Adult Social Care

Debate between Lord O'Shaughnessy and Baroness Eaton

Wednesday 11th July 2018 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Eaton (Con)]

My Lords, I declare my interest as recorded in the register. The recent Local Government Association survey of council leaders and social care cabinet members found that 96% believe that there is a major national funding problem in social care. I think we all agree that we urgently need a long-term funding solution for social care. With that in mind, will the Minister commit to working with the Local Government Association, as it consults on its own social care proposals, and seek to start a debate on how best to fund the care we want to see for adults of all ages? Will he update the House on whether the Government’s Green Paper will commit to new funding for social care?

[Lord O’Shaughnessy]

I absolutely agree with my noble friend. I know that she speaks from great experience. We have some good working practices now, through the better care fund, between health commissioners and local government, which is an essential part in making sure we have a sustainable system.

Abortion: Misoprostol

Debate between Lord O'Shaughnessy and Baroness Eaton

Tuesday 20th March 2018 Lords Chamber

[Lord O'Shaughnessy]

In terms of the experiences in other countries, of course only the countries of the UK are operating under the auspices and obligations of the 1967 Act, which any Government would have to act under. The Scottish Government have made that decision, but the noble Baroness will know that it is subject to a dispute and that a judicial review has been brought against it by the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children, which is obviously testing the legality of the Scottish Government and their powers to act. We shall look closely at developments in these legal proceedings, as well as any other evidence that arises. Unfortunately, this is why I am not in a position to give her a timetable.

[Baroness Eaton (Con)]

My Lords, a study of 42,600 early abortions in Finland—where there is good registry data, unlike in England and Wales—found that, six weeks post abortion, complications after medical abortions were four times higher than after surgical procedures: 20% compared with 5.6%. The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists cites one study in the UK where 53% of late medical abortions required surgical intervention. Given these facts, are Her Majesty’s Government not also concerned that so-called home abortions outside of a medical setting would compromise the health and safety of women, especially young women who may use these powerful chemicals secretly at home?

[Lord O'Shaughnessy]

This is obviously a concern. There has been an increase in women buying online the drugs necessary for medical abortions, and that is something on which we are attempting to crack down. It is worth pointing out that 90% of abortions are NHS funded and therefore provided for in that way. The noble Baroness was talking about medical abortions at a late stage; it is worth pointing out that, actually, there has been an increase in the number or percentage of abortions that are happening at an early stage, which is obviously in the interests of women’s health.