Bread and Flour Regulations 1998

Baroness Manzoor Excerpts

Wednesday 11th December 2024 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Merron (Lab)]

I am glad my noble friend welcomes the announcement that I am making today. With respect to any phone calls made by the Secretary of State, I will gladly find out; I certainly cannot comment at this Dispatch Box. I thank previous Ministers and officials who, over the years, have contributed to where we are. In respect of the delay, all I can say is that I am very glad to be the Minister announcing it today.

[Baroness Manzoor (Con)]

My Lords, I welcome the announcement; I think it is very good news. I also welcome the tenacity of the noble Lord, Lord Rooker. He has done an amazing job, so well done to him. For me, it is important to have a widespread strategy to include folic acid in flour and to look at previous programmes to, say, reduce rickets, to ensure that we do not increase inequalities by not thinking about the outcomes—for instance, ensuring that folic acid is included in chapatti flour.

[Baroness Merron (Lab)]

The addition of folic acid is to non-wholemeal products. Flour is not just used in baking but is in all sorts of other products. That is part of the reason for it being a 24-month transition, and of course industry can act quicker than that. The reason that it is in non-wholemeal flour is that wholemeal is already a higher source of folate. In respect of chapattis, all products will be considered. I should add that some of the transition time is due to the labelling changes that will be required. We are not stopping industry acting quicker, but we are being realistic about how long it will take.

NHS: Treatment of Children from Other Countries

Baroness Manzoor Excerpts

Thursday 21st November 2024 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Merron (Lab)]

The noble Lord shines a light on the rarity of this condition as well as its importance. I would of course be happy to meet the professor. The noble Lord will know from our own discussions that this is an extremely complex area across the NHS and there is, as I said in my Answer, no overarching UK approach. Rightly, this is a trust-led approach because trusts have to make decisions about the balance between specialist work and other work, including the reduction of waiting lists.

[Baroness Manzoor (Con)]

I support the premise of the Question. Can we look at the NHS supporting these cases? From my perspective it is vital for three reasons. First, it is inspirational on the world stage for the NHS. Secondly, it retains expertise in the NHS. Thirdly, it offers the soft diplomacy powers that we need internationally. I urge the Minister to look at this again to see if the Government can find a way round it.

[Baroness Merron (Lab)]

I will be glad to take back to the department the comments of the noble Baroness and the noble Lord, but I reiterate that it is individual expert centres that are responsible for liaising with referring clinicians. By definition this has to be done on a case-by-case basis because we are talking about highly specialised treatments for rare diseases. Again, there is no set nationwide policy for local implementation because of the very nature of the challenge and the specialism to which the noble Baroness refers.

NHS Hospitals: Apheresis

Baroness Manzoor Excerpts

Wednesday 9th October 2024 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Merron (Lab)]

I am grateful to my noble friend for her work in this regard. I certainly share the view that there have been very rapid developments in cell and gene therapies over the past few years, and there is tremendous potential for these therapies to address the root cause of diseases and to offer life-changing outcomes for patients. So, we are working with devolved Governments and with key stakeholders to review the EU standards and requirements, and to consider our approach in light of the changes introduced by the EU SoHO regulations, which will take account of innovation within the sector.

[Baroness Manzoor (Con)]

My Lords, can the Minister say what the waiting times are for patients and clinicians who wish to use the eight therapeutic centres we have in England? Are the Government committed to providing investment in addition to the £1.5 million that NHS England announced back in February?