Asked by: Lord Weir of Ballyholme (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what monitoring or enforcement action the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency has taken in relation to NHS Trusts using unlicensed products outside their intended purpose in surgical settings.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is responsible for enforcing the medical device regulations applicable in the United Kingdom. These regulations are predominantly product safety regulations. The MHRA’s regulatory remit centres on whether the device has been manufactured and placed on the market or put into service in compliance with the UK Medical Devices Regulations 2002 (as amended). The MHRA’s regulatory remit does not extend to scenarios where healthcare professionals decide to use a compliant medical device outside of its intended purpose. This activity would likely be regulated by the Care Quality Commission or the General Medical Council, for example.
Medical devices are not licensed by the MHRA. For the lowest risk devices, Class I devices, manufacturers can self-declare that their device conforms with the applicable medical device regulations prior to placing their device on the market. For Class IIa, IIb, and III devices, manufacturers will have to engage the services of a conformity assessment body. Either a UK Approved Body in order to affix a UKCA conformity mark or a European Union Notified Body in order to affix a CE conformity mark. The conformity assessment body issues a certificate before the manufacturer can place their device on the market.
The activity of using a medical device outside of its intended purpose is generally referred to as ‘off-label’ use. The MHRA has produced guidance concerning off-label use of a medical device, Off-label use of a medical device, which is available on the GOV.UK website. Medical devices should be used as described by the manufacturer in the instructions for use. If a device is used in any other way, it’s considered off-label use. Without the manufacturer’s approval this will be at the user’s risk, and they or their employer could become liable for civil claims for damages.
Where the MHRA receives information suggesting a National Health Service trust was in possession and using non-compliant medical devices, we would make enquiries to ascertain how the NHS trust came into possession of the non-compliant device and would also take mitigating steps to remove it, ensuing patient safety risk. The guidance Regulating medical devices in the UK provides a more detailed explanation on how medical devices are placed on the market and is available on the GOV.UK website.
Asked by: Lord Weir of Ballyholme (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what guidance NHS England provides to NHS Trusts on the use of (1) licensed medical products, and (2) unlicensed biocidal products, for perioperative skin preparation.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Best practice on preventing surgical site infections, including skin preparation before surgery, is set out in the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s (NICE) guideline NG125, Surgical site infections: prevention and treatment. NICE guidelines describe evidence‑based best practice, and National Health Service organisations are expected to take them fully into account when designing and delivering services that meet the needs of their local populations.
Professional organisations, including the Association for Perioperative Practice and the Centre for Perioperative Care, provide practical guidance for clinical teams. Each NHS trust is then responsible for its own local policy, setting out clearly which products to use, how they should be applied, and how practice is monitored, based on this national guidance.
Asked by: Lord Weir of Ballyholme (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel about enabling aid agencies to supply aid to people in Gaza; and what action they have taken to support aid supply by those agencies.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
We remain deeply concerned by the humanitarian situation in Gaza. Since the start of the regional conflict, there has been a significant reduction in the volume of aid entering Gaza, whilst long standing restrictions persist. This is unacceptable and risks undermining progress made since the ceasefire. Despite this, UK support is making a real difference on the ground in Gaza. For instance, UK-Med field hospitals are providing health care to thousands and United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) health teams have been carrying out vital catch-up vaccinations.
We are clear that the Government of Israel must fully abide by their obligations to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid into Gaza, in accordance with international law. We continue to raise this issue with our Israeli counterparts, including the need to ensure that international NGOs can operate in a sustained and predictable way. We will continue to support international NGOs and UN agencies, including UNRWA, which are indispensable to both the immediate humanitarian response and longer term recovery efforts in Palestine.
Asked by: Lord Weir of Ballyholme (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether there are any barriers to accessing UK Government aid for people in Gaza; and what steps they have taken to ensure their aid enters Gaza.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
We remain deeply concerned by the humanitarian situation in Gaza. Since the start of the regional conflict, there has been a significant reduction in the volume of aid entering Gaza, whilst long standing restrictions persist. This is unacceptable and risks undermining progress made since the ceasefire. Despite this, UK support is making a real difference on the ground in Gaza. For instance, UK-Med field hospitals are providing health care to thousands and United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) health teams have been carrying out vital catch-up vaccinations.
We are clear that the Government of Israel must fully abide by their obligations to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid into Gaza, in accordance with international law. We continue to raise this issue with our Israeli counterparts, including the need to ensure that international NGOs can operate in a sustained and predictable way. We will continue to support international NGOs and UN agencies, including UNRWA, which are indispensable to both the immediate humanitarian response and longer term recovery efforts in Palestine.
Asked by: Lord Weir of Ballyholme (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government with which countries, if any, they (1) plan to have, or (2) are in discussions regarding, arrangements for reciprocal recognition and use of driving licences in both jurisdictions.
Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
Holders of a valid European Union or European Economic Area (EU/EEA) licence can drive in this country using that licence until they reach the age of 70 or for three years, whichever is longer. After this time, they must exchange their EU/EEA licence for a GB one.
Drivers from countries with which there is an agreement for licence exchange can drive here for 12 months before exchanging their foreign licence for a GB one. Driving licence exchange agreements are currently in place with:
Andorra, Australia, Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Canada, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Faroe Islands, Gibraltar, Hong Kong, Japan, Monaco, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Republic of Korea, Republic of Moldova, Singapore, South Africa, Switzerland, Taiwan, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates and Zimbabwe.
The licensing authority seeking an exchange agreement must provide the information needed to assess whether its driver licensing and testing standards are equivalent to those in GB.
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) has been approached by the following countries seeking a driving licence exchange agreement: Albania, Argentina, Bermuda, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Chile, Georgia, Israel, Kenya, Kuwait, Kosovo, Malaysia, Mauritius, San Marino, Serbia, Sri Lanka, Israel and Tunisia. Work on these agreements is in various stages of development.
Asked by: Lord Weir of Ballyholme (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government why there is not reciprocal recognition of driving licences issued in Israel in the UK; and what steps they are taking, if any, to introduce reciprocal recognition of those licences.
Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
Holders of a valid European Union or European Economic Area (EU/EEA) licence can drive in this country using that licence until they reach the age of 70 or for three years, whichever is longer. After this time, they must exchange their EU/EEA licence for a GB one.
Drivers from countries with which there is an agreement for licence exchange can drive here for 12 months before exchanging their foreign licence for a GB one. Driving licence exchange agreements are currently in place with:
Andorra, Australia, Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Canada, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Faroe Islands, Gibraltar, Hong Kong, Japan, Monaco, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Republic of Korea, Republic of Moldova, Singapore, South Africa, Switzerland, Taiwan, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates and Zimbabwe.
The licensing authority seeking an exchange agreement must provide the information needed to assess whether its driver licensing and testing standards are equivalent to those in GB.
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) has been approached by the following countries seeking a driving licence exchange agreement: Albania, Argentina, Bermuda, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Chile, Georgia, Israel, Kenya, Kuwait, Kosovo, Malaysia, Mauritius, San Marino, Serbia, Sri Lanka, Israel and Tunisia. Work on these agreements is in various stages of development.
Asked by: Lord Weir of Ballyholme (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government which countries have a reciprocal arrangement with the UK that recognises and permits a driving licence granted in one of the two countries to be used in both.
Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
Holders of a valid European Union or European Economic Area (EU/EEA) licence can drive in this country using that licence until they reach the age of 70 or for three years, whichever is longer. After this time, they must exchange their EU/EEA licence for a GB one.
Drivers from countries with which there is an agreement for licence exchange can drive here for 12 months before exchanging their foreign licence for a GB one. Driving licence exchange agreements are currently in place with:
Andorra, Australia, Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Canada, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Faroe Islands, Gibraltar, Hong Kong, Japan, Monaco, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Republic of Korea, Republic of Moldova, Singapore, South Africa, Switzerland, Taiwan, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates and Zimbabwe.
The licensing authority seeking an exchange agreement must provide the information needed to assess whether its driver licensing and testing standards are equivalent to those in GB.
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) has been approached by the following countries seeking a driving licence exchange agreement: Albania, Argentina, Bermuda, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Chile, Georgia, Israel, Kenya, Kuwait, Kosovo, Malaysia, Mauritius, San Marino, Serbia, Sri Lanka, Israel and Tunisia. Work on these agreements is in various stages of development.
Asked by: Lord Weir of Ballyholme (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support farmers in light of the increased cost of fertiliser as a result of the conflict in the Persian Gulf.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra has asked the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) to increase the frequency of its fertiliser price reporting. AHDB is now publishing this data on a weekly basis. This will give farmers more timely and transparent information to support their decision-making.
Defra has also issued a fertiliser survey aimed at farmers and land managers to help build better understanding of direct impacts
The Government has launched a consultation and call for evidence to modernise fertiliser regulations, which will help support innovation in the fertiliser sector, diversify supply, and strengthen the UK’s resilience to global market shocks.
The Government remains ready to support businesses as effectively as possible in these challenging times.
Asked by: Lord Weir of Ballyholme (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the crisis in the Persian Gulf on the cost of agricultural fertiliser.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The fertiliser market is a global market, and while there is no immediate risk to UK supply, the market price in the UK is strongly influenced by international prices for fertiliser and by the value of the pound.
The Government is aware of the current price increase for fertiliser due to the conflict in the Gulf. Defra is in close contact with domestic fertiliser suppliers and is monitoring overall supply to the UK. The Government remains ready to support businesses as effectively as possible in these challenging times.
Asked by: Lord Weir of Ballyholme (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what measures they have taken to increase national energy security since the start of the conflict in Iran.
Answered by Lord Whitehead - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The UK benefits from a strong and diverse range of energy supplies. We are continuing to focus on efforts to de-escalate the conflict as the principal way to address the impacts of the crisis.
In addition, we are going further and faster to reduce our exposure to volatile fossil fuel markets, rolling out new renewable capacity across our grid, breaking the link between gas and electricity price and encouraging and supporting households and businesses to switch from gas to electricity wherever possible.