standard performance for suspected sarcoma improved by 13.1%. However, more needs to be done to improve outcomes and experience for cancer patients, especially for rarer cancers such as sarcoma.

The Government supports Scott Arthur’s Private Members Bill on rare cancers. The bill will make it easier for clinical trials into rare cancers, such as sarcoma, to take place in England by ensuring the patient population can be easily contacted by researchers. The Government is committed to backing innovative clinical research ecosystem in the United Kingdom so that British patients can be among the first to benefit as we make the National Health Service fit for the future.

The National Cancer Plan will include further details on how the Department will improve outcomes for cancer patients, as well as speeding up diagnosis and treatment, by ensuring that patients have access to the latest treatments and technology. The plan will seek to improve every aspect of cancer care, to improve the experience and outcomes for people with cancer, including sarcoma.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure GPs are prepared to coordinate medicines management and understand the side effects of receiving weight loss medication as a result of the roll-out of tirzepatide (Mounjaro) in primary care services.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

From 23 June, tirzepatide, brand name Mounjaro, started to become available in primary care, in line with the agreed plans for a phased rollout, meaning it can be prescribed in general practices.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) produces evidence-based guidance for health and care practitioners on best practice. As well as official guidance on the management of overweight and obesity and the use of tirzepatide, NICE has developed a practical guide to support the use of medicines for managing overweight and obesity. This guide provides an outline of the steps needed to safely assess, prescribe, monitor, and stop medicines that can be prescribed in primary care for weight management.

As well as NICE guidance, general practitioners have access to a range of support from their integrated care boards, and NHS England has developed a suite of implementation materials, delivery guidance, and protocols, and has provided access to training resources to help prescribers and other healthcare professionals to understand key aspects such as side effect profiles, medication initiation requirements, and the essential behavioural support that must accompany prescribing under the NICE Technology Appraisal on tirzepatide for managing overweight and obesity, code TA1026.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the potential to commission digital-first healthcare providers to support the tirzepatide (Mounjaro) roll-out in primary care services for (1) patients and (2) primary care providers.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

From 23 June, tirzepatide, brand name Mounjaro, started to become available in primary care, in line with the agreed plans for a phased rollout, meaning it can be prescribed in general practices.

NHS England has been working closely with local health systems, including integrated care boards, to design approaches for the safe and effective roll out of tirzepatide in primary care. This includes the use of digital providers, as NHS England recognises that digital first models can offer valuable tools to support patients and clinicians in the safe and effective delivery of care. Some patients have already been referred to receive diet, physical activity, and lifestyle support digitally through NHS England’s interim offer for behavioural support for obesity prescribing.

No full assessment has been made of the role of digital providers in supporting this roll out. To support equitable access and avoid risks of digital exclusion for those with less digital skills, a range of service delivery models are being made available, including face-to-face, remote, and digitally supported care.

There will be a robust evaluation of the initial phased rollout of tirzepatide in primary care, which will consider the use of digital providers. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence will review progress at three years.

The 10-Year Health Plan sets out our ambition to build on these plans by testing innovative models of delivering weight loss services and treatments to patients. We will work closely with industry and local health systems to increase patient access. Full details will be announced in due course.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Merron on 9 April (HL6370), what progress they have made in considering whether to expand the shingles vaccination offer to older adult cohorts; what specific factors are currently under review; and when they expect a decision on the implementation timeline to be made.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department continues to carefully consider the advice provided by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation on eligibility for the shingles vaccination programme for adults aged 80 years old and over. The Department will update in due course, as appropriate.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to review the evidence used to evaluate the provision of chiropractic services through the NHS.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

There are no plans to review the evidence used to evaluate the provision of chiropractic services through the National Health Service. Integrated care boards can make independent decisions on which health professionals they employ, and they may commission a limited amount of chiropractic services.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to improve early and accurate dementia diagnosis as part of the 10 Year Health Plan.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Our health system has struggled to support those with complex needs, including those with dementia. Under the 10-Year Health Plan, those living with dementia will benefit from improved care planning and better services.

We recognise the importance of a timely diagnosis and remain committed to increasing diagnosis rates. The Government’s Dame Barbara Windsor Dementia Goals programme has already invested £13 million into a range of biomarker innovation projects, which include a broad range of biomarker technologies, ranging from an artificial intelligence tool designed to improve the accuracy of blood tests for dementia, to using retinal scans to detect early-onset dementia decades before symptoms. Some of these innovations could support improved diagnosis in the future, if validated for clinical use.

We will deliver the first ever Modern Service framework for Frailty and Dementia to deliver rapid and significant improvements in quality of care and productivity. This will be informed by phase one of the independent commission into adult social care, expected in 2026.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to ensure that the Neighbourhood Health Service integrates community chiropractors with existing musculoskeletal expertise elsewhere in the healthcare system.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Neighbourhood Health Service will embody our new preventative principle that care should happen as locally as it can, digitally by default, in a patient’s home if possible, in a neighbourhood health centre when needed, and only in a hospital if necessary.

We expect neighbourhood teams and services to be designed in a way that reflects the specific needs of local populations, and this could include community chiropractors. Integrated care boards can make independent decisions on which health professionals they employ, and they may commission a limited amount of chiropractic services.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of research by the British Board of Film Classification, published on 23 June, that found that a third of UK pornography users reported exposure to violent or abuse material in the past three months, including scenes of physical violence and adults role-playing as children.

Answered by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

Creating a safer online world is a priority for the government. Services regulated under the Online Safety Act must take action to tackle illegal pornographic content, including extreme pornography, which is a priority offence under the Act. Children will also be protected from pornographic content through the use of highly effective age assurance.

Government departments are also undertaking detailed work to consider how best to tackle the complex set of issues raised by Baroness Bertin’s Independent Pornography Review.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask His Majesty's Government when they intend to publish the circular economy strategy with reference to environment, agriculture and rural affairs.

Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

This Government is committed to transitioning towards a circular economy. We have convened the Circular Economy Taskforce to help develop the first ever Circular Economy Strategy for England, which we plan to publish for consultation in the coming autumn. The strategy will be accompanied by a series of roadmaps detailing the interventions that the government and others will make on a sector-by-sector basis.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government, in regard to the research by the British Board of Film Classification published on 23 June, what assessment they have made of the finding that 64 per cent of those surveyed believe that violent or abusive pornography is contributing to the normalisation of violent sexual behaviour; and what measures they will take to address that harm.

Answered by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

Creating a safer online world is a priority for the government. Services regulated under the Online Safety Act must take action to tackle illegal pornographic content, including extreme pornography, which is a priority offence under the Act. Children will also be protected from pornographic content through the use of highly effective age assurance.

Government departments are also undertaking detailed work to consider how best to tackle the complex set of issues raised by Baroness Bertin’s Independent Pornography Review.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government, in regard to the finding by the British Board of Film Classification on 23 June that 80 per cent of UK pornography users support rules to prevent online platforms from publishing or distributing pornography that depicts violence or abuse, what plans they have to introduce rules for that purpose.

Answered by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

Creating a safer online world is a priority for the government. Services regulated under the Online Safety Act must take action to tackle illegal pornographic content, including extreme pornography, which is a priority offence under the Act. Children will also be protected from pornographic content through the use of highly effective age assurance.

Government departments are also undertaking detailed work to consider how best to tackle the complex set of issues raised by Baroness Bertin’s Independent Pornography Review.

Found: Mickle Fell; Baroness Hodgson of Abinger; Lord Hope of Craighead; Baroness Pitkeathley; Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick