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 Lord Alton of Liverpool, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.
The Bill failed to complete its passage through Parliament before the end of the session. This means the Bill will make no further progress. A Bill to make provision for the regulation of the re-export of military equipment and goods further to their original exportation from the United Kingdom.
A Bill to provide for the High Court in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and the Court of Session in Scotland to make preliminary determinations concerning the undertakings made by the United Kingdom as a Contracting Party to the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (“Genocide Convention”) under international law; for the referral of such determinations to relevant international courts or organisations; for response to reports on genocide; and for connected purposes.
A Bill to amend the Mesothelioma Act 2014.
A Bill to provide for the High Court in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and the Court of Session in Scotland to make preliminary determinations concerning the undertakings made by the United Kingdom as a Contracting Party to the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (“Genocide Convention”) under international law; for the referral of such determinations to relevant international courts or organisations; for response to reports on genocide; and for connected purposes.
A Bill to prohibit the falsification of slavery and human trafficking statements; to establish minimum standards of transparency in supply chains in relation to modern slavery and human trafficking; to prohibit companies using supply chains which fail to demonstrate minimum standards of transparency; and for connected purposes
A bill to provide for the High Court of England and Wales to make a preliminary finding on cases of alleged genocide, crimes against humanity or war crimes; and for the subsequent referral of such findings to the International Criminal Court or a special tribunal
A Bill to provide for the High Court of England and Wales to make a preliminary finding on cases of alleged genocide; and for the subsequent referral of such findings to the International Criminal Court or a special tribunal.
A bill to amend the Mesothelioma Act 2014.
First reading took place on 21 January. This stage is a formality that signals the start of the Bill's journey through the Lords.Second reading - the general debate on all aspects of the Bill - is yet to be scheduled.The 2013-14 session of parliament has prorogued and this Bill will make no further progress. A bill to amend the Mesothelioma Act 2014
Lord Alton of Liverpool has not co-sponsored any Bills in the current parliamentary sitting
Public procurement is a key lever for enabling delivery of the Government’s missions, both in terms of sourcing the goods and services required by the public sector but also in using procurement policy to drive up standards.
The government will be ensuring that the powers in the Procurement Act are utilised to support the new government’s priorities. New measures in the Act, which are due to come into force in October 2024, strengthens the rules on disregarding bids and excluding suppliers where there is evidence of modern slavery. This will apply even in circumstances where there has not yet been a conviction or technical breach of an international treaty.
This Government is clear that no company in the UK should have forced labour in its supply chain. The Department for Business and Trade will work with international partners to understand the impact of measures to combat forced labour.
There are a wide range of priorities the Department need to consider within our trade strategy. The Department's trade strategy will be growth-based, and aligned with its industrial strategy, as well as wider foreign-policy and economic security objectives.
It is important that the Department take a strategic approach to trade policy development that considers how its economic objectives can be achieved through the use of trade levers while being aligned with its values and our geo-strategic positioning.
No company in the UK should have forced labour in its supply chain. The Department for Business and Trade will be working with colleagues across Government to tackle forced labour in supply chains, including polysilicon used in the manufacture of solar panels.
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero is relaunching the Solar Taskforce, which will focus on identifying and developing supply chains that are resilient, sustainable and free from forced labour.
The Government's Overseas Business Risk guidance makes clear to UK companies the risks of operating in certain regions and urges them to conduct appropriate due diligence when making business decisions.
The reasons for the Secretary of State’s planning decision on the Mallard Pass project are set out in the Decision Letter. Ethical procurement is considered at paragraphs 4.104-109.
The consent requires the applicant to submit a list of suppliers to be made available to the local planning authorities, and to upload their modern slavery and human trafficking statement annually to the Home Office Register to enable monitoring [paragraph 4.105].
The value of imports of food, feed and drink was £61.1 billion in 2023.
The following table shows the total number of items issued for trazodone from 2014 to 2023, and from January to May 2024:
Year | Total number of items |
2014 | 1,050,069 |
2015 | 1,083,974 |
2016 | 1,112,437 |
2017 | 1,133,363 |
2018 | 1,157,717 |
2019 | 1,168,715 |
2020 | 1,191,060 |
2021 | 1,226,973 |
2022 | 1,238,983 |
2023 | 1,281,049 |
2024 | 553,866 |
Source: data was provided by the NHS Business Service Authority, based on information within the Prescription Cost Analysis published statistics, using British National Formulary chemical substance trazodone hydrochloride.
Note: items have been dispensed, but not necessarily prescribed, in England.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is responsible for ensuring medicines, medical devices, and blood components for transfusion meet applicable standards of safety, quality, and efficacy. The MHRA rigorously assesses the available data, including from the Yellow Card scheme, and where appropriate it seeks advice from its independent advisory committee, the Commission on Human Medicines, to inform on regulatory decisions, including the amending of product information.
The MHRA has received a total of 20 Yellow Card reports of sexual dysfunction related reactions, suspected to be associated with trazodone, between 1 January 2014 and 29 July 2024. This includes reactions grouped under the medical dictionary’s (MedDRA) Higher Level Terms, which are more specific than sexual dysfunction and persistent sexual dysfunction, and include erection and ejaculation conditions and disorders, orgasmic disorders and disturbances, sexual arousal disorders, and others. The following table shows the number of spontaneous suspected Yellow Card reports of sexual dysfunction related reactions suspected to be associated with trazodone in the United Kingdom, received by the MHRA each year from 2014 to 2024:
Year | Reports of sexual dysfunction |
2014 | 1 |
2015 | 2 |
2016 | 2 |
2017 | 1 |
2018 | 1 |
2019 | 2 |
2020 | 2 |
2021 | 1 |
2022 | 5 |
2023 | 2 |
2024 | 1 |
Source: data provided by the MHRA.
“Persistent sexual dysfunction” does not represent a specific medical condition, so this precise term is not a category available for a structured search of the MHRA’s Adverse Drug Reaction database. The structured data field search terms are drawn from the regulatory drugs dictionary, MedDRA, or from terms adopted in clinical coding guidance such as The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fifth Edition, or the International Classification of Diseases 11th Revision. A search of the database would therefore rely on manual assessment of individual cases.
It is important to note that the inclusion of a particular report on the MHRA’s system does not necessarily mean that the adverse reactions reported have been caused by the suspect drug. Additionally, the number of reports received should not be used as a basis for determining the incidence of a reaction, as neither the total number of reactions occurring, nor the number of patients using the drug, is known.
The product information for trazodone, which includes the patient information leaflet, reflects the data currently available, and does not include sexual dysfunction as a possible side effect but does include priapism, the prolonged erection of the penis. The Summary of Product Characteristics for healthcare professionals states that there have been reports of priapism which have required surgical intervention, or led to permanent sexual dysfunction. Patients developing priapism should stop using trazodone immediately.
The following table shows the number of items issued for vortioxetine and the net ingredient cost (NIC) from 2014 to 2023, and from January to May of 2024:
Year | Items issued | Total NIC |
2014 | 0 | £0 |
2015 | 74 | £2,068.11 |
2016 | 12,736 | £298,577.07 |
2017 | 43,023 | £987,197.31 |
2018 | 80,922 | £1,877,715.10 |
2019 | 134,351 | £3,127,305.68 |
2020 | 193,682 | £4,553,134.74 |
2021 | 248,533 | £5,720,498.19 |
2022 | 290,907 | £6,859,280.34 |
2023 | 339,017 | £8,188,709.76 |
2024 | 156,164 | £3,787,227.18 |
Total | 1,499,409 | £35,401,713.48 |
Source: data provided by the NHS Business Services Authority, based on information within the Prescription Cost Analysis published statistics, using British National Formulary chemical substance vortioxetine.
Note: items have been dispensed, but not necessarily prescribed, in England.
"Persistent sexual dysfunction" does not represent a specific medical condition, so this term is not a category available for a structured search of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency’s (MHRA) Adverse Drug Reaction database. The structured data field search terms are drawn from the regulatory drugs dictionary, the medical dictionary (MedDRA), or from terms adopted in clinical coding guidance such as The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fifth Edition, or the International Classification of Diseases 11th Revision. A search of the database would therefore rely on manual assessment of individual cases.
The MHRA has received a total of 29 Yellow Card reports of sexual dysfunction related reactions, suspected to be associated with vortioxetine, between 1 January 2014 and 21 July 2024. This includes reactions grouped under MedDRA Higher Level Terms, which are more specific than sexual dysfunction and persistent sexual dysfunction. The following table shows the number of spontaneous suspected Yellow Card reports of sexual dysfunction related reactions suspected to be associated with vortioxetine in the United Kingdom, received by the MHRA each year from 2014 to 2024:
Year | Reports of sexual dysfunction |
2014 | 0 |
2015 | 0 |
2016 | 2 |
2017 | 1 |
2018 | 1 |
2019 | 0 |
2020 | 7 |
2021 | 6 |
2022 | 3 |
2023 | 6 |
2024 | 3 |
Source: data provided by the MHRA.
The inclusion of a particular report on the MHRA’s system does not necessarily mean that the adverse reactions reported have been caused by the suspect drug. Additionally, the number of reports received should not be used as a basis for determining the incidence of a reaction, as neither the total number of reactions occurring, nor the number of patients using the drug, is known.
Sexual dysfunction was assessed as part of the clinical studies to support the authorisation of vortioxetine. The clinical studies indicated that doses between 5 milligrams and 15 milligrams did not show a difference from placebo in relation to the risk of sexual dysfunction. However, the 20 milligram dose was associated with an increase in sexual dysfunction. This information was included in the Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC) for healthcare professionals for all strengths of vortioxetine since authorisation in 2021. The SmPC and patient information leaflet were subsequently updated in April 2024 to list sexual dysfunction as a possible side effect for all strengths, following reports of sexual dysfunction associated with doses below 20 milligrams.
The UK condemns in the strongest terms the escalating violence across Sudan, particularly in Darfur. We continue to call for those responsible to be held to account. On 13 June, the UNSC adopted a UK-led resolution demanding a halt to the Rapid Support Forces' siege of El Fasher and calling on the warring parties to immediately end hostilities and to allow safe and unimpeded humanitarian access. The UK continues to support the ICC Prosecutor's continuing investigation into the allegations of atrocity crimes committed in Darfur since 1 July 2002, including consideration of the atrocities committed in the ongoing conflict.
We remain concerned about high levels of humanitarian need across many parts of Ethiopia, including in the north. Climate shocks, conflict, disease outbreaks and high inflation are driving humanitarian need in Ethiopia, including in Tigray. The humanitarian community is targeting 3.8 million people in Tigray with food assistance over the July-September lean season to stave off hunger. A UK co-led pledging conference in April helped increase humanitarian funding by securing $610 million from international development partners. This includes £100 million from the UK, which will provide lifesaving support for hundreds of thousands of Ethiopians, including over 435,000 children and mothers suffering from malnutrition, and more than 230,000 needing access to emergency healthcare. This includes UK support to the government of Ethiopia's Productive Safety Net Programme which is strengthening food security and resilience for 8 million people living in extreme poverty across Ethiopia.
The Hazara Inquiry report has done much to raise awareness of the situation of Hazaras in Afghanistan. In line with the report's recommendations, we continue to monitor and document discrimination and abuses against Hazaras. The previous Government also welcomed the Special Rapporteur's February report and noted its recommendations. While the Government currently has no plans to initiate a case against Afghanistan at the ICJ, we continue to consider all available accountability measures.
More broadly, officials from the UK Mission to Afghanistan regularly press Taliban acting ministers and Afghan officials on human rights abuses in Afghanistan.
The humanitarian indicators in Tigray remain worrying, with 3.8 million of the region's estimated population of 6 million needing humanitarian assistance this year. This is why the UK has increased funding for Ethiopia this financial year (2024/25) and adapted our programming to mitigate the most severe humanitarian outcomes, with an increased focus on lifesaving nutrition, health and water and sanitation programming for the most vulnerable populations, including in Tigray. We continue to engage with established systems for monitoring humanitarian need and response plans led by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). We are also investing in improving data and evidence to enable the humanitarian community to make informed decisions on the humanitarian response.
We welcome the approval of the national transitional justice policy by the Ethiopian Government's Council of Ministers. The nationally owned policy and recently published roadmap are encouraging steps towards accountability and justice. The test of the policy will be will in the implementation. The UK has continually called for a credible, inclusive, and survivor-centred approach to transitional justice and for all human rights violations and atrocities in Ethiopia to be investigated and perpetrators to be held to account. Through our Human Rights and Peacebuilding Programme, we support survivors of sexual and gender-based violence in northern Ethiopia to lead the recovery from conflict and advance women's leadership and inclusion in regional and national dialogue, accountability and peacebuilding processes.
The UK is supporting the US and other international partners in pressing the parties to agree to enter ceasefire talks. The Foreign Secretary publicly welcomed the planned talks co-hosted by the US, Saudi Arabia, and Switzerland on 14 August and urged the parties to participate. We continue to use all diplomatic levers, including using our position as penholder on Sudan at the UN Security Council to press the warring parties to attend talks and commit to a permanent ceasefire, safe, unrestricted humanitarian access, and protection of civilians.
On 26 July, the Foreign Secretary met China's Director of Foreign Affairs Commission Office and Foreign Minister Wang Yi at the ASEAN Foreign Ministers meeting in Vientiane, Laos. The Foreign Secretary outlined this government's vision for a long-term, consistent and strategic approach to UK-China relations. He set out that the government would cooperate where we can, compete where needed and challenge where we must. The Foreign Secretary made clear the UK would always stand firm in prioritising our national security and set out the government's position on Taiwan.
On 26 July, the Foreign Secretary met China's Director of Foreign Affairs Commission Office and Foreign Minister Wang Yi at the ASEAN Foreign Ministers meeting in Vientiane, Laos. The Foreign Secretary outlined this government's vision for a long-term, consistent and strategic approach to UK-China relations. He set out that the government would cooperate where we can, compete where needed and challenge where we must. The Foreign Secretary made clear this government will stand firm in its support for upholding human rights, underlined the importance of Hong Kong to the UK and raised the case of British national Jimmy Lai.
Retired UK judges that choose to serve on Hong Kong courts do so in a personal capacity, which is their right as private citizens. The UK judiciary is independent from the UK Government.
Diplomats from our Consulate-General in Hong Kong are observing Mr Lai's trial. We are pressing for consular access, which the Hong Kong Prison Authorities have refused on grounds they do not recognise dual nationality.
It is the long-standing policy of the British Government that any judgment as to whether crimes against humanity or genocide has occurred is a matter for a competent national or international court, rather than for governments or non-judicial bodies. It should be decided after consideration of all the evidence available in the context of a credible judicial process. Regardless of any court's decision, this Government will stand firm on human rights, including China's repression of Uyghurs and others in Xinjiang.
The UK is committed to eradicating all forms of modern slavery, forced labour and human trafficking anywhere in the world. We regularly raise the rights of minorities with the Government of Pakistan. In Pakistan, our Aawaz II Accountability, Inclusion and Reducing Modern Slavery Programme and Asia Regional Child Labour Programme are working with partners, including the Government of Pakistan and civil society, to reduce child and bonded labour. Meanwhile, our Girls and Out of School Action for Learning programme is improving education outcomes for marginalised children from the most vulnerable sections of society. We will continue to use our funding to support Pakistan's long-term development, focusing on improving governance and human rights, macroeconomic stability and trade, and climate resilience.
In August 2023, the UK Government announced that it acknowledges acts of genocide were committed by Daesh against the Yazidis. This sends a strong signal of the UK's commitment of support to Yazidi communities and has been welcomed by Yazidi people, including the Yazidi Prince, Kurdish Regional Government Prime Minister Barzani, and British Parliamentarians. The UK is committed to ensuring that those responsible for the commission of serious international crimes do not go unpunished. Universal jurisdiction has been adopted in the case of certain heinous crimes to accord with customary international law and to comply with the UK's international obligations as set out in various treaties. These include the Geneva Conventions and the Convention Against Torture. The UK is committed to help other countries to prosecute offences that take place on their territory or within their jurisdiction, including the investigation and prosecution of crimes to which universal jurisdiction may apply. Hence, the UK has arrangements to provide mutual legal assistance to other countries and permits the surrender of its own nationals subject to statutory safeguards.
In August 2023, the UK Government acknowledged that acts of genocide were committed by Daesh against the Yazidis in 2014. In the lead up to the 10th anniversary, both the British Embassy Baghdad and the British Consulate General Erbil are continuing to highlight the importance of supporting all survivors of Daesh-perpetrated sexual violence. We will also be joining events in Iraq to mark the Anniversary.
The UK advocated for the passing of the Yazidi Survivor's Law (YSL) in 2021 and is supporting the Government of Iraq to implement the YSL. We continue to advocate for durable solutions for internally displaced people and for voluntary and safe returns. The UK continues to work with Iraq and international partners to ensure that the UN investigative team's evidence collected to promote accountability for crimes committed by Da'esh/ISIL (UNITAD) remains available for criminal prosecutions after its closure.
There has been an appalling erosion of women and girls' rights in Afghanistan, particularly in terms of access to education and freedom of movement. The UK government will promote human rights on the international stage including supporting the mandate of the UN's Special Rapporteur for Afghanistan, Richard Bennett. The UK government strongly supports international rule of law. There is an open investigation into the situation in Afghanistan by the ICC.
The FCDO is aware of calls for the inclusion of gender apartheid as a new crime against humanity. There are complex legal and political questions associated and we will take these into account when forming our position.
The environment for freedom of religion or belief across China is restrictive, which includes the persecution of Christians such as Bishop Su.
This Government will champion freedom of religion or belief for all overseas. We will work to uphold the right to freedom of religion or belief through our position at the UN, G7 and other multilateral fora, and through bilateral engagement.
The UK Government last raised Bishop Su's case with the Chinese authorities in 2015. We urged the authorities to provide information on Su's whereabouts and his health condition. Given the absence of any charges ever having been brought against him and his age , we urged the authorities to remove all restrictions on his freedom of movement and to allow access by members of his family.
The Foreign Secretary raised British national Jimmy Lai's case in his first meeting with China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi at the ASEAN Summit on 26 July. We call on the Hong Kong authorities to end their politically motivated prosecution and immediately release Jimmy Lai.
The limited access environment and ongoing internet and telecommunication disruptions in Sudan means that reporting on the ground is extremely restricted, so there is no accurate estimate of the number of people killed or injured. We know people are in desperate need. With an estimated 7.7 million people internally displaced and a further 2.3 million having fled to neighbouring countries, Sudan is now the world's largest displacement crisis. We urge both the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces to agree to a sustainable ceasefire and ensure that it is upheld. The UK engages regularly with Ramtane Lamamra, the UN Secretary-General Personal Envoy on Sudan to push for coordinated mediation tracks and efforts to press the warring parties to agree a sustained and meaningful peace process.
The Government will keep the list of proscribed organisations under close review, as we seek to protect the UK from the threats that we face. However, we will not routinely comment on whether an organisation is or is not being considered for proscription.
The Government is clear that Iran’s malign activity, including the activities of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), are unacceptable and will not be tolerated in the UK. The UK already maintains sanctions on over 400 Iranian individuals and entities covering human rights abuses and nuclear proliferation, including sanctioning the IRGC in its entirety. The Government will continue to consider what further steps may be taken to deter Iran’s malign activity.
A key objective of the route is to ensure that overseas workers are protected against modern slavery and other labour abuses. The sponsor licence regime places a broad range of responsibilities on Scheme Operators to ensure that the rights of migrant workers are protected.
The Government is carefully considering the Migration Advisory Committee’s review of the Seasonal Worker route and will announce a detailed response in due course. We will consider all these points in the round. Any question regarding tax and pension contributions will, however, need to be directed to the relevant Government departments.
Should the Seasonal Worker Interest Group wish to request a meeting with the Home Office Ministers, I would ask that they write to the department and any such request will be given appropriate consideration.
A key objective of the route is to ensure that overseas workers are protected against modern slavery and other labour abuses. The sponsor licence regime places a broad range of responsibilities on Scheme Operators to ensure that the rights of migrant workers are protected.
The Government is carefully considering the Migration Advisory Committee’s review of the Seasonal Worker route and will announce a detailed response in due course. We will consider all these points in the round. Any question regarding tax and pension contributions will, however, need to be directed to the relevant Government departments.
Should the Seasonal Worker Interest Group wish to request a meeting with the Home Office Ministers, I would ask that they write to the department and any such request will be given appropriate consideration.
A key objective of the route is to ensure that overseas workers are protected against modern slavery and other labour abuses. The sponsor licence regime places a broad range of responsibilities on Scheme Operators to ensure that the rights of migrant workers are protected.
The Government is carefully considering the Migration Advisory Committee’s review of the Seasonal Worker route and will announce a detailed response in due course. We will consider all these points in the round. Any question regarding tax and pension contributions will, however, need to be directed to the relevant Government departments.
Should the Seasonal Worker Interest Group wish to request a meeting with the Home Office Ministers, I would ask that they write to the department and any such request will be given appropriate consideration.
A key objective of the route is to ensure that overseas workers are protected against modern slavery and other labour abuses. The sponsor licence regime places a broad range of responsibilities on Scheme Operators to ensure that the rights of migrant workers are protected.
The Government is carefully considering the Migration Advisory Committee’s review of the Seasonal Worker route and will announce a detailed response in due course. We will consider all these points in the round. Any question regarding tax and pension contributions will, however, need to be directed to the relevant Government departments.
Should the Seasonal Worker Interest Group wish to request a meeting with the Home Office Ministers, I would ask that they write to the department and any such request will be given appropriate consideration.