Lord Luce

Crossbench - Life peer

Became Member: 2nd October 2000

Left House: 29th June 2020 (Retired)


Lord Luce is not a member of any APPGs
Works of Art Committee (Lords)
12th Jun 2014 - 31st Aug 2016
Lord Chamberlain (HM Household)
1st Oct 2000 - 11th Oct 2006
Minister (Privy Council Office) (Arts)
2nd Sep 1985 - 23rd Jul 1990
Minister of State (Foreign and Commonwealth Office)
11th Jun 1983 - 2nd Sep 1985
Home Affairs Committee
19th Nov 1982 - 9th Jun 1983
Minister of State (Foreign and Commonwealth Office)
30th Sep 1981 - 5th Apr 1982
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign and Commonwealth Office) (Overseas Development)
6th May 1979 - 13th Sep 1981
Shadow Spokesperson (Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs)
1st Jan 1977 - 2nd May 1979
Procedure Committee
15th Jun 1976 - 15th Nov 1978
Opposition Whip (Commons)
1st Mar 1974 - 31st Dec 1975


Division Voting information

Lord Luce has voted in 343 divisions, and never against the majority of their Party.
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All Debates

Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.

Sparring Partners
Baroness Warsi (Conservative)
(12 debate interactions)
Lord Wallace of Saltaire (Liberal Democrat)
Liberal Democrat Lords Spokesperson (Cabinet Office)
(4 debate interactions)
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Department Debates
Cabinet Office
(14 debate contributions)
Leader of the House
(11 debate contributions)
Department for Work and Pensions
(5 debate contributions)
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Legislation Debates
Criminal Finances Act 2017
(964 words contributed)
European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018
(705 words contributed)
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Lords initiatives

These initiatives were driven by Lord Luce, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.


Lord Luce has not introduced any legislation before Parliament

Lord Luce has not co-sponsored any Bills in the current parliamentary sitting


Latest 50 Written Questions

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Written Questions can be tabled by MPs and Lords to request specific information information on the work, policy and activities of a Government Department
14th Mar 2019
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether there is guidance indicating the period within which ministers must answer correspondence from Members of Parliament and Peers; and if so, within what period of time they advise that ministers should provide such answers.

The Cabinet Office issues guidance to all Government departments on the handling of correspondence from Members of Parliament, Members of the House of Lords, MEPs and Members of Devolved Administrations. The most recent edition was issued in March 2016 and is publicly available on Gov.uk.

All departments should set targets for replying to correspondence from MPs and Peers. These targets (which may be different to the targets set for other types of correspondence) will be published in the annual correspondence report coordinated by the Cabinet Office. Individual departments' targets for routine correspondence from MPs should be a maximum of 20 working days, and the Cabinet Office encourages departments to consider setting themselves more challenging targets. When calculating the target date for reply, the clock should start the day after the correspondence was received.

20th Feb 2018
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many deaths in England over the past five years were caused by or linked to the use of over the counter opioids.

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.

Letter from John Pullinger CB, National Statistician, to Lord Luce, dated 26 February 2018

As National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority, I am replying to your Parliamentary Questions asking (i) how many deaths in England over the past five years were caused by or linked to prescription opioids (HL5647); and (ii) how many deaths in England over the past five years were caused by or linked to the use of over the counter opioids (HL5648).

The Office for National Statistics produces an annual report on deaths relating to drug poisoning.1 Drug poisoning deaths involve a broad spectrum of substances, including legal and illegal drugs, prescription type drugs and over-the-counter medications. Tables 6a to 6d published alongside the bulletin show the different drugs involved in each death, for England and Wales.

Table 1 below provides the number of deaths registered in England in the five years 2012 to 2016 where the underlying cause of death was drug-related and involved opiates. It cannot be inferred from the available data whether the substances were prescribed to the deceased, prescribed to another person, or obtained by other means.

Table 1: Number of deaths where the underlying cause was drug-related and involved opiates, persons, England, 2012-16 (see notes 2,3,4)

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

Persons

1167

1469

1688

1841

1867

Yours sincerely

John Pullinger

Box 1. International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes used to define deaths related to drug poisoning

Description

ICD-10 Codes

Mental and behavioural disorders due to drug use (excluding alcohol and tobacco)

F11–F16, F18–F19

Accidental poisoning by drugs, medicaments and biological substances

X40–X44

Intentional self-poisoning by drugs, medicaments and biological substances

X60–X64

Assault by drugs, medicaments and biological substances

X85

Poisoning by drugs, medicaments and biological substances, undetermined intent

Y10–Y14

1 https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/bulletins/deathsrelatedtodrugpoisoninginenglandandwales/2016registrations

2 Cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10). Deaths were selected where the underlying cause was drug poisoning and the specified substance was mentioned on the death certificate. The ICD codes used to select deaths related to drug poisoning are shown in Box 1 above.

3 Figures are for deaths registered, rather than deaths occurring in each calendar year. Due to the length of time it takes to complete a coroner’s inquest, it can take months or even years for a drug-related death to be registered. More details can be found in the 'deaths related to drug poisoning' statistical bulletin: www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/bulletins/deathsrelatedtodrugpoisoninginenglandandwales/previousReleases

4 Any Opiate' figures include unspecified opiates, but exclude paracetamol compounds.

20th Feb 2018
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many deaths in England over the past five years were caused by or linked to prescription opioids.

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.

Letter from John Pullinger CB, National Statistician, to Lord Luce, dated 26 February 2018

As National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority, I am replying to your Parliamentary Questions asking (i) how many deaths in England over the past five years were caused by or linked to prescription opioids (HL5647); and (ii) how many deaths in England over the past five years were caused by or linked to the use of over the counter opioids (HL5648).

The Office for National Statistics produces an annual report on deaths relating to drug poisoning.1 Drug poisoning deaths involve a broad spectrum of substances, including legal and illegal drugs, prescription type drugs and over-the-counter medications. Tables 6a to 6d published alongside the bulletin show the different drugs involved in each death, for England and Wales.

Table 1 below provides the number of deaths registered in England in the five years 2012 to 2016 where the underlying cause of death was drug-related and involved opiates. It cannot be inferred from the available data whether the substances were prescribed to the deceased, prescribed to another person, or obtained by other means.

Table 1: Number of deaths where the underlying cause was drug-related and involved opiates, persons, England, 2012-16 (see notes 2,3,4)

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

Persons

1167

1469

1688

1841

1867

Yours sincerely

John Pullinger

Box 1. International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes used to define deaths related to drug poisoning

Description

ICD-10 Codes

Mental and behavioural disorders due to drug use (excluding alcohol and tobacco)

F11–F16, F18–F19

Accidental poisoning by drugs, medicaments and biological substances

X40–X44

Intentional self-poisoning by drugs, medicaments and biological substances

X60–X64

Assault by drugs, medicaments and biological substances

X85

Poisoning by drugs, medicaments and biological substances, undetermined intent

Y10–Y14

1 https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/bulletins/deathsrelatedtodrugpoisoninginenglandandwales/2016registrations

2 Cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10). Deaths were selected where the underlying cause was drug poisoning and the specified substance was mentioned on the death certificate. The ICD codes used to select deaths related to drug poisoning are shown in Box 1 above.

3 Figures are for deaths registered, rather than deaths occurring in each calendar year. Due to the length of time it takes to complete a coroner’s inquest, it can take months or even years for a drug-related death to be registered. More details can be found in the 'deaths related to drug poisoning' statistical bulletin: www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/bulletins/deathsrelatedtodrugpoisoninginenglandandwales/previousReleases

4 Any Opiate' figures include unspecified opiates, but exclude paracetamol compounds.

13th Jan 2015
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to publish their recent review of the Muslim Brotherhood.

I refer the noble peer to the answer I gave on 13 October 2014, Official Report, Column WA13.

Lord Wallace of Saltaire
Liberal Democrat Lords Spokesperson (Cabinet Office)
5th Dec 2017
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to encourage performing arts organisations, museums and galleries to celebrate the Commonwealth prior to the Commonwealth Summit in London in April 2018.

The Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport has written to the Department's Arms Length Bodies to increase and encourage participation in the Commonwealth Summit celebrations. Departmental officials are continuing to work with the Commonwealth Summit Unit to put together a national package.

27th Jan 2016
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many public libraries there are in the UK, and how many there were in 2010.

Local authorities have a statutory duty to provide a comprehensive and efficient library service that takes account of local needs within available resources. Statistics for the number of public libraries published by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy do not include figures for Northern Ireland, so it is not possible to provide the number of public libraries in the UK. However, in the rest of the country, the total number of public library service points open ten hours or more per week at 31 March 2015 was 3,917, compared with 4,356 in 2010. Based on desk research undertaken by the Department, we estimate that from January 2010 to January 2016 only approximately 110 static public libraries in England closed. Government has the power to ensure public libraries comply with the law, and where individual authorities have failed to meet this duty we will - and have - intervened.

This Government is helping libraries innovate, to ensure they serve the needs of local communities - particularly through the expansion of their digital offer. In the latest spending round we secured extra funding for our Libraries Task Force, set up in 2014, to promote the role of digital and share best practice between councils, and we have funded the rollout of free Wi-Fi in 99% of public libraries in England. E-book loans have rocketed more than four-fold from nearly 445,000 in 2011/12 to over 2.3 million in 2014/15.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe
Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
26th Feb 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government what efforts they have made during their chairmanship of the Commonwealth Heads of Government to ensure that the history of the Commonwealth is taught in UK schools.

The history curriculum gives teachers and schools the freedom and flexibility to use specific examples from history to teach pupils about the history of Britain and the wider world.

There are opportunities within the themes and eras of the history curriculum for teachers and schools to teach about the history of the Commonwealth at Key Stages 1-3. Schools can teach about the Commonwealth at Key Stage 1, when teaching about events beyond or within living memory that are significant nationally or globally, and at Key Stage 2, within a study of an aspect or theme in British history that extends pupils’ chronological knowledge beyond 1066. There are also opportunities at Key Stage 3, within the ‘ideas, political power, industry and empire: Britain, 1745-1901’ and ‘challenges for Britain, Europe and the wider world 1901 to the present day’ themes. ‘Indian independence and end of Empire’ is one of the example topics in this latter theme. The Commonwealth also falls within the scope of the subject content set out for GCSE history.

The government shared a Commonwealth Education Pack for teachers in 2018, in support of the UK’s hosting of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting that year. The pack is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/department-for-education-launches-commonwealth-education-pack, and has been attached.

16th May 2018
To ask Her Majesty's Government what decisions have been made about the provision of accelerated degree courses in higher education following their public consultation completed on 11 February.

As the Noble Lord, Lord Luce, notes, the government’s consultation on proposals to incentivise wider provision and uptake of accelerated degrees in higher education was published in December 2017. This consultation closed in February 2018.

The Department for Education received a range of detailed and comprehensive responses from providers, organisations and individuals across the higher education sector. We are currently considering these responses and will respond to the consultation in due course.

Viscount Younger of Leckie
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
16th Jan 2018
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether Lord Lieutenants are being encouraged to help promote the Commonwealth in schools in their counties ahead of the Commonwealth Summit in April 2018 in London.

As part of the Department for Education’s outreach to schools ahead of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), we have prepared an education pack for 11-14 year-old school pupils. We plan to contact the Lord Lieutenants when the pack is ready to be sent to schools, with a view to asking them to support the promotion of the pack.

Schools are also free to teach their pupils about the Commonwealth as part of their school curriculum. The national curriculum for citizenship education, introduced in September 2014, sets out that pupils are taught about local, regional and international governance and the United Kingdom’s relations with the rest of Europe, the Commonwealth, the United Nations and the wider world.

There are also a number of opportunities in the history programmes of study for pupils to be taught about the Commonwealth; for example, pupils are taught about British history from 1745 to 1901, including the development of empire; and they are taught about the end of Empire and Britain’s place in the world since 1945.

16th Jan 2018
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Secretary of State for Education will be representing HM Government at the meeting in Fiji of Commonwealth Education Ministers in mid February in preparation for the Commonwealth Summit in April 2018 in London; and whether the purpose of that meeting is to strengthen Commonwealth cooperation between universities and schools for the benefit of young people.

It has not yet been decided who will represent Her Majesty’s Government at the Conference of Commonwealth Education Ministers. However, we hope to confirm attendance shortly, subject to parliamentary business. The purpose of the Conference is to strengthen cooperation across the Commonwealth for the benefit of young people of all ages. A key objective of this year’s conference is to address and define mechanisms through which education systems across the Commonwealth can enable sustainable development, and address major global challenges, such as climate change. This is a topic, which is of importance to young people across all member states.

5th Dec 2017
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that schools find ways of using modern technology to learn about today's Commonwealth prior to the Commonwealth Summit in London in April 2018.

The National Curriculum for history at Key Stage 2 states that pupils in maintained schools should study an aspect or theme in British history beyond 1066. This could be used by schools to teach about the Commonwealth. At Key Stage 3, pupils should study ideas, political power, industry and empire: Britain, 1745-1901. This could include the development of the British Empire.

Pupils at Key Stage 3 should also study the challenges for Britain, Europe and the wider world from 1901 to the present day, which could include the end of Empire and Britain’s place in the world since 1945.

In Key Stage 4 citizenship education, pupils in maintained schools must be taught about the different electoral systems used in and beyond the UK, the actions that citizens can take in democratic and electoral processes to influence decisions, and the UK’s relations with the Commonwealth, the UN and the wider world.

Schools have the autonomy to decide how to teach, and many use modern technology as part of their teaching. We are looking at the role of government in supporting schools to have access to quality content and materials.

5th Dec 2017
To ask Her Majesty's Government what support they are providing to the Commonwealth Secretariat and British Council joint programme Commonwealth Class.

The Department for Education was an advocate for the British Council’s bid for funding, tendered by the Commonwealth Summit Unit in Cabinet Office. This was to relaunch the Commonwealth Class network and website in the run-up to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in April 2018. The Commonwealth Class provides resources for teachers across the Commonwealth to use in their schools to increase young people’s understanding of, and engagement with, the Commonwealth. The relaunch also includes a Commonwealth Class Short Story Writing Competition for children and teachers. The department will also be supporting communications to promote the values of CHOGM to schools pupils in the UK.

Viscount Younger of Leckie
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
16th Oct 2017
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they propose to send a Minister to represent them at the Commonwealth Education Ministers Conference in Fiji in February 2018.

Ministers are currently considering attendance at the Commonwealth Education Ministers Conference in Fiji in February 2018, and a decision will be taken in due course.

14th Dec 2016
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to include the history of the Commonwealth in the national curriculum; and if so, what steps are they taking to ensure this.

Schools are free to judge whether pupils should be taught about the Commonwealth. The national curriculum for citizenship education, introduced in September 2014, requires pupils to be taught about local, regional and international governance and the United Kingdom’s relations with the rest of Europe, the Commonwealth, the United Nations and the wider world.

There are also a number of opportunities in the history programmes of study for pupils to be taught about the Commonwealth. For example pupils are taught about British history from 1745 to 1901. This includes the development of The Empire, and they are taught a topic on the end of The Empire and Britain’s place in the world since 1945.

Viscount Younger of Leckie
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
14th Dec 2016
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to facilitate links between British and Commonwealth schools through the use of digital technology.

The Department does not directly facilitate school links. Through its Schools Online website, the British Council facilitates a number of school linking programmes, including in partnership with the Commonwealth Secretariat, ‘the Commonwealth Class’ which is a programme of activities, teaching resources, and events to connect schools and young people across the globe.

Viscount Younger of Leckie
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
16th Jun 2015
To ask Her Majesty’s Government which Minister will attend the Commonwealth Education Ministers' Conference in the Bahamas on 22 June.

Baroness Verma, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department for International Development, with responsibility for the Commonwealth, will represent Her Majesty’s Government at the 19th Commonwealth Conference of Education Ministers in the Bahamas. Education officials have worked closely with those attending to ensure the Minister is briefed across the full agenda of the Commonwealth Conference.

27th Feb 2019
To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress has been made in implementing decisions taken by the Commonwealth Heads of Government in London in April 2018 on (1) the Commonwealth Blue Charter, (2) the Commonwealth Clean Oceans Alliance on marine plastic pollution, and (3) any other decision taken to improve the environment.

In April last year, the UK hosted one of the most successful Commonwealth Heads of Government Meetings (CHOGM) ever. All 53 members of the Commonwealth adopted the Commonwealth Blue Charter, agreed to establish action groups on ocean issues led by Commonwealth member countries and mandated the Secretariat to take forward a Commonwealth Blue Charter plan of action. Since CHOGM, nine action groups have now been proposed of which the UK Government has joined three so far: the coral reef protection, ocean acidification, and ocean and climate change action groups. The UK Government is in the process of joining the action groups on Mangroves and Marine Protected Areas.

The UK and Vanuatu also spearhead the groundbreaking Commonwealth Clean Oceans Alliance (CCOA), the action group to tackle the scourge of plastic pollution in the ocean. The CCOA has gained unparalleled support since its launch in April, increasing its membership from seven to 24 countries across the Caribbean, Africa, Asia and the Pacific regions. In recognition of our global leadership on tackling the problem of plastic in the ocean, the Prime Minister has announced up to £66.4 million of UK aid to assist Commonwealth countries. This includes a technical assistance facility that will support developing countries in achieving their commitments under the CCOA, which was increased from £5 million to £10 million by the Prime Minister in August last year.

The first phase of the £6 million Commonwealth Litter Programme (CLiP) work in the Pacific region has been completed. Minister Coffey and Pacific country leaders attended a regional conference last month to showcase the marine litter action plans produced by the CLiP with Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands. Furthermore, over 35 Government funded Commonwealth Blue Charter Fellowships are underway which continue to support emerging Commonwealth scholars to explore solutions to the marine plastics challenge. We have made tremendous progress in safeguarding our ocean since CHOGM 2018 and we expect even more successful action ahead of the next CHOGM meeting in Rwanda in 2020.

The UK is committed to the Sustainable Development Goals, and tackling climate change and managing the natural environment is a core part of the Government’s international work. For example:

  • The UK has increased its contribution to the Global Environment Facility to £250 million in the latest replenishment round (2018-2022).
  • The Prime Minister will lead on galvanising international efforts on climate resilience at the UN Secretary General’s Summit in September this year.
  • As part of a £61.4 million package of UK support announced by the Prime Minister at CHOGM, together with further announcements made during the Prime Minister’s visit to Africa, the Government has committed support to priority countries to increase recycling and tackle poor waste management. This includes: £3 million to trial approaches to the management of plastic waste in cities in three developing Commonwealth countries (Bangladesh, Ghana and Uganda) and up to £10 million of technical assistance to developing countries that have signed up to the CCOA.

At the International Wildlife Trade Conference hosted in London in October last year, the Government reaffirmed its commitment to tackling the international wildlife trade and we are now investing over £36 million between 2014 and 2021 to counter the trade, including £900,000 of new funding to develop a British military counter-poaching taskforce in Africa.

At last year’s Katowice Climate Change Conference, the UK demonstrated its climate leadership through our instrumental role in the creation of a rulebook to bring the Paris Agreement to life. This common set of rules and metrics is essential for driving genuine climate action globally and for future agreements.

Since April last year the Green Climate Fund has approved the funding of $1.05 billion in funding proposals, and successfully launched its first replenishment for the second resource mobilisation phase. A further $122.5 million has been approved for readiness funding to be deployed this year. Polices related to results management, prohibited practices, the restructuring and cancellation of funding proposals and the appointment of the World Bank as Trustee were also approved. The Fund also selected its next Executive Director, who will serve a four year term from April.

As announced by the Foreign Secretary at CHOGM, the UK and New Zealand co-hosted a meeting at Wilton Park on 16-18 December to discuss climate change and resilience in the Pacific. The Forum was an opportunity to listen to Pacific concerns, needs and priorities in relation to climate change, and provided a space for representatives from across governments and the academic and private sectors to discuss innovative solutions to these challenges.

21st Nov 2018
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to continue to include Gibraltar in (1) the Article 3 definition section, and (2) Article 184 of the future framework section, of the EU Withdrawal Agreement.

Article 3 of the Withdrawal Agreement published on 26 November clearly states that Gibraltar is covered to the extent that Union Law applied to it before. Article 184, which records the UK and the EU’s commitment to negotiate in good faith and conclude agreements envisaged by the Political Declaration on their future relationship within a certain time frame, imposes no obligations regarding the territorial scope of future agreements. This is the EU and the UK’s shared interpretation. The government has also been clear that the UK will negotiate future agreements on behalf of all territories for whose external relations it is responsible.

Lord Callanan
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
13th Dec 2017
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the transitional arrangements that will be sought for the UK as part of the EU withdrawal agreement will cover (1) Gibraltar, and (2) all other UK Overseas Territories.

As the Prime Minister has set out, we are seeking a strictly time-limited implementation period as part of our withdrawal negotiations, to provide certainty and stability for both people and businesses - in the UK and in the EU - to adjust to the new arrangements in a smooth and orderly way. The Prime Minister said clearly in the House on 18 December that we are not going to exclude Gibraltar from our negotiations for either the implementation period or the future agreement. It is the UK’s consistent position that our negotiations extend to include UK Overseas Territories, including Gibraltar, in those areas where their association with the EU is affected.

Lord Callanan
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
22nd Nov 2017
To ask Her Majesty's Government what humanitarian assistance they are giving to support those suffering from starvation in the Kasai region of Congo.

The Minister for Africa visited Kasai Central, in the DRC, in November 2017 to see for himself the impact of the conflict. UK bilateral aid is already supporting 25,800 children with food assistance in the Kasais. Over the next 5 years the UK will be providing a range of humanitarian support. As part of this, we will support a further 840,000 people nationally with food assistance, including people in the Kasais.

7th Sep 2015
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the humanitarian needs of the people of Yemen; and what humanitarian assistance is being provided to them.

According to the UN, 21 million people - more than 80% of the population - are in need of humanitarian assistance in Yemen. Of those, over 6 million people are facing severe food shortages, with households struggling to meet their daily needs. In particular, 1.8 million children are most at risk and require access to life-saving nutrition services. In Hodeidah city alone, UNICEF have warned that 96,000 severely malnourished children are at risk of dying.

The UK is one of the largest donors to the crisis in Yemen and has announced £55 million to respond to the humanitarian crisis in Yemen, focused on the most urgent life-saving needs. UK aid will provide emergency shelter, healthcare, water, food and nutrition assistance for at least half a million Yemenis, as well as supporting UN work to co-ordinate the international humanitarian response.

13th Jan 2015
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their current assessment of the situation in Zimbabwe; and what level of aid the United Kingdom is providing to that country.

The United Kingdom continues to closely monitor events in Zimbabwe, including the recent changes within the ruling party. We remain committed to supporting the aspirations of the Zimbabwean people for a more democratic, stable and prosperous future.

In 2013/14 we provided £106 million in aid to Zimbabwe. This aid focused on helping the country’s poorest people, including providing healthcare, water, sanitation, and access to markets needed for people to earn enough money to meet their basic needs.

No UK aid goes directly through GoZ systems. UK aid is instead channelled through multilateral institutions such as United Nations Agencies, most notably the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), as well as international Non-Governmental Organisations and the private sector.

The most up to date figures of DFID spend can be found in DFID’s Annual Report.

21st Feb 2018
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to introduce legislation in relation to the Fit for Work scheme; and if so, when.

There are no plans to introduce legislation in relation to Fit for Work.

12th Sep 2017
To ask Her Majesty's Government when they expect to reach conclusions following their review of the Fit for Work Scheme.

The Green Paper consultation set out our ambition to transform employment prospects for disabled people and people with long-term health conditions, and sought views on a range of issues including how to improve occupational health provision, drawing lessons from the Fit for Work service. We have been carefully considering the responses we received, to inform our approach to better supporting individuals to stay in and return to work. We will set out our plans for taking forward our ambitions in the Autumn.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank Lord Luce and the Chronic Pain Policy Coalition for their response to the Green Paper consultation which has given us valuable insight.

20th Mar 2017
To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they plan to publish their response to the Green Paper consultation <i>Improving Lives: Work, Health and Disability</i>.

The consultation on the Work, Health and Disability Green Paper closed on 17th February 2017. During the consultation period we engaged with a wide range of stakeholders, and received a large number of responses from people and organisations across society. We are currently evaluating all that we have heard before deciding what our next steps should be. In moving forward we are committed to continuing to engage with stakeholders, to build upon the discussion and debate that has been started by the Green Paper.

14th Jul 2015
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what progress is being made on the implementation of the Fit for Work scheme; and whether the pilot schemes have been successful.

From 9 March 2015, roll-out of the assessment service commenced. By the end of Summer 2015 all GPs in England and Wales will be able to refer to the service.

Fit for Work Scotland assessment service went live on 30 January 2015. Roll-out to all remaining NHS Boards in Scotland was completed on 29 June 2015.

Evaluation of the pilots was published in June 2015 in the report, ‘Evaluation of the 2010–13 Fit for Work Service pilots’.

29th Jan 2015
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what progress has been made with the establishment of the Health at Work Assessment and Advisory Service.

Fit for Work, previously known as the Health and Work Service, is comprised of two elements:

i) Free, expert and impartial work-related health advice via a website and telephone line

ii) Referral to an occupational health professional for employees who are, or are expected to, undergo a period of sickness absence from work lasting four weeks or more. The Fit for Work occupational health professional will identify obstacles preventing the employee from returning to work and produce a Return to Work Plan tailored to the employee’s needs.

The advice element of Fit for Work went live in England and Wales in December 2014.

From January 2015 some GPs in the Sheffield area had the opportunity to try the assessment service. This will be expanded across the country over a period of months from spring, building on this experience and learning.

Fit for Work Scotland is being delivered by the Scottish Government; the advice element went live in December 2014 and the referral element went live, initially in three NHS Board areas, in January 2015. As with England and Wales, this will be expanded across Scotland from the spring.

19th Dec 2019
To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the average waiting time for patients to see a NHS physiotherapist.

Physiotherapy services are commissioned locally by clinical commissioning groups. This includes agreeing and monitoring the waiting time to access services rather than this being set nationally.

A count of first outpatient attendances and the average (mean and median) waiting time in days, where the treatment specialty is physiotherapy, is shown in the following table. Data is for the 2018-19 financial year.

Year

First attendances

Mean waiting time (days)

Median waiting time (days)

2018-19

1,404,639

36.7

25

Source: Hospital Episode Statistics (NHS Digital)

19th Dec 2019
To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the target waiting time for an appointment with an NHS physiotherapist.

Physiotherapy services are commissioned locally by clinical commissioning groups. This includes agreeing and monitoring the waiting time to access services rather than this being set nationally.

A count of first outpatient attendances and the average (mean and median) waiting time in days, where the treatment specialty is physiotherapy, is shown in the following table. Data is for the 2018-19 financial year.

Year

First attendances

Mean waiting time (days)

Median waiting time (days)

2018-19

1,404,639

36.7

25

Source: Hospital Episode Statistics (NHS Digital)

19th Dec 2019
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many physiotherapists are employed by the NHS.

NHS Digital publishes Hospital and Community Health Services workforce statistics for England. These include staff working in hospital trusts and clinical commissioning groups (CCGs), but not staff working in primary care, local authorities or other providers.

As at September 2019, the latest available data, there were 19,977 full time equivalent physiotherapists employed in National Health Service trusts and CCGs.

19th Dec 2019
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many physiotherapists are required by the NHS.

Following publication of the interim People Plan on 3 June 2019, a full NHS People Plan is in development. This will set out the workforce implications for all staff groups, including physiotherapists, in delivering the NHS Long Term Plan priorities.

19th Dec 2019
To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the number of physiotherapists employed in the private sector.

NHS Digital publishes data biannually on staff in some independent sector healthcare organisations in England, mainly data from large organisations. The latest available data as at March 2019, shows that there are 2,270 full time equivalent (FTE) physiotherapists in 56 independent sector organisations which provided data. The data presented for the independent healthcare provider workforce does not represent the entire workforce employed across the whole of this sector and does not only show the staff providing National Health Service-commissioned services. These statistics relate to the workforce directly employed in a range of independent healthcare provider organisations in England and may include staff on maternity leave and career breaks.

Independent healthcare provider workforce: qualified staff working within the care setting 'physiotherapy' as at 31 March 2019, experimental statistics.

All qualified staff working within the care setting 'physiotherapy'

2,270

Consultant therapist/scientist in physiotherapy

-

Manager in physiotherapy

178

Therapist in physiotherapy

2,080

Instructor/teacher in physiotherapy

9

Tutor in physiotherapy

3

18th Jun 2019
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many radiographers are employed by the NHS.

In the Cancer Workforce Plan for England which was published in December 2017, Health Education England (HEE) set out the need to target additional training support.

As part of the development of the NHS People Plan, HEE will now work with NHS England and NHS Improvement to understand the longer-term workforce implications for further development of cancer services. This will include ensuring sustainable growth beyond 2021 in key professions (including radiography) through continued investment in training places, with a greater focus on attracting and retaining students and improving the numbers of qualified professionals who go on to work in the National Health Service. The number of radiographers required will be addressed in the final NHS People Plan and is dependent on the service model used by each NHS trust.

NHS Digital publishes Hospital and Community Health Services (HCHS) workforce statistics. These include staff working in hospital trusts and clinical commissioning groups, but not staff working in primary care or in general practitioner surgeries, local authorities or other providers.

As at February 2019, latest available data, there were over 14,000 full time equivalent diagnostic radiographers and over 2,000 therapeutic radiographers employed by the NHS trusts and CCGs, 2,990 and 726 more, respectively, since 2010.

18th Jun 2019
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many radiographers are required to fulfil the long-term objectives of the NHS.

In the Cancer Workforce Plan for England which was published in December 2017, Health Education England (HEE) set out the need to target additional training support.

As part of the development of the NHS People Plan, HEE will now work with NHS England and NHS Improvement to understand the longer-term workforce implications for further development of cancer services. This will include ensuring sustainable growth beyond 2021 in key professions (including radiography) through continued investment in training places, with a greater focus on attracting and retaining students and improving the numbers of qualified professionals who go on to work in the National Health Service. The number of radiographers required will be addressed in the final NHS People Plan and is dependent on the service model used by each NHS trust.

NHS Digital publishes Hospital and Community Health Services (HCHS) workforce statistics. These include staff working in hospital trusts and clinical commissioning groups, but not staff working in primary care or in general practitioner surgeries, local authorities or other providers.

As at February 2019, latest available data, there were over 14,000 full time equivalent diagnostic radiographers and over 2,000 therapeutic radiographers employed by the NHS trusts and CCGs, 2,990 and 726 more, respectively, since 2010.

21st Nov 2018
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have a target number for occupational therapists for the NHS; and if so, what is that target.

Occupational therapists work in the National Health Service, local authority, voluntary and independent sectors.

The Department does not have a specific target number for the number of occupational therapists for the NHS.

Healthcare providers are responsible for ensuring that they have the right level of staffing to provide high quality care. Health Education England will work through its Local Education and Training Boards and others to ensure that there are sufficient staff being trained to meet the needs of patients.

21st Nov 2018
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many people they estimate are currently taking recognised courses to qualify as occupational therapists.

The information is not held in the format requested.

21st Nov 2018
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many occupational therapists are (1) employed by the NHS, (2) self-employed, (3) working for private sector employers, and (4) working for public sector employers.

To practice in the United Kingdom, occupational therapists must be registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). As of 20 September 2018, there were 39,197 occupational therapists registered with HCPC.

NHS Digital publishes Hospital and Community Health Services workforce statistics. These include staff working in hospital trusts and clinical commissioning groups, but not staff working in primary care or in general practitioner surgeries, local authorities or other providers.

NHS Digital monthly workforce statistics shows that as at 31 August 2018, the latest data available, there are 14,989 full time equivalent (FTE) clinically qualified staff with a care setting of occupational therapy employed by the National Health Service in England.

Since September 2015, NHS Digital has been collecting Independent Healthcare Provider Workforce Statistics. These statistics are collected biannually and published as experimental statistics. There are 744 FTE clinically qualified staff with a care setting of occupational therapy that are employed by those Independent Healthcare Providers in England who respond to the survey, as at 31 March 2018 which is the latest data available.

We do not hold data on occupational therapists who are self-employed or those working for public sector employers other than the NHS.

21st Nov 2018
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many qualified occupational therapists there are in the UK.

To practice in the United Kingdom, occupational therapists must be registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). As of 20 September 2018, there were 39,197 occupational therapists registered with HCPC.

NHS Digital publishes Hospital and Community Health Services workforce statistics. These include staff working in hospital trusts and clinical commissioning groups, but not staff working in primary care or in general practitioner surgeries, local authorities or other providers.

NHS Digital monthly workforce statistics shows that as at 31 August 2018, the latest data available, there are 14,989 full time equivalent (FTE) clinically qualified staff with a care setting of occupational therapy employed by the National Health Service in England.

Since September 2015, NHS Digital has been collecting Independent Healthcare Provider Workforce Statistics. These statistics are collected biannually and published as experimental statistics. There are 744 FTE clinically qualified staff with a care setting of occupational therapy that are employed by those Independent Healthcare Providers in England who respond to the survey, as at 31 March 2018 which is the latest data available.

We do not hold data on occupational therapists who are self-employed or those working for public sector employers other than the NHS.

20th Mar 2018
To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to introducing a helpline for any patients who have been prescribed opioids to seek advice.

The Government has no plans to introduce a requirement for general practitioners (GPs) to carry out an annual health check on all patients who have been prescribed opioids for chronic pain or to introduce a helpline. People who have any concerns or questions about a prescribed opioid drug they are taking should seek help from a health professional in the first instance (such as a GP or pharmacist). Help and advice is also available from, for example, the 111 helpline or the online NHS Choices service.

20th Mar 2018
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to require GPs to carry out an annual check on all patients who have been prescribed opioids for chronic pain.

The Government has no plans to introduce a requirement for general practitioners (GPs) to carry out an annual health check on all patients who have been prescribed opioids for chronic pain or to introduce a helpline. People who have any concerns or questions about a prescribed opioid drug they are taking should seek help from a health professional in the first instance (such as a GP or pharmacist). Help and advice is also available from, for example, the 111 helpline or the online NHS Choices service.

21st Feb 2018
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to provide and support community helpline services for patients who are addicted to prescription opioids and who are seeking help.

The Government takes seriously the issue of addiction to prescription medicines. People who feel that they might be dependent on either prescribed or over the counter medicines should seek help from a health professional in the first instance, such as a general practitioner (GP) or pharmacist. Help and advice is also available from, for example, the 111 helpline or the online NHS Choices service.

It is the responsibility of local authorities to commission services to meet assessed local need, including addiction to medicines, and there may be a range of services which can help. Specialist advice for GPs and support for patients with complex and severe problems is available from substance misuse services, which are available in each local authority across the country.

21st Feb 2018
To ask Her Majesty's Government what NHS and voluntary services are currently available to help patients who are addicted to prescription opioids.

The Government takes seriously the issue of addiction to prescription medicines. People who feel that they might be dependent on either prescribed or over the counter medicines should seek help from a health professional in the first instance, such as a general practitioner (GP) or pharmacist. Help and advice is also available from, for example, the 111 helpline or the online NHS Choices service.

It is the responsibility of local authorities to commission services to meet assessed local need, including addiction to medicines, and there may be a range of services which can help. Specialist advice for GPs and support for patients with complex and severe problems is available from substance misuse services, which are available in each local authority across the country.

21st Feb 2018
To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their estimate of the economic cost of the loss of productivity resulting from muscolo-skeletal problems and chronic pain.

The Government is committed to helping people with musculoskeletal (MSK) and other long-term health conditions to get into, stay in, or return to work. Good work is generally for people’s physical and mental health and wellbeing, and work participation has benefits for the wider economy. It is estimated that the total cost of ill-health that prevents working age people from working, is around £100 billion per year.

That is why we published Improving Lives: The Future of Work, Health and Disability in November 2017. The publication sets out our plans over the next ten years focussing, in particular, on the next two to three years and on three key settings – the welfare system, the workplace and health services. A copy is attached.

Support for people with MSK conditions is one theme of the publication, as MSK conditions are among the most common health conditions affecting people’s work participation. In relation to MSK services, we are continuing to invest in research to build our understanding of existing provision across the health and employment support systems.

The Government will continue to work with other key stakeholders, disabled people and other experts as we develop our plans.

21st Feb 2018
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to extend the authority of GPs to refer patients on the Fit for Work scheme to other healthcare professionals such as nurses and physiotherapists.

There are no plans to extend the authority to refer patients to the Fit for Work service to other healthcare professionals, since employees can no longer be referred to the assessment service in England and Wales, and no further referrals will be taken to the assessment service in Scotland from 1 March 2018.

We recently published Improving Lives: The Future of Work, Health and Disability, in which we outlined our intention to work closely with partners and stakeholders to find robust and lasting solutions to the issues associated with work-related illness and sickness absence, in particular through reform of occupational health. A copy of Improving Lives: The Future of Work, Health and Disability is attached. We have commissioned further research to better understand the current market supply and delivery structures of occupational health provision and its operation. We will shortly appoint an expert working group to champion, shape and drive the work and to inform proposals by 2019/2020.

20th Feb 2018
To ask Her Majesty's Government what proportion of opioids dispensed for pain relief contain a warning on the package that the medication may cause dependence or addiction.

The Department does not collect this information centrally. Guidance from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency states that all opioid medicines should contain a warning statement in the patient information leaflet that if taking the medication for long periods there is risk of developing an addiction or dependence. A copy of Additional warning statements for inclusion on the label and/or in the leaflet of certain medicines is attached.

It is the responsibility of the dispensing pharmacist to determine whether a specific warning should be placed on the packaging of medication.

20th Feb 2018
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether GPs are being advised to carry out regular medication reviews for patients who are prescribed painkillers for chronic pain, in particular patients who are prescribed opioids; and if not, why not.

Information on the number of people in England currently addicted to prescription opioids is not collected centrally. The Government is concerned about the impact of long term use of prescription drugs. The Department has commissioned Public Health England (PHE) to undertake an evidence review to better understand the scope of the problem of prescribed drug dependence.

The review will bring together the best available evidence on prevalence and prescribing; the nature and likely causes of dependence or discontinuation syndrome among some people who continue to take these medicines; and effective prevention and treatment responses for each condition for which they are prescribed. There are no plans to extend the remit of the PHE evidence review to over the counter painkillers.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published the guideline Controlled drugs: safe use and management in April 2016 which covers systems and processes for using and managing controlled drugs safely in all NHS settings except care homes. The guideline includes recommendations to improve working practices to comply with legislation and aims to reduce the risks associated with controlled drugs, including dependency, overdose and diversion. The NICE guideline provides authoritative guidance that reflects the latest available evidence and will allow healthcare professionals, including general practitioners, to make informed decisions about the prescription and optimal use of medicines which have the potential to cause dependency. A copy of the NICE guideline is attached.

The recently-updated national clinical guidelines for drug misuse and dependence have specific guidance about pharmacological management of dependence on benzodiazepines and z-drugs, including prescribing regimens, detoxification, adjunctive therapies and monitoring. A copy of these guidelines, Drugs misuse and dependence: UK guidelines on clinical management is attached.

20th Feb 2018
To ask Her Majesty's Government, in view of the consumption of codeine for pain relief, whether they have any plans to extend the remit of the Public Health England inquiry into prescription drug addiction and dependence to include over the counter painkillers.

Information on the number of people in England currently addicted to prescription opioids is not collected centrally. The Government is concerned about the impact of long term use of prescription drugs. The Department has commissioned Public Health England (PHE) to undertake an evidence review to better understand the scope of the problem of prescribed drug dependence.

The review will bring together the best available evidence on prevalence and prescribing; the nature and likely causes of dependence or discontinuation syndrome among some people who continue to take these medicines; and effective prevention and treatment responses for each condition for which they are prescribed. There are no plans to extend the remit of the PHE evidence review to over the counter painkillers.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published the guideline Controlled drugs: safe use and management in April 2016 which covers systems and processes for using and managing controlled drugs safely in all NHS settings except care homes. The guideline includes recommendations to improve working practices to comply with legislation and aims to reduce the risks associated with controlled drugs, including dependency, overdose and diversion. The NICE guideline provides authoritative guidance that reflects the latest available evidence and will allow healthcare professionals, including general practitioners, to make informed decisions about the prescription and optimal use of medicines which have the potential to cause dependency. A copy of the NICE guideline is attached.

The recently-updated national clinical guidelines for drug misuse and dependence have specific guidance about pharmacological management of dependence on benzodiazepines and z-drugs, including prescribing regimens, detoxification, adjunctive therapies and monitoring. A copy of these guidelines, Drugs misuse and dependence: UK guidelines on clinical management is attached.

20th Feb 2018
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many people in England they estimate are currently addicted to prescription opioids, excluding cancer patients.

Information on the number of people in England currently addicted to prescription opioids is not collected centrally. The Government is concerned about the impact of long term use of prescription drugs. The Department has commissioned Public Health England (PHE) to undertake an evidence review to better understand the scope of the problem of prescribed drug dependence.

The review will bring together the best available evidence on prevalence and prescribing; the nature and likely causes of dependence or discontinuation syndrome among some people who continue to take these medicines; and effective prevention and treatment responses for each condition for which they are prescribed. There are no plans to extend the remit of the PHE evidence review to over the counter painkillers.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published the guideline Controlled drugs: safe use and management in April 2016 which covers systems and processes for using and managing controlled drugs safely in all NHS settings except care homes. The guideline includes recommendations to improve working practices to comply with legislation and aims to reduce the risks associated with controlled drugs, including dependency, overdose and diversion. The NICE guideline provides authoritative guidance that reflects the latest available evidence and will allow healthcare professionals, including general practitioners, to make informed decisions about the prescription and optimal use of medicines which have the potential to cause dependency. A copy of the NICE guideline is attached.

The recently-updated national clinical guidelines for drug misuse and dependence have specific guidance about pharmacological management of dependence on benzodiazepines and z-drugs, including prescribing regimens, detoxification, adjunctive therapies and monitoring. A copy of these guidelines, Drugs misuse and dependence: UK guidelines on clinical management is attached.