Asked by: Lord Butler of Brockwell (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the answer by Baroness Twycross on Thursday 15 January (Hansard: HL Deb col 183), when they expect to publish the report on industry-led guidance on loot boxes.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Government is committed to ensuring games are enjoyed safely and responsibly by everyone and that, where they contain loot boxes, there are appropriate protections in place for players of all ages.
To improve those protections, industry-led guidance was published in 2023 with a 12-month implementation period after which DCMS commissioned independent academic research into its effectiveness. We will publish the research in the near future, alongside our next steps.
Asked by: Lord Butler of Brockwell (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to monitor the impact of the ban on mixed-product promotional offers and the cap on bonus wagering requirements on high-risk gambling behaviour.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Government is committed to strengthening protections for those at risk of gambling harm. We continue to monitor the best available evidence that assesses the impact of consumer protection measures when making future policy decisions.
Alongside monitoring the best available evidence, we have commissioned a robust evaluation of a subset of the measures introduced through the Gambling Act Review, including socially responsible incentives. We expect the findings of that evaluation to be published by the end of this year. This work will be supported by the statutory gambling levy, which directs 20% of its funding toward independent research to fill critical gaps in the evidence base. This will also include a proportion of funding for the Gambling Commission to direct further research in line with the licensing objectives.
Asked by: Lord Butler of Brockwell (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many staff are in the Prime Minister's office, and how many of those are party political appointees.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
For management and staffing purposes the Prime Minister’s Office is part of the Cabinet Office. There are 235 permanent civil servants employed by the Cabinet Office and allocated to the Prime Minister’s Office. As was the case under the previous Administration, information about Special Adviser numbers will be published in the Annual report on Special Advisers, and party political appointments are not a matter for the Government.
Asked by: Lord Butler of Brockwell (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Sharpe of Epsom on 24 July (HL9391), whether the legislation needed to enable prescribing of controlled drugs by paramedic independent prescribers is capable of being made by statutory instrument; and if so, what is the reason for their delay in making it.
Answered by Lord Sharpe of Epsom - Shadow Minister (Business and Trade)
I reaffirm that the Government intends to legislate to enable prescribing of controlled drugs by paramedic independent prescribers alongside other changes relating to use of controlled drugs in healthcare by podiatrists, therapeutic radiographer independent prescribers, and those acting under Patient Group Directions.
The changes are capable of being made by a Statutory Instrument and we will bring forward legislation as soon as possible, but this will remain subject to Parliamentary procedure.
Asked by: Lord Butler of Brockwell (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the letter from the then Minister of State at the Home Office to the Chair of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs, dated 30 September 2022, what is the reason for the delay in making the regulatory changes to the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001, with particular reference to the prescribing of controlled drugs by paramedic independent prescribers.
Answered by Lord Sharpe of Epsom - Shadow Minister (Business and Trade)
The Government responded to the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) on 3 October 2022 about paramedic independent prescribers.
As the letter indicates, the Government intends to legislate to enable prescribing of controlled drugs by paramedic independent prescribers alongside other changes relating to use of controlled drugs in healthcare by podiatrists, therapeutic radiographer independent prescribers, and those acting under Patient Group Directions. We will bring forward legislation as soon as possible, but this will remain subject to Parliamentary procedure.
Asked by: Lord Butler of Brockwell (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question
To ask His Majesty's Government when they will provide an update on the progress of the technical group on loot boxes, which was expected to be published in the first quarter of 2023.
Answered by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay - Shadow Minister (Culture, Media and Sport)
His Majesty’s Government is committed to ensuring that video games can be enjoyed safely by everyone. The Government Response to the Call for Evidence on Loot Boxes in Video Games set out that the games industry should take the lead in strengthening protections for children and adults. Specifically, the Government’s view is that purchases of loot boxes should be unavailable to children unless and until they are enabled by a parent or guardian, and that all players should have access to, and be aware of, spending controls and transparent information to support safe and responsible gaming.
Since then, the Government has convened a technical working group to pursue enhanced industry-led solutions to achieve these objectives. This has brought together representatives from the games industry, and we have engaged with regulators, academics, and consumer groups to ensure that measures are workable for players and parents.
This work is ongoing, and we will provide an update on the progress of the technical working group process in the coming months.
Asked by: Lord Butler of Brockwell (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the letter from the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs to the Minister of State for Crime, Policing and the Fire Service and the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Prevention, Public Health and Primary Care on 18 October 2019, what plans they have to amend the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001 to enable paramedics (1) to prescribe, and (2) to administer, the drugs specified by NHS England.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Shadow Chief Whip (Lords)
The Government is considering the advice provided by the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs on the independent prescribing and administration of specified controlled drugs by paramedics and intends to respond in the near future.
The Home Office works closely with the Department of Health and Social Care on issues concerning the use of controlled drugs in healthcare, and this timescale reflects the balance of priorities within Government, in particular in addressing COVID-19. The response will be published on gov.uk.
Asked by: Lord Butler of Brockwell (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord True on 29 June (HL5988), what are the current circumstances delaying the reappointment of the Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament.
Answered by Lord True - Shadow Leader of the House of Lords
The Intelligence and Security Committee was reconstituted on 14 July 2020.
Asked by: Lord Butler of Brockwell (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the terrorist attack in Reading on 20 June, when the Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament will be appointed. [T]
Answered by Lord True - Shadow Leader of the House of Lords
I refer the noble Lord to my answer given to PQ HL3315 on 4 May 2020. The Committee is being formed in the normal way and as quickly as current circumstances allow. An announcement will be made in due course.
Asked by: Lord Butler of Brockwell (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Vere of Norbiton on 28 May (HL4351), what estimate they have made of the effect of any increase in the number of deliveries during the COVID-19 lockdown on traffic statistics.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton
The Department has been producing and monitoring daily road traffic figures during the COVID-19 lockdown period. These daily road traffic figures are published on the Gov.uk website.
These figures have seen differing trends for commercial and private traffic. However, it is not possible to infer the purpose of journeys, such as increased deliveries, from the daily road traffic series.