Asked by: Lord Kennedy of Southwark (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of operation of law in relation to the provision of adrenaline auto-injectors on commercial aircraft.
Answered by Lord Markham - Shadow Minister (Science, Innovation and Technology)
Following their review, the Adrenaline Auto-injector Expert Working Group (AAI EWG) recommended in principle that adrenaline auto-injectors (AAIs) should be made available in public locations, for use in treating anaphylaxis in unforeseen and critical circumstances, provided suitable safeguards can be implemented to ensure their effective and safe use. Challenges lie in ensuring correct and secure storage of AAIs, to ensure that the adrenaline does not deteriorate, and the device remains functional. Cinemas offering food for sale and other food outlets were identified as examples of locations where emergency AAIs might have particular potential to save lives.
The legislative change will therefore concern AAI supply, to specify or define individuals or organisations with the necessary competence to obtain and store AAIs for use in the event of an anaphylactic emergency. The AAI EWG advised the need for access to AAIs in a broad range of settings such as restaurants, gyms, cinemas, childcare facilities, youth groups, and music festivals. To support such wide-ranging access, the scope of legal supply will need to be linked to a requirement for training, to support safe use.
An Expert Advisory Group for Allergy was established in 2023, across the Government and clinical organisations, and chaired by the National Allergy Strategy Group and the Department, to recommend further action by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), Department of Health and Social Care, Department for Education, and the National Health Service. The Department of Health and Social Care and the MHRA are currently considering updates to the 2017 guidance, to ensure that any updated clarifications are supported by evidence, and that any open questions are answered.
Asked by: Lord Kennedy of Southwark (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of operation of law in relation to the provision of adrenaline auto-injectors on trains.
Answered by Lord Markham - Shadow Minister (Science, Innovation and Technology)
Following their review, the Adrenaline Auto-injector Expert Working Group (AAI EWG) recommended in principle that adrenaline auto-injectors (AAIs) should be made available in public locations, for use in treating anaphylaxis in unforeseen and critical circumstances, provided suitable safeguards can be implemented to ensure their effective and safe use. Challenges lie in ensuring correct and secure storage of AAIs, to ensure that the adrenaline does not deteriorate, and the device remains functional. Cinemas offering food for sale and other food outlets were identified as examples of locations where emergency AAIs might have particular potential to save lives.
The legislative change will therefore concern AAI supply, to specify or define individuals or organisations with the necessary competence to obtain and store AAIs for use in the event of an anaphylactic emergency. The AAI EWG advised the need for access to AAIs in a broad range of settings such as restaurants, gyms, cinemas, childcare facilities, youth groups, and music festivals. To support such wide-ranging access, the scope of legal supply will need to be linked to a requirement for training, to support safe use.
An Expert Advisory Group for Allergy was established in 2023, across the Government and clinical organisations, and chaired by the National Allergy Strategy Group and the Department, to recommend further action by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), Department of Health and Social Care, Department for Education, and the National Health Service. The Department of Health and Social Care and the MHRA are currently considering updates to the 2017 guidance, to ensure that any updated clarifications are supported by evidence, and that any open questions are answered.
Asked by: Lord Kennedy of Southwark (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what requirements there are for airlines to ensure adrenaline auto-injectors are available on commercial flights.
Answered by Lord Markham - Shadow Minister (Science, Innovation and Technology)
Following their review, the Adrenaline Auto-injector Expert Working Group (AAI EWG) recommended in principle that adrenaline auto-injectors (AAIs) should be made available in public locations, for use in treating anaphylaxis in unforeseen and critical circumstances, provided suitable safeguards can be implemented to ensure their effective and safe use. Challenges lie in ensuring correct and secure storage of AAIs, to ensure that the adrenaline does not deteriorate, and the device remains functional. Cinemas offering food for sale and other food outlets were identified as examples of locations where emergency AAIs might have particular potential to save lives.
The legislative change will therefore concern AAI supply, to specify or define individuals or organisations with the necessary competence to obtain and store AAIs for use in the event of an anaphylactic emergency. The AAI EWG advised the need for access to AAIs in a broad range of settings such as restaurants, gyms, cinemas, childcare facilities, youth groups, and music festivals. To support such wide-ranging access, the scope of legal supply will need to be linked to a requirement for training, to support safe use.
An Expert Advisory Group for Allergy was established in 2023, across the Government and clinical organisations, and chaired by the National Allergy Strategy Group and the Department, to recommend further action by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), Department of Health and Social Care, Department for Education, and the National Health Service. The Department of Health and Social Care and the MHRA are currently considering updates to the 2017 guidance, to ensure that any updated clarifications are supported by evidence, and that any open questions are answered.
Asked by: Lord Kennedy of Southwark (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what requirements there are for airports to ensure adrenaline auto-injectors are available on their premises.
Answered by Lord Markham - Shadow Minister (Science, Innovation and Technology)
Following their review, the Adrenaline Auto-injector Expert Working Group (AAI EWG) recommended in principle that adrenaline auto-injectors (AAIs) should be made available in public locations, for use in treating anaphylaxis in unforeseen and critical circumstances, provided suitable safeguards can be implemented to ensure their effective and safe use. Challenges lie in ensuring correct and secure storage of AAIs, to ensure that the adrenaline does not deteriorate, and the device remains functional. Cinemas offering food for sale and other food outlets were identified as examples of locations where emergency AAIs might have particular potential to save lives.
The legislative change will therefore concern AAI supply, to specify or define individuals or organisations with the necessary competence to obtain and store AAIs for use in the event of an anaphylactic emergency. The AAI EWG advised the need for access to AAIs in a broad range of settings such as restaurants, gyms, cinemas, childcare facilities, youth groups, and music festivals. To support such wide-ranging access, the scope of legal supply will need to be linked to a requirement for training, to support safe use.
An Expert Advisory Group for Allergy was established in 2023, across the Government and clinical organisations, and chaired by the National Allergy Strategy Group and the Department, to recommend further action by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), Department of Health and Social Care, Department for Education, and the National Health Service. The Department of Health and Social Care and the MHRA are currently considering updates to the 2017 guidance, to ensure that any updated clarifications are supported by evidence, and that any open questions are answered.
Asked by: Lord Kennedy of Southwark (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what guidance they have issued on the administering of adrenaline auto-injectors by minors in medical emergencies.
Answered by Lord Markham - Shadow Minister (Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has published guidance on the use of adrenaline auto-injectors in schools, and there is provision in this guidance for the use of an adrenaline auto-injector on someone to whom it was not prescribed, in a medical emergency. However, regulation 238 of the Human Medicines Regulations 2012 provides an exemption from certain requirements related to the administration of medicines. Specifically, it allows for parenteral, rather than injected or absorbed, administration of specified medicines in emergency situations, where the purpose is to save a life. For instance, adrenaline prescribed for a specific person, or even to an unknown person, can be administered under this regulation, if it is necessary to save a life during an emergency. The use in emergencies is covered by schedule 19 and regulation 238, where age is not specified.
An Expert Advisory Group for Allergy was established in 2023, across the Government and clinical organisations, and chaired by the National Allergy Strategy Group and the Department, to recommend further action by the MHRA, Department of Health and Social Care, Department for Education, and the National Health Service. The Department of Health and Social Care and the MHRA are currently considering updates to the 2017 guidance, to ensure that any updated clarifications are supported by evidence, and that any open questions are answered.
Asked by: Lord Kennedy of Southwark (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what guidance they have issued regarding the use of an adrenaline auto-injector on someone to whom it was not prescribed in a medical emergency.
Answered by Lord Markham - Shadow Minister (Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has published guidance on the use of adrenaline auto-injectors in schools, and there is provision in this guidance for the use of an adrenaline auto-injector on someone to whom it was not prescribed, in a medical emergency. However, regulation 238 of the Human Medicines Regulations 2012 provides an exemption from certain requirements related to the administration of medicines. Specifically, it allows for parenteral, rather than injected or absorbed, administration of specified medicines in emergency situations, where the purpose is to save a life. For instance, adrenaline prescribed for a specific person, or even to an unknown person, can be administered under this regulation, if it is necessary to save a life during an emergency. The use in emergencies is covered by schedule 19 and regulation 238, where age is not specified.
An Expert Advisory Group for Allergy was established in 2023, across the Government and clinical organisations, and chaired by the National Allergy Strategy Group and the Department, to recommend further action by the MHRA, Department of Health and Social Care, Department for Education, and the National Health Service. The Department of Health and Social Care and the MHRA are currently considering updates to the 2017 guidance, to ensure that any updated clarifications are supported by evidence, and that any open questions are answered.
Asked by: Lord Kennedy of Southwark (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether the threshold that needs to be passed for a ‘right to manage’ ballot is a majority of (1) all the leasehold properties, or (2) those ballots returned from the leaseholders.
Answered by Baroness Scott of Bybrook - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
The Right to Manage is a statutory process requiring all qualifying non-participating leaseholders to be invited to become a member of the Right to Manage company using a prescribed “notice inviting participation”. The company serves these notices on the leaseholders with no input from the freeholder.
Leaseholders wishing to take forward a claim will need to obtain the title documents for their building from His Majesty’s Land Registry to determine if they qualify and to provide the required details of their leases in the claim notice. The title documents will contain the names and addresses of the owners of the other flats in the building.
In order to qualify for the Right to Manage, no ballot is held, leaseholders who have setup a Right to Manage company invite other leaseholders to participate and the claim can go forward if the qualifying criteria is met. The criteria is as follows: two-thirds of the flats in the building must be held on long residential leases and leaseholders representing not less than 50% of the total number of flats in the building must participate in the claim.
Asked by: Lord Kennedy of Southwark (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that 'right to manage' ballots are safe and secure.
Answered by Baroness Scott of Bybrook - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
The Right to Manage is a statutory process requiring all qualifying non-participating leaseholders to be invited to become a member of the Right to Manage company using a prescribed “notice inviting participation”. The company serves these notices on the leaseholders with no input from the freeholder.
Leaseholders wishing to take forward a claim will need to obtain the title documents for their building from His Majesty’s Land Registry to determine if they qualify and to provide the required details of their leases in the claim notice. The title documents will contain the names and addresses of the owners of the other flats in the building.
In order to qualify for the Right to Manage, no ballot is held, leaseholders who have setup a Right to Manage company invite other leaseholders to participate and the claim can go forward if the qualifying criteria is met. The criteria is as follows: two-thirds of the flats in the building must be held on long residential leases and leaseholders representing not less than 50% of the total number of flats in the building must participate in the claim.
Asked by: Lord Kennedy of Southwark (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what actions a leaseholder with 99 years left on their lease has to take to take advantage of proposals for a peppercorn rent in the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Bill presently before Parliament.
Answered by Baroness Scott of Bybrook - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
The Leasehold and Freehold Reform Bill will make it easier and cheaper for leaseholders to extend their lease or buy the freehold. The Bill includes a statutory right for qualifying leaseholders to obtain a 990-year lease extension, or to buy their freehold, on payment of a premium. In doing so they can obtain a peppercorn ground rent. In calculating the premium, the value of ground rent is capped at 0.1% of the freehold value.
In addition we have consulted on options to restrict ground rents for current leases and will respond to that consultation in due course. This Government has already restricted ground rents for new residential leases to a peppercorn.
Asked by: Lord Kennedy of Southwark (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what is their latest estimate of the number of leases that have a lease term of 125 years when first sold.
Answered by Baroness Scott of Bybrook - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
According to the English Housing Survey 2021-22, 536,000 leasehold dwellings had a lease of between 99 and 125 years at the time of purchase (Annex Table 3.5).