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1351717

registered interest
date	18/08/2021
answering body	Department of Health and Social Care
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health and Social Care
answering dept sort name	Health and Social Care
hansard heading	Coronavirus: Protective Clothing and Screening
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Bethell on 2 August (HL128), whether they will now collect information centrally about the personal protective equipment (PPE) procured centrally;  and what is their estimate of (1) the “disproportionate cost” of collecting information about the companies involved in the supply chain, and (2) the total combined cost to public funds of PPE and lateral flow devices.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL2326
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/09/2021 answer text <p>While information on personal protective equipment (PPE) is published on the Government’s Contracts Finder service, there are currently no plans to collect or publish data on sub-contractors and intermediaries.</p><p> </p><p>Collating the information requested would involve detailed analysis of 339 individual contracts and detailed re-validation of purchase order and invoice data. This would exceed the disproportionate cost of £850.</p><p>The total spend for PPE during the financial year 2020/21 was £14.7 billion, which included the costs of freight, logistics and warehousing. The total cost of lateral flow devices is not held in the format requested.</p> answering member printed Lord Bethell question first answered 15/09/2021 14:29:00 answering member 4708 label Biography information for Lord Bethell
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

1351718

registered interest
date	18/08/2021
answering body	Department of Health and Social Care
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health and Social Care
answering dept sort name	Health and Social Care
hansard heading	Coronavirus: Protective Clothing
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the investigation by BBC News, published on 28 July, which found that one million masks manufactured in China and supplied to the NHS as high grade did not meet the correct level of protection, (2) how fake personal protective equipment (PPE) entered the UK supply chain, (3) the number of (a) staff, and (b) patients, that were given faulty PPE, (4) the risk of exposure to COVID-19 as a result of using such faulty PPE, (5) the amount of money that government departments have spent on faulty PPE, and (6) the options for seeking restitution and compensation from the suppliers of faulty PPE.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL2327
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/09/2021 answer text <p>For all personal protective equipment (PPE), certification is checked through a technical assurance process before the products are released for distribution. Following information received from the National Health Service in February, we quarantined and recalled the affected products and reviewed the technical certification.</p><p>As part of our investigation, we commissioned the British Standards Institution to test the masks. While the findings stated the affected masks failed to meet to FFP3 requirements, they passed all the testing requirements for an FFP2 respirator. The World Health Organization recommends the use of N95 or FFP2 respirators for health workers performing aerosol-generating procedures, wearers should have been afforded protection. These masks are not recommended to be worn by patients. We have commissioned an independent root cause analysis investigation and we await the outcome.</p><p>As of 10 June, 1.9 billion items of stock were in the ‘do not supply’ category. This is equivalent to 6.2% of purchased volume with an estimated value of £2.8 billion. We are considering options to repurpose and recycle items in this category which ensures safety and value for money. Discussions with suppliers are ongoing.</p> answering member printed Lord Bethell question first answered 15/09/2021 14:28:19 answering member 4708 label Biography information for Lord Bethell
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

1348871

registered interest
date	20/07/2021
answering body	Department of Health and Social Care
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health and Social Care
answering dept sort name	Health and Social Care
hansard heading	Coronavirus: Protective Clothing and Screening
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what due diligence they undertook to ensure that (1) lateral flow tests, and (2) personal protective equipment, imported from China were not made with the use of slave labour.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL2190
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/08/2021 answer text <p>A dedicated team within the Department’s Test and Trace programme has been responsible for overseeing a rigorous inspection and auditing process for all Lateral Flow Device (LFD) suppliers outside of the United Kingdom, which includes a Business Social Compliance Initiative Human Rights audit.</p><p>All three of these suppliers manufacture the devices in China and have been assessed as Acceptable (C) overall, with further improvement needed with regards to social management systems and working hours. No evidence of child labour, forced labour or unethical business behaviour were identified over the course of these audits, which are valid for 12 months from the date of issue at which point a further audit will take place.</p><p>The Department was aware that the direct, urgent sourcing and purchasing of Personal Protective Equipment in 2020 involved high-risk areas in terms of ethical and business practices and had a number of mitigations in place. To combat Modern Slavery concerns, the Department engaged widely with NHS Supply Chain, the Home Office (HO) and the Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office regarding Modern Slavery issues in awarding contracts. Additional training and guidance was rapidly created and distributed to strengthen buying professionals knowledge of modern slavery risks specific to the pandemic. Working with HO colleagues, the Department participated in a cross-government project to increase the modern slavery awareness of procurement professionals which included supplier training and workshops.</p> answering member printed Lord Bethell question first answered 11/08/2021 14:57:46 answering member 4708 label Biography information for Lord Bethell
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

1347921

registered interest
date	19/07/2021
answering body	Department of Health and Social Care
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health and Social Care
answering dept sort name	Health and Social Care
hansard heading	BGI Group
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports (1) that UK clinics are selling BGI Group’s tests for genetic conditions such as Down’s syndrome, and (2) that BGI Group is (a) using these tests to harvest the genetic data of millions of women and their unborn children, and (b) storing this data on a gene database funded by the government of China; and what plans they have to ban BGI Group in the UK.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL2139
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/08/2021 answer text <p>There has been no specific assessment of BGI Group’s tests. Public Health England and NHS England have confirmed they do not use BGI technology in their genomic screening services.</p><p>On the information provided, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) would anticipate that this type of device would be classified as a List B In-Vitro Diagnostic, which requires the oversight of a conformity assessment body before being placed on the United Kingdom market. The device must comply with the Medical Devices Regulations 2002 No.618. The MHRA understand BGI genetic screening tests are currently available for sale in the UK. These devices do not appear to have been registered with the MHRA at this time, however, due to their risk classification, registration will be required from 1 September 2021 in order to continue placing the products on the market.</p><p>Access to health data is controlled by the Data Protection Act 2018 (which incorporates GDPR in UK domestic law) and the common law duty of confidentiality and we have no plans to change these. The Government is clear that health and care data should only ever be used and/or shared where used lawfully, treated with respect, held securely and where the right safeguards are in place. The UK’s high standards of data protection will be maintained and enforced.</p><p>As outlined in the Genome UK strategy, all our genomic data systems will continue to apply consistent high standards around data security and our intention is that the UK model will be recognised as being the gold standard for how to apply strong and consistent ethical and regulatory standards that support rapid healthcare innovation, adhere to legal frameworks, and maintain public and professional trust.</p><p>There are no grounds to prevent BGI Groups operating in the UK provided they comply with UK legislation and regulatory requirements.</p> answering member printed Lord Bethell question first answered 05/08/2021 12:00:05 answering member 4708 label Biography information for Lord Bethell
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

1314146

registered interest
date	12/05/2021
answering body	Department of Health and Social Care
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health and Social Care
answering dept sort name	Health and Social Care
hansard heading	Coronavirus: Protective Clothing
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government how much money they have paid in the last two years to companies based in China manufacturing masks and other personal protective equipment; which such companies they have paid; whether there are any complexities in the supply chain which prevent such information from being provided; and if so, what those complexities are.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL128
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/08/2021 answer text <p>The information on the amount paid to Chinese companies and the specific companies involved is not held in the format requested and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. Personal protective equipment (PPE) has been procured from a number of different sources internationally which prevents the Department from identifying Chinese companies as all companies can sub-contract a Chinese company. While the Department records contracts made directly with companies based in China, we do not hold a central record of any sub-contracting. PPE was also procured through intermediaries and this information is not collected centrally.</p> answering member printed Lord Bethell question first answered 02/08/2021 13:23:58 answering member 4708 label Biography information for Lord Bethell
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

1314194

registered interest
date	12/05/2021
answering body	Department of Health and Social Care
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health and Social Care
answering dept sort name	Health and Social Care
hansard heading	Coronavirus: Screening
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government how many COVID-19 test kits manufactured in China have been purchased for use in the UK; what those kits have cost; and what capacity there is in the UK for the production of such kits.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL132
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/05/2021 answer text <p>As of 14 May 2021, more than 1 billion self-test and assisted lateral flow devices (LFDs) manufactured in China have been purchased for use in the United Kingdom. We are unable to provide the cost of these kits as this information is commercially sensitive. A gradual increase in the proportion of UK-produced self-test LFDs is anticipated by the summer.</p> answering member printed Lord Bethell question first answered 20/05/2021 14:15:58 answering member 4708 label Biography information for Lord Bethell
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

1309984

registered interest
date	19/04/2021
answering body	Department of Health and Social Care
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health and Social Care
answering dept sort name	Health and Social Care
hansard heading	Coronavirus: Protective Clothing
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government how much public money has been spent over the past two years on the purchase of (1) face masks, and (2) other personal protective equipment, manufactured in China.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL15029
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/04/2021 answer text <p>It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.</p> answering member printed Lord Bethell question first answered 29/04/2021 12:42:52 answering member 4708 label Biography information for Lord Bethell
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

1309986

registered interest
date	19/04/2021
answering body	Department of Health and Social Care
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health and Social Care
answering dept sort name	Health and Social Care
hansard heading	Coronavirus: Protective Clothing
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government how much public money has been paid in the last two years to companies based in China manufacturing face masks and other personal protective equipment; and to provide a list of those companies.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL15031
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/04/2021 answer text <p>It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.</p> answering member printed Lord Bethell question first answered 29/04/2021 12:42:58 answering member 4708 label Biography information for Lord Bethell
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

1285376

registered interest
date	09/02/2021
answering body	Department of Health and Social Care
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health and Social Care
answering dept sort name	Health and Social Care
hansard heading	Antidepressants
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government how many anti-depressants have been dispensed by the NHS in each of the past ten years; and what was the total cost to the NHS.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL13150
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/03/2021 answer text <p>The annual number of anti-depressants that have been prescribed and dispensed in England in the community between 2011-November 2020, the latest data available, is provided in the following table. Information is not held for items dispensed in secondary care. The total cost of prescription items between this period was £2,543,305,593.92</p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>Calendar year</p></td><td><p>Number of prescription items</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2011</p></td><td><p>46,677,813</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2012</p></td><td><p>50,167,201</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2013</p></td><td><p>53,326,550</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2014</p></td><td><p>57,149,109</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2015</p></td><td><p>61,021,662</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2016</p></td><td><p>64,703,639</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2017</p></td><td><p>67,530,457</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2018</p></td><td><p>70,873,979</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2019</p></td><td><p>74,814,619</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>January - November 2020</p></td><td><p>71,801,824</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>Note:</p><p>The data provided for the years 2011-2013 was supplied from NHS Digital whilst the data provided for the years 2014-2020 was supplied from the NHS Business Services Authority. Any data prior to 2014 may classify many products in different ways due to a significant reclassification of products.</p> answering member printed Lord Bethell question first answered 03/03/2021 12:31:56 answering member 4708 label Biography information for Lord Bethell
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

1285377

registered interest
date	09/02/2021
answering body	Department of Health and Social Care
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health and Social Care
answering dept sort name	Health and Social Care
hansard heading	Antidepressants: Children
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government how many anti-depressants have been dispensed to (1) people under 18 years old, and (2) primary school children in each of the past ten years; and what was the total cost to the NHS.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL13151
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/03/2021 answer text <p>Information prior to 2015 is not held. The following tables show the number of antidepressant products that were prescribed to under 18 year olds and the subsequent subset of those aged 5 to 11 years old in England on a National Health Service prescription, dispensed in the community in England between April 2015, the earliest age-based data held, and November 2020, the latest data available. Information relating to items dispensed in secondary care is not collected centrally.</p><p>Number of antidepressant items prescribed and dispensed in the community in England to patients aged under 18 years old.</p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>Calendar year</p></td><td><p>Number of prescription items</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2015 (Nine months from April)</p></td><td><p>233,094</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2016</p></td><td><p>329,954</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2017</p></td><td><p>342,997</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2018</p></td><td><p>361,436</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2019</p></td><td><p>379,134</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2020 (11 months up to November)</p></td><td><p>358,835</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Number of antidepressant items prescribed and dispensed in the community in England to patients aged 5 to 11 years old.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>Calendar year</p></td><td><p>Number of prescription items</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2015 (Nine months from April)</p></td><td><p>9,336</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2016</p></td><td><p>12,988</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2017</p></td><td><p>13,647</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2018</p></td><td><p>14,274</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2019</p></td><td><p>14,529</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2020 (11 months up to November)</p></td><td><p>14,187</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p><strong> </strong></p><p>The total cost of prescription items prescribed and dispensed in the community in England to patients aged under 18 years old, including patients in the 5 to 11 years old age group between April 2015 and November 2020 was £9,110,589.79.</p> answering member printed Lord Bethell question first answered 03/03/2021 12:30:47 answering member 4708 label Biography information for Lord Bethell
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool