Parliament and Central Government: Relocation

Debate between Lord Bishop of Chester and Baroness Chisholm of Owlpen

Tuesday 29th November 2016 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Chisholm of Owlpen]

I thank my noble friend for that very interesting point. We are encouraging people to join the Civil Service and looking for highly intelligent, motivated people. As I said earlier, a lot of those people will be working in the north; they will also be working in the east, the west and the south. That is why we are encouraging departments to have hubs outside the centre.

[The Lord Bishop of Chester]

My Lords—

NHS England: HIV Prevention

Debate between Lord Bishop of Chester and Baroness Chisholm of Owlpen

Tuesday 18th October 2016 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Chisholm of Owlpen]

Truvada is clinically effective for HIV, as we know, but a number of other issues are also important to consider, including uptake and adherence, sexual behaviour, drug resistance, safety and prioritisation for prophylaxis and cost effectiveness. Clinical trials certainly did find that Truvada reduced the relative risk of acquiring HIV for between 44% and 86% of cases, and the PROUD findings showed the figure was 86%.

[The Lord Bishop of Chester]

My Lords, the Minister has twice referred to difficult decisions. Are the Government sure that spending about half the proportion of GDP on health that North America spends and significantly less than, say, France or Germany spends will enable us to make the right decisions in the face of these difficult ones?

[Baroness Chisholm of Owlpen]

I agree with the right reverend Prelate, but it is necessary for these drugs to be properly assessed in relation to cost and effectiveness, as I said. It is not up to government to decide this; it must be done between the clinicians and the NHS.