Universal Credit: Benefit Cap and Two Child Limit
Debate between Viscount Younger of Leckie and Baroness Finlay of Llandaff(1 year, 10 months ago)
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Viscount Younger of Leckie (Con)
I will need to write to my noble friend about that issue. I am certain that this system allows for payback whenever possible, but I will certainly look into that.
Baroness Finlay of Llandaff (CB)
Can the Minister tell us when the special rules, which have passed through Parliament, will come into force for people caring for a terminally ill person at home, given that the cost of care has gone up quite significantly and that if it is a young parent, some people can find themselves in such poverty that they have to go bankrupt?
Viscount Younger of Leckie (Con)
I do not have any information to hand on the future of any legislation, but I will certainly follow up with the noble Baroness and let her know whatever I have.
NHS: US Companies
Debate between Viscount Younger of Leckie and Baroness Finlay of Llandaff
Viscount Younger of Leckie
The noble Lord raised the question of transparency. Perhaps I may point out to him that, as we set out in the White Paper Preparing for our Future UK Trade Policy, we are committed to a transparent and inclusive trade policy. So it is there in writing, and the noble Lord should be reassured.
Baroness Finlay of Llandaff (CB)
My Lords, do the Government recognise the article published in the Times highlighting our propensity to sell off valuable assets from healthcare, particularly inventions, at knock-down prices, thereby missing out, historically, on the profits that come from them? Do they recognise that the NHS data itself is extremely valuable to different companies across healthcare? Will they ensure that it is not sold off at a knock-down price without all the protections in place that are required for long-term confidentiality, and that we will reap the benefits of having an NHS that collects data?
Viscount Younger of Leckie
The noble Baroness is absolutely right. I have already made it quite clear that the strong safeguards in place now will remain in place. The barriers to entry for companies outside the UK are very high. On the other hand, it is important that patients come first, and that medicines and drugs for them that come in, very necessarily, from outside the UK, continue to do so. That is one of the things under discussion.