Asked by: Lord Rennard (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will publish data captured within the Mental Health and Learning Disability Data Set on smoking status.
Answered by Lord O'Shaughnessy
It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.
Asked by: Lord Rennard (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government when the Smoking Prevalence in Adults with Serious Mental Illness Data Set presented in the Clinical Commissioning Group Outcomes Indicators Set will be published.
Answered by Lord O'Shaughnessy
It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.
Asked by: Lord Rennard (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how they are analysing data on smoking status captured in the Mental Health and Learning Disability Data Set; and whether all users of those services will be asked about their smoking status in the future.
Answered by Lord O'Shaughnessy
It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.
Asked by: Lord Rennard (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to encourage the sale of more low-alcohol or non-alcoholic drinks in licensed venues; and what assessment they have made of the potential health benefits of such a policy.
Answered by Lord O'Shaughnessy
The 2016 United Kingdom Chief Medical Officers’ low risk drinking guidelines provide the public with the most up-to-date scientific information to help people make informed choices about their own drinking. The Government is committed to working with industry to address concerns over any irresponsible promotions, advertising and marketing of alcohol.
Asked by: Lord Rennard (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will consider simplifying the Food Information Regulations 2014 to allow UK producers to label their 0.5 per cent alcohol by volume or lower products alcohol-free in line with other countries.
Answered by Lord O'Shaughnessy
The Department has commissioned independent research to investigate consumer understanding, product appeal, selection and consumption in relation to the labelling of low/reduced alcohol products. This research team is due to report back in the spring of 2017. A decision will be taken on possible future consultation and regulations once the outputs of the research have been received and reviewed.
Asked by: Lord Rennard (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will ensure that the new guidelines to update the Food Information Regulations 2014 are reflective of modern manufacturing processes, provide consumers with the information they need to make informed decisions, and eliminate confusion for retailers.
Answered by Lord O'Shaughnessy
The Department has commissioned independent research to investigate consumer understanding, product appeal, selection and consumption in relation to the labelling of low/reduced alcohol products. This research team is due to report back in the spring of 2017. A decision will be taken on possible future consultation and regulations once the outputs of the research have been received and reviewed.
Asked by: Lord Rennard (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have for public consultation on the labelling of low alcohol, alcohol-free, non-alcoholic and de-alcoholised drinks as part of the Food Information Regulations 2014.
Answered by Lord O'Shaughnessy
The Department has commissioned independent research to investigate consumer understanding, product appeal, selection and consumption in relation to the labelling of low/reduced alcohol products. This research team is due to report back in the spring of 2017. A decision will be taken on possible future consultation and regulations once the outputs of the research have been received and reviewed.
Asked by: Lord Rennard (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the statement by Baroness Chisholm of Owlpen on 20 October (HL Deb, col 2484–90), whether the Pharmacy Integration Fund is still planned to rise to a total of £300 million by 2020–21, and whether the planned expenditure of £42 million over two years means that previously planned support is being cut back.
Answered by Lord Prior of Brampton
In 2016/17, it was planned that £20 million would be available for the Pharmacy Integration Fund (PhIF), rising by £20 million per year to a total of £100 million per year by 2020/21, so that over the course of 5 years, £300 million would be distributed through the Fund.
The establishment of the Fund and associated work programme for 2016/17 is dependent on the overall financial pressures for NHS England, set out in the Five Year Forward View, and the priorities identified through the recently published National Health Service planning guidance.
This means through the business planning process, funding of £42 million has now been secured for 2016/17 and 2017/18.
There will be further business planning within NHS England for 2018 onwards which will determine the future provision within the Fund. However, the PhIF is a key priority for NHS England and is aligned with the Five Year Forward View priorities.
Asked by: Lord Rennard (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the statement by Baroness Chisholm of Owlpen on 20 October (HL Deb, col 2484–90), how much of the Pharmacy Access Fund will come from existing funds to support community pharmacies, and how much of the Pharmacy Access Fund will be additional money to support community pharmacies.
Answered by Lord Prior of Brampton
The Pharmacy Access Scheme (PhAS) will be paid for from the funding for the community pharmacy contractual framework. The PhAS will be an additional monthly payment, made to all small and medium sized pharmacies that are a mile or more from another pharmacy. The PhAS has been designed to capture the pharmacies that are most important for patient access, specifically those pharmacies where patient and public access would be materially affected should they close. The PhAS takes isolation and need levels into account.
The scheme also includes a review process, and reviews of eligibility will also be granted for pharmacies that may have narrowly missed out on the scheme through the distance criteria, but are in areas of high deprivation. This will cover pharmacies that are located in the top 20% most deprived areas in England, and are located 0.8 miles or more from another pharmacy. Additional funding for successful reviews under this criterion will be made available as required.
Asked by: Lord Rennard (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government when regulations will be introduced to implement plain paper packaging for cigarettes.
Answered by Earl Howe - Deputy Leader of the House of Lords
The Government has not yet made a final decision on whether to introduce standardised packaging of tobacco products. The Government continues to consider carefully all issues relevant to the introduction of standardised packaging of tobacco products. Any decision about the appropriate Parliamentary timetable for the proposed regulations will be made if required, when the Government has made its final decision.
The draft regulations were notified to the European Commission under the Technical Standards Directive on 29 August. This started an initial three month “standstill” period. We have received a detailed opinion from a Member State which extends the “standstill” period to six months and regulations cannot be made until after this period.