General Medical Council: Internal Guidance

Debate between Lord Markham and Baroness Butler-Sloss

Tuesday 17th October 2023 Lords Chamber

[Lord Markham (Con)]

I completely agree. I believe that, more than anything in society, we have to be tolerant of people and their ability to have free speech and express their views freely. I think we have all seen circumstances where people feel intimidated in expressing what they feel is right, particularly in this circumstance of stating clearly when a woman is a woman and when a man is a man.

[Baroness Butler-Sloss (CB)]

My Lords, I am very proud to be a grandmother as well as a mother. Will the Minister in fact talk to the GMC?

[Lord Markham (Con)]

Yes, I am very happy to do that and to make clear the feelings of this House.

Adult Social Care

Debate between Lord Markham and Baroness Butler-Sloss

Monday 20th February 2023 Lords Chamber

[Lord Markham (Con)]

I am aware of some of the challenges raised by funding through the local authority system—and I say that as a former deputy leader of a local authority, so I am very familiar with the situations at play there. At the same time, we have put a lot of the central funding in place to make sure the security is there. As I said, we will see more measures as Minister Whately announces them in the spring, not far from here; there will be further progress in this area.

[Baroness Butler-Sloss (CB)]

My Lords, one group of carers is made up of children. What are the Government doing to help local authorities to identify and to give extra help to children?

[Lord Markham (Con)]

I am aware of the many circumstances where it suddenly falls to children, who obviously have their own demanding situation with education and are suddenly expected to provide a lot of care. We have tried putting steps in place with the local authorities so they can provide further support to children. We know that childhood is a critical part of their own development, so expecting them to look after a parent is not the right way around, if I can put it that way. So we have done work there, but there is more to be done.

Times Health Commission

Debate between Lord Markham and Baroness Butler-Sloss

Thursday 19th January 2023 Lords Chamber

[Lord Markham (Con)]

I agree with the noble Lord that data has to be the basis of any decision-making. I know that early drafts of the workforce strategy have already been formed so he and the House will see that before too long.

[Baroness Butler-Sloss (CB)]

My Lords, the noble Lord, Lord Fowler, suggested a royal commission; the Minister did not respond to that. What is the Government’s view about a royal commission?

[Lord Markham (Con)]

My experience of royal commissions is that they take a couple of years to report. I do not want to wait a couple of years. I want to get on with it now. We have some very good minds in the department working on it, with access to all of this. I am always willing to take on new ideas from new minds but we do not need a two-year report; we need action now.