Asked by: Lord Hunt of Kings Heath (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of analysis by the Guardian which found that funding for testing and treating sexually transmitted infections fell by 33 per cent since 2013, and what assessment they have made of the consequential additional costs to the NHS.
Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Local authorities are responsible for commissioning comprehensive open access to most sexual health services. Dedicated sexual health services play a key public health role in diagnosis, early treatment, and management of sexually transmitted infections. Individual local authorities are responsible for making funding and commissioning decisions, working with local partners including the National Health Service via the integrated care systems, about the sexual health services that best meet the needs of their local populations through the Public Health Grant, including online and in-person provision.
In 2023/24, we allocated more than £3.5 billion to local authorities in England to fund public health services, including sexual health services, through the Public Health Grant. In 2024/25, the total Public Health Grant to local authorities will be £3.603 billion. This will provide local authorities with an average 2.1% cash increase compared to 2023/24.
Asked by: Lord Hunt of Kings Heath (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the costs of additional inpatient hospital care for sexually transmitted infections resulting from cuts in funding for sexual health services.
Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Local authorities are responsible for commissioning comprehensive open access to most sexual health services. Dedicated sexual health services play a key public health role in diagnosis, early treatment, and management of sexually transmitted infections. Individual local authorities are responsible for making funding and commissioning decisions, working with local partners including the National Health Service via the integrated care systems, about the sexual health services that best meet the needs of their local populations through the Public Health Grant, including online and in-person provision.
In 2023/24, we allocated more than £3.5 billion to local authorities in England to fund public health services, including sexual health services, through the Public Health Grant. In 2024/25, the total Public Health Grant to local authorities will be £3.603 billion. This will provide local authorities with an average 2.1% cash increase compared to 2023/24.
Asked by: Lord Hunt of Kings Heath (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of cuts in sexual health services from £14.41 per head in 2013–14 to £9.58 per head in 2022–23.
Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
We have provided cash growth in the Public Health Grant each year over the 2021 Spending Review period. In 2024/25, this will increase to £3.603 billion, providing local authorities with an average 2.1% cash increase compared to 2023/24.
Local government is well placed to make decisions about the services that best meet the needs of their local populations. It is the responsibility of local authorities working with local partners, including the National Health Service via integrated care systems, to commission different kinds of services to fit local circumstances and priorities.
Asked by: Lord Hunt of Kings Heath (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether the NHS refers patients with Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder to the Birmingham Food Refusal Service.
Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Commissioning pathways for avoidant restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) are locally determined, by integrated care boards. NHS England advises that all eating disorder teams should work collaboratively to address coexisting and co-occurring conditions as needed, in accordance with the published national guidance. NHS England recognises the importance of patient-centre care, which ensures that care is tailored to meet the needs of children and young people with varied presentations, including ARFID. The children and young people’s eating disorder guidance is being updated to reflect this, with publication expected later in 2024.
Asked by: Lord Hunt of Kings Heath (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of a lack of public toilets on people who suffer from a frequent need to urinate.
Answered by Baroness Scott of Bybrook - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
Government does not record statistics on the impact of lack of public toilets on disabled people or those with specific health conditions. Local councils are empowered by the Public Health Act 1936 to provide public conveniences. We recently announced up to £30.5 million funding to local authorities in England to boost the number of Changing Places toilets for people who cannot use standard accessible toilets. They will be installed in existing buildings and we have made it compulsory for new public buildings to have them.
The Minister for Equalities, Faith, Local Government and Communities made a statement (HCWS172) on 4 July 2022 setting out the Government’s intention to make changes to the Building Regulations to support better privacy, dignity and security for people using toilets outside the home. As part of that work, the department carried out a call for evidence on toilet provision for men and women, which closed in February 2021. We received more than 17,500 responses to the call for evidence and of those, 88% cited important considerations including medical conditions and toilet provision for disabled persons. These concerns were reflected in our more detailed proposals which were set out in a technical consultation on toilet provision in buildings other than dwellings which closed in October 2023. The responses to the technical consultation are now being considered and we intend to amend Building Regulations accordingly in the coming months.
Asked by: Lord Hunt of Kings Heath (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the health impact of people intentionally dehydrating because of a lack of public toilets.
Answered by Baroness Scott of Bybrook - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
Government does not record statistics on the impact of lack of public toilets on disabled people or those with specific health conditions. Local councils are empowered by the Public Health Act 1936 to provide public conveniences. We recently announced up to £30.5 million funding to local authorities in England to boost the number of Changing Places toilets for people who cannot use standard accessible toilets. They will be installed in existing buildings and we have made it compulsory for new public buildings to have them.
The Minister for Equalities, Faith, Local Government and Communities made a statement (HCWS172) on 4 July 2022 setting out the Government’s intention to make changes to the Building Regulations to support better privacy, dignity and security for people using toilets outside the home. As part of that work, the department carried out a call for evidence on toilet provision for men and women, which closed in February 2021. We received more than 17,500 responses to the call for evidence and of those, 88% cited important considerations including medical conditions and toilet provision for disabled persons. These concerns were reflected in our more detailed proposals which were set out in a technical consultation on toilet provision in buildings other than dwellings which closed in October 2023. The responses to the technical consultation are now being considered and we intend to amend Building Regulations accordingly in the coming months.
Asked by: Lord Hunt of Kings Heath (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether a proposal for a toilet commissioner was dropped from the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023; and, if so, why.
Answered by Baroness Scott of Bybrook - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
Provisions for a toilet commissioner were not included in the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill.
Asked by: Lord Hunt of Kings Heath (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of a lack of public toilets on people with ulcerative colitis.
Answered by Baroness Scott of Bybrook - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
Government does not record statistics on the impact of lack of public toilets on disabled people or those with specific health conditions. Local councils are empowered by the Public Health Act 1936 to provide public conveniences. We recently announced up to £30.5 million funding to local authorities in England to boost the number of Changing Places toilets for people who cannot use standard accessible toilets. They will be installed in existing buildings and we have made it compulsory for new public buildings to have them.
The Minister for Equalities, Faith, Local Government and Communities made a statement (HCWS172) on 4 July 2022 setting out the Government’s intention to make changes to the Building Regulations to support better privacy, dignity and security for people using toilets outside the home. As part of that work, the department carried out a call for evidence on toilet provision for men and women, which closed in February 2021. We received more than 17,500 responses to the call for evidence and of those, 88% cited important considerations including medical conditions and toilet provision for disabled persons. These concerns were reflected in our more detailed proposals which were set out in a technical consultation on toilet provision in buildings other than dwellings which closed in October 2023. The responses to the technical consultation are now being considered and we intend to amend Building Regulations accordingly in the coming months.
Asked by: Lord Hunt of Kings Heath (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of a lack of public toilets on people with disabilities.
Answered by Baroness Scott of Bybrook - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
Government does not record statistics on the impact of lack of public toilets on disabled people or those with specific health conditions. Local councils are empowered by the Public Health Act 1936 to provide public conveniences. We recently announced up to £30.5 million funding to local authorities in England to boost the number of Changing Places toilets for people who cannot use standard accessible toilets. They will be installed in existing buildings and we have made it compulsory for new public buildings to have them.
The Minister for Equalities, Faith, Local Government and Communities made a statement (HCWS172) on 4 July 2022 setting out the Government’s intention to make changes to the Building Regulations to support better privacy, dignity and security for people using toilets outside the home. As part of that work, the department carried out a call for evidence on toilet provision for men and women, which closed in February 2021. We received more than 17,500 responses to the call for evidence and of those, 88% cited important considerations including medical conditions and toilet provision for disabled persons. These concerns were reflected in our more detailed proposals which were set out in a technical consultation on toilet provision in buildings other than dwellings which closed in October 2023. The responses to the technical consultation are now being considered and we intend to amend Building Regulations accordingly in the coming months.
Asked by: Lord Hunt of Kings Heath (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have made an assessment of the number of internment camps in (1) China, (2) Xinjiang, and (3) Tibet.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK Government closely monitors the human rights situation in China, where people face widespread restrictions and violations on human rights and fundamental freedoms. With regard to the situation in Xinjiang, in 2018 the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination estimated "upwards of a million people were being held in so-called counter-extremism centres and another two million had been forced into what the Chinese refer to as 're-education camps' for political and cultural indoctrination". Regarding Tibet, UN Special Rapporteurs reported in February 2023 that "around a million" Tibetan children had been separated from their families to assimilate them into majority Han culture. The UK Government continues to lead international efforts to hold China to account, including through the UN and bilaterally. The Foreign Secretary raised human rights concerns in his meeting with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on 16 February.