Asked by: Lord Bishop of St Albans (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer from Baroness Gustafsson on 11 March (HL5279), whether they are meeting rural partners to discuss the industrial strategy; and if so, which rural partners they have met so far.
Answered by Baroness Gustafsson - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Government recognises that it is essential that the industrial Strategy is informed by the experiences of the individuals, businesses, and local communities it will support. To achieve this, we have been engaging widely across the UK, including with regional stakeholders such as Devolved Governments, Mayoral Strategic Authorities, Pan-Regional Partnerships and Business Representation Organisations. Additionally, we have worked through our regionally based teams in England to engage with individual Local Authorities, key local businesses, and local networks and organisations in areas where our eight growth driving sectors are located. We are also considering over 3000 responses to the Industrial Strategy Green Paper Consultation, which has included representations from rural areas.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of St Albans (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer from Baroness Gustafsson on 11 March (HL5279), which rural partners they are engaging with as they design the industrial strategy.
Answered by Baroness Gustafsson - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Government recognises that it is essential that the industrial Strategy is informed by the experiences of the individuals, businesses, and local communities it will support. To achieve this, we have been engaging widely across the UK, including with regional stakeholders such as Devolved Governments, Mayoral Strategic Authorities, Pan-Regional Partnerships and Business Representation Organisations. Additionally, we have worked through our regionally based teams in England to engage with individual Local Authorities, key local businesses, and local networks and organisations in areas where our eight growth driving sectors are located. We are also considering over 3000 responses to the Industrial Strategy Green Paper Consultation, which has included representations from rural areas.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of St Albans (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what progress they have made on the proposal to deliver a gambling ombudsman, as set out in the White Paper High stakes: gambling reform for the digital age, published 27 April 2023.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
We continue to explore options for improving Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), including the establishment of a gambling ombudsman. We are working closely with all stakeholders in the sector to deliver on this, including the BGC, the Gambling Commission, existing ADR providers and the Ombudsman Association. Further steps will be outlined in due course.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of St Albans (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer from Baroness Gustafsson on 11 March (HL5279), whether "regional growth" mentioned in the Answer includes and accounts for sparsely populated areas or areas classified as predominantly rural.
Answered by Baroness Gustafsson - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Regional growth is a core objective of this Industrial Strategy, which will be ambitious and targeted. It will unleash the full potential of our cities and regions, by concentrating efforts on clusters and city-regions with the greatest potential for our growth-driving sectors.
Clusters often cut across local government boundaries, sitting both within and outside of major cities, including extending into in rural areas – particularly for growth-driving sectors which require access to suitable land, water and other natural resources.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of St Albans (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the health implications of using nicotine pouches, particularly for oral health.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Data from August 2024 by ASH suggests that 1.2% of children aged between 11 and 18 years old currently use nicotine pouches. A copy of the report in which this data is contained is attached.
There is currently limited research and evidence into the harms of nicotine pouches, including implications for oral health. However, they are never recommended for children. Nicotine, the active ingredient in pouches, is a highly addicted drug, and we have a duty to protect children and young people from future harm and addiction. Advice on the health impacts of nicotine can be found on the Talk to Frank website.
That is why, through the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, we are banning the advertisement and sponsorship of these products, introducing age of sale restrictions to 18 years old for nicotine pouches, banning free samples, and providing powers to restrict packaging, flavours, and point of sale displays.
We will continue to monitor the use of these products and will update public health guidance and messaging accordingly.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of St Albans (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the number of children and young people using nicotine pouches.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Data from August 2024 by ASH suggests that 1.2% of children aged between 11 and 18 years old currently use nicotine pouches. A copy of the report in which this data is contained is attached.
There is currently limited research and evidence into the harms of nicotine pouches, including implications for oral health. However, they are never recommended for children. Nicotine, the active ingredient in pouches, is a highly addicted drug, and we have a duty to protect children and young people from future harm and addiction. Advice on the health impacts of nicotine can be found on the Talk to Frank website.
That is why, through the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, we are banning the advertisement and sponsorship of these products, introducing age of sale restrictions to 18 years old for nicotine pouches, banning free samples, and providing powers to restrict packaging, flavours, and point of sale displays.
We will continue to monitor the use of these products and will update public health guidance and messaging accordingly.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of St Albans (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that relevant information is shared with coroners investigating gambling-related deaths regarding concerns identified and action taken by the Gambling Commission during the period being investigated at inquest.
Answered by Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Coroners are independent judges, and the way in which they manage their investigations and inquests is a matter for them. Accordingly, it is for the coroner to determine the scope of an investigation into a death, and to identify the relevant Interested Persons and witnesses.
The statutory framework set out in the Coroners and Justice Act 2009 provides the coroner with powers to require the production of evidence for the purposes of their investigation, with sanctions for non-compliance.
Where, as the result of an investigation, a coroner considers that action should be taken to mitigate or prevent the risk of future deaths, they must provide a report to the person(s) or organisation(s) which they believe may have power to take such action. Recipients must respond within 56 days, setting out details of what action has been or will be taken, or explaining why no action is proposed. Both the coroner’s report and the responses to it must be copied to the Chief Coroner and are published on the Judiciary website.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of St Albans (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to review the proposed staking limit of £5 for online slots sooner than the outlined five-year period.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
As set out in the legislation, the online slots stake limits regulation must be reviewed within five years. We are able to review the stake limits at any time if there is evidence to do so.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of St Albans (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the gambling industry’s spending on advertising, sponsorship and marketing, including online forms of advertising and marketing such as content marketing.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
According to GambleAware’s research in 2017, the total advertising and marketing spend by gambling companies totalled £1.5 billion, of which:
£747 million was spent on online advertising and direct marketing
£234 million on TV advertising
£149 million on social media advertising
£60 million on sponsorship
£301 million on advertising through market affiliates
£70 million on other offline advertising
There are existing robust rules in place to ensure that advertising, whenever it appears, is socially responsible, with a particular regard to the need to protect children, young persons and other vulnerable persons from being harmed and exploited. Gambling adverts cannot be targeted at children and cannot be of ‘strong appeal’ to children, for example they cannot feature Premier League footballers and celebrities popular with children.
However, we recognise that more can be done to improve protections. We have set the gambling industry a clear task to raise standards and this work will be monitored closely.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of St Albans (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the gambling industry’s self-regulation practices in relation to gambling advertising, sponsorship, and marketing.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
According to GambleAware’s research in 2017, the total advertising and marketing spend by gambling companies totalled £1.5 billion, of which:
£747 million was spent on online advertising and direct marketing
£234 million on TV advertising
£149 million on social media advertising
£60 million on sponsorship
£301 million on advertising through market affiliates
£70 million on other offline advertising
There are existing robust rules in place to ensure that advertising, whenever it appears, is socially responsible, with a particular regard to the need to protect children, young persons and other vulnerable persons from being harmed and exploited. Gambling adverts cannot be targeted at children and cannot be of ‘strong appeal’ to children, for example they cannot feature Premier League footballers and celebrities popular with children.
However, we recognise that more can be done to improve protections. We have set the gambling industry a clear task to raise standards and this work will be monitored closely.