Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the recommendation contained in The National Food Strategy, published on 15 July 2021, to introduce a Sugar and Salt Reformulation Tax.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
There are no current plans to introduce a Sugar and Salt Reformulation Tax. The Government published its response to the National Food Strategy on 13 June 2022, setting out the approach to working with the food industry to create a healthier food environment for all and investing in innovative approaches to address weight and diet related ill health.
However, the Soft Drinks Industry Levy (SDIL) encourages producers to remove added sugar from soft drinks. It has been very successful in this aim, with a reduction of sugar in soft drinks of 46% between 2015 and 2020.
The Government remains committed to helping people live healthier lives. Having a fit and healthy population is essential for a thriving economy, and reducing sugar and salt in food remains a priority for the Government through the voluntary reformulation and reduction programme.
The Government keeps all taxes under constant review and welcomes representations from stakeholders to inform policy development.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to review administrative barriers for childminders seeking to claim from the Nursery Milk Scheme.
Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Nursery Milk Scheme allows early years childcare settings such as childminders, nurseries and some schools, to reclaim the cost of providing one-third of a pint of milk to children under five who attend their childcare setting for at least two hours per day. It is not compulsory for childcare settings who are eligible to join the Scheme, but all are welcome to do so.
The Nursery Milk Scheme is currently run by the NHS Business Services Authority under a direction given by the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care. There are no current plans to changes the way in which the Scheme operates.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to encourage wider take up of the Nursery Milk Scheme in early years settings and among childminders.
Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Nursery Milk Scheme allows early years childcare settings such as childminders, nurseries and some schools, to reclaim the cost of providing one-third of a pint of milk to children under five who attend their childcare setting for at least two hours per day. It is not compulsory for childcare settings who are eligible to join the Scheme, but all are welcome to do so.
The Nursery Milk Scheme is currently run by the NHS Business Services Authority under a direction given by the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care. There are no current plans to changes the way in which the Scheme operates.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to promote the benefits of drinking milk to children and young people.
Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Milk and dairy products make a valuable contribution to the nutrient content of the diet, providing protein and B vitamins for example. They are also an important source of calcium, which is especially important for children to help build healthy bones and teeth. In the United Kingdom, exclusive breastfeeding is recommended for around the first six months of a baby’s life with continued breastfeeding throughout the first year. Following this, the Government encourages the population to consume some lower fat milk and dairy products as part of a healthy, balanced diet. This is reflected in the UK’s national food model, the Eatwell Guide, a copy of which is attached.
The Healthier Families and Start4Life websites both include information in an online-only format to parents of young and primary school aged children on the consumption of lower fat, unsweetened milk as part of a healthy balanced diet.
The Eatwell Guide principles, including consumption of milk and dairy products, underpin the School Food Standards and Public Health England’s example menus and guidance for early years settings, available on GOV.UK in an online-only format.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to extending the Soft Drinks Industry Levy to other food and drink products that are high in sugar.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The primary aim of the Soft Drinks Industry Levy (SDIL) is to encourage producers to remove added sugar from soft drinks. It has been very successful in this aim, with a reduction of sugar in soft drinks of 46% between 2015 and 2020.
There are no current plans to extend SDIL to other food and drink products. As with all taxes, the Government keeps SDIL under constant review and welcomes representations from stakeholders to inform policy development.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they are taking steps to ensure that there is legal liability to provide effective remedies for all forms of human rights violations committed abroad by corporations domiciled in the United Kingdom.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK Government has consistently supported the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and supports voluntary human rights due diligence approaches by UK businesses to respect human rights across their operations. In line with the Principles, the UK has a range of judicial and state-based, non-judicial mechanisms that help to support access to remedy for human rights abuses by UK business enterprises both in the UK and overseas. For example, the UK operates a National Contact Point to run a non-judicial grievance mechanism to assess alleged non-compliance with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises, offering a platform for mediation and conciliation.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to enhance the safety, quality, supply and accessibility of therapies derived from substances of human origin.
Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Therapies derived from substances of human origin include those using reproductive and non-reproductive tissues and cells, organs, stem cells, blood, and blood products including plasma. A range of different bodies have responsibility for safety, quality, supply and accessibility.
NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) provides some of the safest products in the world and are regulated by the Care Quality Commission, Human Tissue Authority and Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency. NHSBT also work closely with the safety policy units of the Advisory Committee on the Safety of Blood, Tissues, and Organs and the Joint Professional Advisory Committee to blood services in the United Kingdom.
The Sustainability and Certainty in Organ Retrieval Programme was established in May 2023, following consultation and engagement with stakeholders across the organ donation and transplantation pathway. The key aim is to make improvements to the pathways with the aim of creating a more sustainable, efficient, and predictable service model.
The Department, NHSBT, NHS England and the devolved administrations are working together to create a long-term domestic supply of plasma for lifesaving medicines. Medicines will be available exclusively to National Health Service patients from early 2025. Additionally, the UK Stem Cell Strategic Forum provides advice on how the UK can develop a stronger and more resilient domestic stem cell supply chain.
The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority is the UK regulator for the use of reproductive tissues and cells in fertility treatment and embryo research. This remit includes keeping abreast of all issues relating to quality and safety.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to their announcement in the Autumn Statement that they will consult on a framework for encouraging captive insurance companies in the UK, whether they will propose that such captive insurers will remain liable to the same solvency requirements as other insurers.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
In Spring this year, the Government will publish a consultation on the design of a new UK regime for captive insurance companies.
The consultation will test views on proposals to introduce an attractive and competitive new UK captive insurance regime that works for businesses. Key to this will also be proportionate regulation that maintains the UK’s high regulatory standards.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to encourage the donation of blood, plasma, tissues and cells for use in developing cell and gene therapies.
Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) are responsible for promoting blood, plasma, tissue and cell donation across England and Wales. They are also uniquely positioned to promote the exciting developments in novel cellular and molecular therapies which offer the promise of new treatments and potential cures for many diseases and disorders to the public.
NHSBT work with the community, consumer, and national and local media to place educational and inspirational stories in the news and use their social media channels to share stories and case studies showing the benefits of blood, plasma, tissue, and cell donation.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they anticipate needing to update legislation in response to the forthcoming European Commission Regulation on standards of quality and safety for substances of human origin intended for human application and repealing Directives 2002/98/EC and 2004/23/E.
Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Once the final legal text for the Standards of quality and safety for substances of human origin intended for human application and repealing is published, we will fully consider and assess any impact of the revised regulation.