Became Member: 11th September 1975
Left House: 1st May 2020 (Retired)
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 Countess of Mar, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.
Countess of Mar has not introduced any legislation before Parliament
Countess of Mar has not co-sponsored any Bills in the current parliamentary sitting
According to HMRC, UK import figures for ‘artificial sweeteners’ are contained within HMRC Overseas Trade Statistics database code HS 21069092 (‘food preparations’, see full definition below). This captures a range of food preparations; it is not possible to split the data to show the amount (value or volume) of UK imports of artificial sweeteners in 2013 separately. The HMRC data shows that the UK imported £326.8 million (76,388,773 kilograms) worth of ‘food preparations’ in 2013.
Note: definition of HS 21069092
HS 21069092 - Food preparations, n.e.s., not containing milkfats, sucrose, isoglucose starch or glucose or containing, by weight, < 1,5% milkfat, < 5% sucrose or isoglucose, < 5% glucose or < 5% starch
Data showing the volume (kilograms) of UK imports of aspartame during 2000-2013 is given in Table 1 below. The figures are sourced from HMRC’s Overseas Trade Statistics database. Table 1: UK imports of aspartame (HS code 21069092) | |||||
| Year | Net mass (kgs) | ||||
| 2013 | 76,393,895 | ||||
| 2012 | 85,600,024 | ||||
| 2011 | 63,298,987 | ||||
| 2010 | 54,483,436 | ||||
| 2009 | 51,466,542 | ||||
| 2008 | 58,734,046 | ||||
| 2007 | 50,538,317 | ||||
| 2006 | 59,274,993 | ||||
| 2005 | 56,112,033 | ||||
| 2004 | 63,320,625 | ||||
| 2003 | 61,259,916 | ||||
| 2002 | 43,939,777 | ||||
| 2001 | 40,554,490 | ||||
| 2000 | 29,438,869 | ||||
| Source: HMRC Overseas Trade Statistics database | |||||
| Note: HS 21069092 = Food preparations, n.e.s., not containing milkfats, | |||||
| sucrose, isoglucose starch or glucose or containing, by weight, < 1,5% milkfat, | |||||
| < 5% sucrose or isoglucose, < 5% glucose or < 5% starch" only. | |||||
All committees operate according to the guidelines and standards outlined in the Code of Practice for Science Advisory Committees (CoPSAC[1]). Any advisory committee that is classified as a Non-Departmental Public Body (NDPB) is also subject to formal Cabinet Office procedures including a full triennial review.
CoPSAC is underpinned by The Principles of Scientific Advice to Government', published in 2010 (Annex A to CoPSAC), and the ‘Nolan' principles for public life (the “Seven Principles of Public Life” (Annex C).
The principles “provide a foundation on which independent scientific advisers and government departments should base their operations and interactions”. Members are also expected to abide by the Nolan Principles, which include the principles of objectivity and accountability.
Any “issues of concern over the application of the Principles, or other guidance” should be raised to the Chief Scientific Adviser. “If the matter of concern cannot be effectively resolved or is especially serious CSAs should approach the Government Chief Scientific Adviser (GCSA) and Ministers should approach the GCSA and the Minister for Science. The matter will be examined against a clear set of criteria, which include a breach of the Principles or CoPSAC.”
The Code of Practice for Science Advisory Committees (CoPSAC[1]) lays out the procedures for appointment to Committees.
CoPSAC indicates that the arrangements for the appointment of Committee members and the lines of accountability should be set out in each Committee's Terms of Reference.
Members of the public may write to the Chair of the advisory committee. If necessary, complaints can be escalated in writing to the Chief Scientific Advisor for the department in question, or the Government Chief Scientific Adviser.
Munchausen's syndrome by proxy and fabricated or induced illness are not of themselves criminal offences so cannot be prosecuted as such. They may, however, be of relevance to criminal offences which can be prosecuted.
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) does not maintain a central record of prosecutions where Munchausen’s syndrome by proxy or fabricated or induced illnesses may have been relevant. Such information could only be obtained through a manual search of records which would incur disproportionate cost.
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
Letter from John Pullinger CB, National Statistician, to The Countess of Mar, dated 3 May 2018.
Dear Lady Mar,
As National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority, I am replying to your Parliamentary Question asking what were the incidence rates of cervical cancer among (1) 18-49 year old women, and (2) women over the age of 50, in England for each year since 2011 (HL7466).
The Office for National Statistics (ONS), in collaboration with Public Health England, publishes the number of cancer cases registered (incidence) in England in each calendar year, as part of its Cancer Statistics Registrations, England (Series MB1) release. The latest available cancer incidence data published by ONS are provisional figures for 2016[1]. The provisional 2016 release does not contain a refreshed back series of cancer incidence, which would consider the continual accrual of late registrations. Therefore, the historic figures (from 2011 to 2015) below are based on the 2015 National Statistics release[2].
Cervical cancer is defined using International Classification of Diseases, 10th edition (ICD-10) code C53 (malignant neoplasm of cervix uteri). Table 1 overleaf provides the number and rate of women diagnosed cases of cervical cancer, (ICD-10: C53) by age group, in England from 2011 to 2016.
While ONS does not hold cancer incidence data for Northern Ireland, Scotland or Wales, similar figures are published by the Northern Ireland Cancer Registry[3], the Scottish Cancer Registry[4] and the Welsh Cancer Intelligence and Surveillance Unit[5], respectively.
Yours sincerely,
John Pullinger
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Age group |
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| 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016p | ||||||
18-49 | Count | 1,576 | 1,555 | 1,642 | 1,655 | 1,609 | 1,590 | |||||
50+ | Count | 979 | 989 | 1,037 | 950 | 906 | 1,003 | |||||
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18-49 | Rate | 13.4 | 13.3 | 14.0 | 14.2 | 13.8 | 13.6 | |||||
50+ | Rate | 10.1 | 10.0 | 10.4 | 9.3 | 8.7 | 9.5 | |||||
Notes: |
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1. Cervical cancer is defined according to the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) as C53. | ||||||||||||
p Provisional figures. |
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Source: Office for National Statistics |
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Table 1: Incidence counts and rates per 100,000 women of cervical cancer by age group, England, 2011 to 20161
[3] http://www.qub.ac.uk/research-centres/nicr/
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
The Government has been reviewing the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988. The 2016 consultation on updating the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations sought views on proposals for clarifying and amending the scope of the regulations. The Department will publish its response to the 2016 consultation in due course.
Chemicals, including brominated and organophosphate flame retardants used in UK furniture, are regulated under Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 on the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH). REACH aims to provide a high level of protection for health and the environment from the use of chemicals including those used in products.
The Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988 apply to upholstered furniture which is ordinarily intended for private use in a dwelling.
The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (FSO) is primarily for businesses and other non-domestic premises including communal areas of multi-occupied residential premises – where the communal areas are effectively workplaces and not primarily domestic premises. For care homes where the main use is the provision of residential care, the FSO applies to the entire premises as they are a workplace. It does not apply to people’s private homes.
The Office for Product Safety and Standards allocated £500k in 2018/19 for local authority trading standards to fund the testing of products that were manufactured or imported into their local authority area.
Test reports are currently being collated and the data analysed to establish the total numbers of samples tested, the product safety legislation that has been tested to and the level of non-compliance. The results of this analysis are expected in the summer and will be published in due course.
The Office for Product Safety and Standards allocated £500k in 2018/19 for local authority trading standards to fund the testing of products that were manufactured or imported into their local authority area.
Test reports are currently being collated and the data analysed to establish the total numbers of samples tested, the product safety legislation that has been tested to and the level of non-compliance. The results of this analysis are expected in the summer and will be published in due course.
The Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988 are being reviewed to ensure they reflect changed fire safety risks, innovation, manufacturing processes and environmental and health concerns of chemical flame retardants whilst maintaining product safety protections.
The Department will publish its response to the 2016 consultation in due course. This will take into account of the responses received, the views of experts from across government including the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Public Health England, the Food Standards Agency and the Fire Services, as well as a range of evidence from external sources such as academic papers.
Ministers have not had meetings with Professor Richard Hull or Bob Birtles. Details of ministerial meetings with external bodies are published on the Gov.uk website.
The Government does not hold information on the volumes of DecaBDE in existing upholstered furniture. The Government is working with stakeholders and experts to assess the best routes for disposal of waste containing DecaBDE to protect the environment and human health.
This is a complex issue and it is absolutely vital that the Government gets this right: we are committed to reviewing these regulations to ensure that the highest levels of fire safety are maintained while minimising risks to health and the environment.
The Department will publish its response to the 2016 consultation in due course.
The Office for Product Safety and Standards has made available £500,000 in 2018 and £600,000 in 2019 for Local Authority Trading Standards to carry out product compliance testing at accredited laboratories. This testing includes compliance testing under the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988.
Local Authority Trading Standards take appropriate enforcement action as required in light of the results from this testing.
As part of the Government’s review of the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire)(Safety) Regulations 1988, we are taking account of a wide range of scientific evidence from external sources including academic papers and studies.
We are committed to reviewing these regulations to ensure that the highest levels of fire safety are maintained while minimising risks to health and the environment.
The Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988 and the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 work in different ways but both aim to provide protection from fire risks.
The Government’s review of the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire)(Safety) Regulations 1988 aims to ensure they reflect changes in fire safety risks, and respond to developments in furniture design, innovation, manufacturing processes and environmental and health concerns while maintaining fire safety protections.
The Government is currently reviewing the operation of the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988 and is taking account of evidence and advice from external sources such as academic papers as well as the views of experts from across government, including Chief Scientific Advisors.
All furniture must also comply with the General Product Safety Regulations 2005 and be safe before it can be placed on the market.
DecaBDE is a persistent organic pollutant. The UK ceased production of this substance in 1996 and its use has declined sharply since then. Many other countries have also phased out its use. It was banned under the UN Stockholm Convention on persistent organic pollutants in December 2018 and under the European chemical regulation regime, REACH, in March 2019. It will not be present in household soft furnishings and mattresses purchased after this ban comes into effect.
Chemicals, including brominated flame retardants used in UK furniture, are regulated under Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 on the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH). REACH aims to provide a high level of protection for health and the environment from the use of chemicals including those used in products.
In order to comply with REACH, companies must identify and manage the risks linked to the substances they manufacture and market in the EU. They have to demonstrate how the substances can be safely used, and they must communicate the risk management measures to the users. If the risks cannot be managed, authorities can ban or restrict the use of substances.
We are committed to ensuring high levels of consumer safety. Furniture must comply with the 1988 Furniture and Furnishings (Fire)(Safety) Regulations. These regulations are currently being reviewed.
Insulation materials used in buildings must comply with the 2010 Building Regulations. MHCLG published in December 2018 a call for evidence starting a technical review of the Building Regulations’ guidance with regards to fire safety (Approved Document B). The Department is currently reviewing the responses to this call for evidence.
The Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988 are being reviewed to ensure they reflect changed fire safety risks, innovation, manufacturing processes and environmental and health concerns of chemical flame retardants whilst maintaining product safety protections.
The Department welcomes any innovative approaches that deliver consumer safety and comply with existing fire safety regulations, including methods which do not use flame retardants.
The Department will publish its response to the 2016 consultation on the regulations in due course. This will take account of the responses received, the views of experts from across government including the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Public Health England, the Food Standards Agency and the Fire Services, as well as a range of evidence from external sources such as academic papers.
The Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988 are being reviewed to ensure they reflect changed fire safety risks, innovation, manufacturing processes and environmental and health concerns of chemical flame retardants whilst maintaining product safety protections.
The Department welcomes any innovative approaches that deliver consumer safety and comply with existing fire safety regulations, including methods which do not use flame retardants.
The Department will publish its response to the 2016 consultation on the regulations in due course. This will take account of the responses received, the views of experts from across government including the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Public Health England, the Food Standards Agency and the Fire Services, as well as a range of evidence from external sources such as academic papers.
The Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988 are being reviewed to ensure they reflect changed fire safety risks, innovation, manufacturing processes and environmental and health concerns of chemical flame retardants whilst maintaining product safety protections.
The Department welcomes any innovative approaches that deliver consumer safety and comply with existing fire safety regulations, including methods which do not use flame retardants.
The Department will publish its response to the 2016 consultation on the regulations in due course. This will take account of the responses received, the views of experts from across government including the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Public Health England, the Food Standards Agency and the Fire Services, as well as a range of evidence from external sources such as academic papers.
The Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988 are being reviewed to ensure they reflect changed fire safety risks, innovation, manufacturing processes and environmental and health concerns of chemical flame retardants whilst maintaining product safety protections.
The Department welcomes any innovative approaches that deliver consumer safety and comply with existing fire safety regulations, including methods which do not use flame retardants.
The Department will publish its response to the 2016 consultation on the regulations in due course. This will take account of the responses received, the views of experts from across government including the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Public Health England, the Food Standards Agency and the Fire Services, as well as a range of evidence from external sources such as academic papers.
The Government is reviewing the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire)(Safety) Regulations 1988 and has consulted on whether to introduce a specific requirement for furniture labels to stipulate any flame retardants used in their manufacture. The Government’s response to the consultation will be published in due course.
We are currently conducting behavioural insights research to develop a comprehensive understanding of consumer attitudes towards product safety including what assumptions consumers make about risk and safety.
Flame retardant chemicals are regulated under Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 on the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH). To comply with REACH, companies must identify and manage the risks linked to the substances they manufacture and market in the EU. They have to demonstrate how the substances can be safely used, and they must communicate the risk management measures to the users. If the risks cannot be managed, authorities can ban or restrict the use of substances.
It is the responsibility of manufacturers to ensure that any flame retardants they use are effective in meeting legal requirements for safety.
The Government is currently reviewing the operation of the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire)( Safety) Regulations 1988 and will take account of evidence from external sources such as academic papers as well as the views of experts from across government, including Chief Scientific Advisors.
It is the responsibility of manufacturers to ensure that any flame retardants they use are effective in meeting legal requirements for safety.
Chemicals, including flame retardants used in furniture and furnishings, are regulated under Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 on the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH). This aims to provide a high level of protection for health and the environment from the use of chemicals including those used in products.
In order to comply with REACH, companies must identify and manage the risks linked to the substances they manufacture and market in the EU. They have to demonstrate how the substances can be safely used, and they must communicate the risk management measures to the users. If the risks cannot be managed, authorities can ban or restrict the use of substances.
All furniture must also comply with the General Product Safety Regulations 2005 and be safe before it can be placed on the market.
The existing regulatory framework already allows for the use of materials and products that deliver consumer safety from fires, without using chemical flame retardants and the Government continues to welcome innovative approaches that deliver safe outcomes for consumers.
The Department will publish its response to the consultation in due course.
This will take account of the responses received, the views of experts from across government including the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Public Health England, the Food Standards Agency and the Fire Services, as well as a range of evidence from external sources such as academic papers.
Details of ministerial meetings with external bodies are published on the Gov.uk website here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/beis-ministerial-gifts-hospitality-travel-and-meetings. A copy is also attached.
Officials meet regularly with stakeholders with an interest in product safety to hear their views on a range of product safety issues including the fire safety of furniture.
Manufacturers and distributors must ensure all consumer products are safe before they are placed on the UK market, including those that use flame retardants. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs have lead responsibility for environmental policy and restrictions on chemicals.
All products must be safe before they can be placed on the UK market. While there is no legal requirement for products labelled flame resistant to contain details of chemicals used in them, manufacturers may voluntarily provide any further details that would be helpful to their consumers.
The Department works with experts across government including the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Public Health England, the Food Standards Agency and the Fire Services. We also consider the latest scientific research from academia. Any proposals for legislative change will be subject to public consultation.
The Department welcomes any innovative approaches that deliver consumer safety and comply with existing fire safety regulations, including methods which do not use flame retardants.
The Department welcomes the paper by University of Central Lancashire and it forms part of the evidence we are considering in reviewing the legislation regulating the safety of furniture.
Allowances for members of Science Advisory Committees are set by the government department that sponsors them. There has been no recent cross-government review of allowances. Information on differentials between allowances is not held by the Government Office for Science.
Public protection remains the Government’s priority and it is committed to improving both fire safety and environmental outcomes.
We are aware of the findings of Professor Hull’s paper and they are being considered alongside the evidence from the public consultation and the advice of an Advisory Panel, comprising leading fire safety experts and departmental Chief Scientific Advisors. The Government response to the consultation on the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations will be published in due course.
The use of tricolsan and triclocarbon is restricted by Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 on Cosmetic Products. Manufacturers may only use these preservatives at specified levels and triclosan is only permitted at those levels in a limited range of cosmetic products. Both ingredients have been examined by the European Commission’s Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety who considered them to be safe at these restricted levels and usages.
Product safety legislation requires products to be safe when they are placed on the market. It does not specifically require products to be labelled with information about fire retardant material used in the products.
The Government is currently reviewing the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988. One of the proposals under consideration is specific labelling to show the presence of fire retardant chemicals to help inform consumers and to aid consumer choice. A consultation on this issue was held in late 2016. The responses to the consultation will help to inform our decisions on this question and will be included in the Government response, to be issued in due course.
The European Furniture Industries Confederation (EFIC) requested that their letter dated 10th November be considered as part of their formal response to the 2016 consultation on the Furniture and Furnishing (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988. The Department is therefore considering the points raised by EFIC in the letter as part of the consultation analysis and will respond as part of the formal Government response, which I expect to be published in the spring.
The consultation on proposals to revise the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988 took place between September and November last year. There were over 120 responses, including from the European Furniture Industry Confederation.
Revision of the regulations is complex, with a broad spectrum of views expressed by respondents from industry, fire services, charities and regulators. The responses are currently being analysed and the views expressed and the evidence presented is being considered and evaluated. Once this is completed, the Government will issue its response. We anticipate that this will be in the spring.
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) is the UK's regulator of advertising. This regulatory system is independent of government and seeks to ensure that all adverts, wherever they appear, are legal, decent, honest and truthful. All ASA adjudications are published however given their independence from government we are not able to comment on the ASA's internal processes.
It will be for schools to decide what training is needed by Designated Senior Leads for mental health. They can choose to train leads in recognising and responding to specific health conditions, including anxiety, depression or myalgic encephalomyelitis (chronic fatigue syndrome).
We would not expect leads to have specialist clinical knowledge or to make diagnoses. We expect that they will work closely with new Mental Health Support Teams and specialist NHS services to draw on expert advice and training on how to respond to different needs and ensure that timely referrals are made to NHS services if necessary.
The department will be supporting providers to develop training for leads through the Teaching and Leadership Innovation Fund. The department wants the training to focus on effective ways to set up and maintain a whole-school approach to mental health within which any conditions can be identified and specialist support provided most effectively.
The department would not expect to be made aware of independent research with schools. We would, however, expect any research with schools to be carried out in accordance with ethical principles around anonymity and disclosure, which can be found in frameworks such as the ‘Ethical Assurance Guidance for Social Research in government’ which is attached.
The department has no direct knowledge of the study entitled ‘Unidentified Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis is a major cause of school absence: surveillance outcomes from school-based clinics’, published by the British Medical Journal in 2011 or any activity undertaken by schools in connection with this study.
All children regardless of their circumstances are entitled to a good education and the necessary support to attain it.
Schools have a duty to ensure that arrangements are made to support pupils with medical needs to have full access to education. Where health needs mean a child of compulsory school age would not receive suitable education due to health needs, including because they cannot attend school, local councils have a duty to ensure that alternative education arrangements are put in place.
The education must be full time, or as close to full time as in the best interests of the child, because of their health needs, and it must be on par with what the child would have received if they were in a mainstream school.
Parents can make their own arrangements for their child’s education. These must be suitable for the child’s age, aptitude and any special educational needs they may have.
Under the Children and Families Act 2014 where a local authority maintains an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan for a child or young person it is under a duty to secure the special educational provision specified in it unless parents have made suitable alternative arrangements.
Where a local authority is satisfied that the parents’ arrangements are suitable it must continue to review the child’s EHC plan annually and assure itself that the plan remains appropriate.