Asked by: Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Bethell on 19 February (HL13296), whether work on producing a cross-addiction strategy has now resumed; and if so, when such a strategy will be published.
Answered by Lord Bethell
Work on developing the addiction strategy will commence later this year and we expect this to be published in 2022. This will build on current Departmental work related to drugs, alcohol and gambling addiction.
Asked by: Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, following the report by Professor Sir Partha Dasgupta The Economics of Biodiversity: The Dasgupta Review, published on 2 February, what steps they will take in response to the contribution of global population growth to climate change.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
The independent Dasgupta Review explores a range of actions it argues are needed to protect the environment and our prosperity. The Government will examine the Review's findings closely, call on international partners to do the same, and will respond formally in due course. The review focuses on biodiversity, rather than climate change and carbon emissions.
It is growth in levels of consumption driven by unsustainable development that influences carbon emissions, and increases climate change, rather than population growth itself.
The UK supports many low income countries to plan for population growth and harness a demographic dividend, including through UK aid investments in voluntary family planning and 12 years of quality education. Effective investments in health and education can also build the adaptive capacity of communities to respond to climate change.
Asked by: Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the additional resources required to implement the provisions of the Domestic Violence Bill; and by when they expect to provide those resources.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Shadow Chief Whip (Lords)
The Department is currently focused on securing the successful passage of the landmark domestic abuse bill. The bill will achieve better support and protection for victims of domestic abuse and their children and bring more perpetrators to justice.
We have acquired additional resource to begin bill implementation planning. Whilst it is anticipated that further resource will be needed after Royal Assent, our final assessment on requirements will be made once debate on the bill has been completed.
Asked by: Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe (Labour - Life peer)
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had on inviting Pope Francis to COP26.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
All parties of the UNFCCC are entitled to attend a COP. We are not in a position to confirm at this stage the attendance of specific leaders, but as the Holy See is a UNFCCC observer state, His Holiness The Pope will receive an invitation.
It is at the discretion of each party as to what level of representation they send.
Asked by: Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to conduct a public consultation on (1) the impact of the (a) COVID-19 pandemic, (b) demographic change in the UK, and (c) global population growth, on public services, and (2) the legislative framework relating to voluntary euthanasia.
Answered by Lord True - Shadow Leader of the House of Lords
There are currently no such plans to conduct public consultations as described.
Asked by: Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe (Labour - Life peer)
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether issues relating to global population growth will be on the agenda for COP26; and if so, what proposals they have to address any such issues.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
COP26 will seek to address the steps needed to reduce emissions in line with the Paris Agreement. In his closing speech at the Climate Ambition Summit, the COP26 President Designate set out four strategic aims for COP26: a step-change in mitigation; a strengthening of adaptation; getting finance flowing; and enhancing international collaboration.
The UK Presidency will focus on five campaigns, in the areas of energy, transport, nature, finance, and adaptation & resilience, but population growth is not an explicit focus in our work. Each aims to enhance international collaboration and accelerate progress towards a resilient and zero emission global economy. The campaigns bring governments, business and civil society together to address these systemic challenges.
Asked by: Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the conclusions and recommendations relating to global population growth in the report by Professor Sir Partha Dasgupta Final Report - The Economics of Biodiversity: The Dasgupta Review, published on 2 February.
Answered by Lord Agnew of Oulton
The independent Review explores a range of actions it argues are needed to protect the environment and our prosperity.
The Government will examine the Review’s findings closely, call on international partners to do the same, and will respond formally in due course.
Asked by: Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress they have made towards producing a cross-addiction strategy which includes consideration of alcohol addiction.
Answered by Lord Bethell
Work on the cross-Government addiction strategy was paused during the COVID-19 pandemic and will resume this year. We will consider the evidence around alcohol dependence and harms and what further action is needed as this work progresses.
Asked by: Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress they made towards the development of the National Institute for Health Protection.
Answered by Lord Bethell
Plans are on track to establish the National Institute for Health Protection (NIHP) in spring 2021 with staff and systems moving into the new organisation over the following months. The recruitment process for the NIHP Chief Executive is ongoing and the outcome will be announced in due course.
Asked by: Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps the Department for Health and Social Care has taken to address the level of obesity in socio-economically deprived communities; and whether any such steps will be taken as part of their strategy set out in their policy paper Tackling obesity: empowering adults and children to live healthier lives, published on 27 July.
Answered by Lord Bethell
Tackling obesity: empowering adults and children to live healthier lives takes forward actions from previous chapters of the childhood obesity plan including our ambition to halve the number of children living with obesity and significantly reducing the gap in obesity between children from the most and least deprived areas by 2030. We are also working with councils to reduce obesity locally through a range of schemes.