Alcohol Consumption
Debate between Lord Harrison and Baroness Jolly(9 years, 10 months ago)
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Lord Harrison
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of policies to reduce alcohol consumption, what discussions they have had with supermarkets about the range of strengths of alcoholic drinks they supply.
Baroness Jolly (LD)
My Lords, the Government have long worked with the alcohol industry to reduce health and social harm. Supermarkets are committed to all relevant alcohol pledges under the public health responsibility deal, and have contributed to removing 1.3 billion units of alcohol from the market by reducing strength; 80% of labels now have the correct health information; and there is the promise not to sell any carbonated drink with more than four units of alcohol in a single-serve can.
Lord Harrison (Lab)
To help supermarkets communicate with their customers, will the Government consider providing a legal definition of lighter wine, as well as exploring duty differentiation in wines to provide a service that will enable people to choose lighter wines? Finally, will the Government encourage the average strength of house wine to be lowered where such house wines are sold in pubs, restaurants and, indeed, here in the House of Lords?
NHS: Hospital Medication
Debate between Lord Harrison and Baroness Jolly
Baroness Jolly
The noble Lord is absolutely right. Pharmacists need to show leadership and expertise and to support all their colleagues to ensure that this happens appropriately.
Lord Harrison (Lab)
Will the Minister report on this morning’s report on the use of nanotechnology to suppress the disfiguring tremors experienced by Parkinson’s sufferers? What progress can be made there, and what can the Government do to improve it?
Baroness Jolly
The noble Lord has me at a disadvantage because I have not seen the report to which he refers. I am sure that Parkinson’s UK is working with the research community to ensure that this is sorted out.