Covid-19: People Living in Poverty

Lord Alderdice Excerpts

Thursday 30th April 2020 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Verma (Con)]

My Lords, my comments will focus on the plight of the low-paid or minimum-wage workers who have been furloughed and are in receipt of 80% of their monthly pay, as the businesses they work for are in government lockdown. As other noble Lords have said, these families face increased energy, electricity and food costs as they have to stay home during lockdown. The Government have made millions of pounds of extra funding available to local authorities. Will my noble friend the Minister consider whether those who are not in receipt of any benefit but who are in financial crisis could receive help with council tax payments, prescription and dental costs, and the educational tools that their children need while they are away from school?

Many small businesses are also facing severe difficulties and threats from bailiffs and yet are being denied grant support from their local authorities. Can my noble friend confirm that all authorities are having to provide audit trails to the Government for the extra funding they are receiving?

[The Deputy Speaker (Lord Alderdice) (LD)]

I call the noble Lord, Lord Bird. He is not there. The noble Baroness, Lady Ritchie of Downpatrick.

Mental Health: Cost of Living Support

Lord Alderdice Excerpts

Thursday 7th November 2013 Lords Chamber

[Lord Freud]

My Lords, if the noble Baroness will write to me with the details, I will look into it. We do not have a rigid three-month rule like that, but I will look at the particular circumstance that she is so concerned about.

[Lord Alderdice (LD)]

My Lords—

[Baroness Meacher (CB)]

My Lords—

[The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (Lord Hill of Oareford) (Con)]

My Lords, it is the turn of the Liberal Democrats.

[Lord Alderdice]

My Lords, in the Health Act there was a recognition of the importance of parity of esteem for physical and mental disturbances. However, of course the treatment of physical and mental disturbances often requires different amounts of time. A short appointment for a physical treatment may not be the right thing for the psychological treatments to which the noble Lord referred. That makes it difficult for people in work both to get the treatment that they need and stay in work. Does the Minister’s department recognise, as the health department does, that parity of esteem may mean extra time and facilities for those with mental disturbances as against those with physical diseases?

[Lord Freud]

My Lords, that is a vital point, which is why we are introducing the Health and Work Service, particularly to help those who are in danger of falling out of the workplace. Every year 300,000 people do that, and a quarter of those cases are due to mental health issues. We are intervening at the four-week stage to get those people signposted on to the kind of support that they need.

Police: Neighbourhood Policing

Lord Alderdice Excerpts

Tuesday 23rd July 2013 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Stowell of Beeston]

The noble Lord is right. Crime has been falling for several years, but I believe that it was his party which suggested that crime would increase, because of the cuts that were necessary. We have clearly proven the Opposition wrong on that count.

[Lord Alderdice]

My Lords, there has been some suggestion that one of the reasons for these figures is that increased crime on the internet has not necessarily been detected. Are there any indications from my noble friend that internet crime is being monitored and included in these figures?

[Baroness Stowell of Beeston]

There is a range of crimes that are coming down, but one of the crimes that is increasing is fraud; my noble friend is right about that. That must be a priority and we must ensure that it is addressed.

Synthetic Biology

Lord Alderdice Excerpts

Wednesday 2nd June 2010 Lords Chamber

[Lord Freud]

My Lords, I thank the noble Lord for his kind words. This is an important development and the UK takes a leading role in the area. We have several research establishments right at the forefront of this development, but I would take back from him the question of whether we should look at this brave new world—if you like—earlier rather than later. At the moment these are very early days in the development of this science.

[Lord Alderdice]

My Lords, in welcoming the Minister to his position, as I do, the noble Lord, Lord Haskel, expressed some surprise that his area of responsibility was relevant. However, it may be of interest to note that the United States Congress responded immediately to this development and that it was the Energy and Commerce Committee which undertook the hearing because genome synthesis is likely to be helpful in the creation of new forms of biofuel energy. Given that, would the Minister find it helpful if your Lordships’ House were to respond in the same way by bringing together not only medical and academic research, but also the ethical and scientific wisdom that is available in this House? Indeed, I wonder if one of the committees of the House would be prepared to undertake an investigation of the kind that has been referred to. Does he think, on behalf of Her Majesty’s Government, that that would be a helpful intervention by this House?

[Lord Freud]

My Lords, formally, BIS is the relevant authority in terms of supporting this new industry, not the DWP, which is in control of the safety aspects. However, that is an interesting proposal and we shall think about it.