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1566181

registered interest
date	11/01/2023
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Antimicrobials: Drug Resistance
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking (1) to monitor concentrations of non-antibiotic pharmaceuticals and personal care product residues in terms of driving the evolution of antimicrobial resistance in the environment, and (2) to fund more research into the risks they may pose to human health.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL4650
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/01/2023 answer text <p>(1) Defra and the Environment Agency (EA) have been working with the water industry to research the occurrence and transport of bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics through wastewater treatment works as part of the industry-funded Chemical Investigations Programme. Investigations have been carried out at ten sites across the country to understand how the different treatment processes and the presence of chemicals including a range of pharmaceuticals affect the presence and prevalence of particular organisms and resistance genes. The results are due to be published by UK Water Industry Research in early 2023.</p><p>The EA has also been working with water companies on chemicals investigations which have included a range of pharmaceuticals and personal care products residues discharged from treated sewage effluent which might contribute to antimicrobial resistance (AMR).</p><p>The EA has developed a Prioritisation and Early Warning System (PEWS) for chemicals of emerging concern to ensure consideration of the potential risks of emerging chemicals including to surface waters (both freshwater and saline waters), groundwater and soils. The system allows the EA to sift and to screen any chemical substance nominated using, where available, hazard data and environmental monitoring data to prioritise whether a substance may be a possible chemical of concern in England. The EA has included a number of pharmaceuticals and personal care products as part of PEWS including, for example, diclofenac, ibuprofen and Benzophenone-3 (UV filter). These three substances flagged as high risk in PEWS.</p><p>The EA also monitors for a wide range of pharmaceuticals and substances used in personal care products in the water environment using a semi-quantitative screening methodology. All the substances mentioned above are included on this screening.</p><p>(2) The UK AMR National Action Plan (NAP) (2019-24) commits to “support research to reduce evidence gaps and improve our understanding of hazards and risks from AMR in the environment”. The Government is not currently supporting research on the potential risks of non-antibiotic pharmaceuticals and personal care product residues in terms of driving the evolution of AMR in the environment and the risks they may pose to human health, but is exploring options with funders on how best to undertake a One-Health approach to research into the drivers of AMR in the environment and environmental transmission risks to human health. This work will be built upon as an area of focus for research in the next five-year NAP (2024-29).</p><p>The Government is funding a wide array of research into AMR, including through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). As of September 2022, the NIHR was supporting 65 active research projects funded by NIHR programmes on AMR, with a combined value of approximately £97 million. The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including risk factors for AMR.</p> answering member printed Lord Benyon question first answered 25/01/2023 12:03:40 answering member 1547 label Biography information for Lord Benyon
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1566182

registered interest
date	11/01/2023
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Sewage: Pollution
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to monitor, measure, or mitigate the impacts of microbial pollution as a result of sewage pollution, in respect of the emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL4651
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/01/2023 answer text <p>The Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and the Environment Agency (EA) have been working with the water industry to research the occurrence and transport of bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics through wastewater treatment works as part of the industry-funded Chemical Investigations Programme. Investigations have been carried out at 10 sites across the country to understand how the different treatment processes affect the presence and prevalence of particular organisms and resistance genes. The results are due to be published by UK Water Industry Research in early 2023. In addition, the EA has completed a study to look at the amounts of antifungal substances that remain in biosolids as one of the final products of these wastewater treatments. These results will also be published in early 2023. <br> <br>The EA has also been working with water companies on chemicals investigations which have included a range of pharmaceuticals and veterinary medicines discharged from treated sewage effluent which might contribute to AMR. This work allows the EA to sift and screen any chemical substance nominated using, where available, hazard data and environmental monitoring data to prioritise whether a substance may be a possible chemical of concern in England. Many pharmaceuticals are included on this list. Monitoring also takes place for a wide range of pharmaceuticals within the water environment using a semi-quantitative screening methodology.</p><p>A cross-departmental project, Pathogen Surveillance in Agriculture, Food and the Environment (PATH-SAFE), was established in 2021 to understand how pathogens and Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) are spread in the environment and the agri-food system. It brings together DEFRA, the EA, the Food Standards Agency, Food Standards Scotland, the Department of Health and Social Care, and the UK Health Security Agency. PATH-SAFE contains a workstream focused on AMR prevalence in three river catchments to strengthen our understanding of AMR in the environment, including the relative importance of different sources and potential transmission routes; this includes wastewater and septic discharges as important likely sources. This work is due to complete in 2023. Two documents are attached which provide background (Antimicrobial resistance surveillance pilot site selection and database extension and Framework for understanding environmental antimicrobial resistance in England).</p><p>The actions being taken to reduce sewage pollution more generally will have a direct positive impact on the emergence and spread of resistant microbials. The Storm Overflows Discharge Reduction plan announced in August of this year sets strict new targets on water companies to reduce sewage discharges. In addition, we have increased monitoring and transparency of water companies by increasing the number of storm overflows monitored from 5% in 2016 to almost 90% now monitored, and we will reach 100% cover by end of 2023. This action has supported the regulators to launch the largest criminal and civil investigations into water company sewage discharges ever, at over 2200 treatment works, following new data coming to light as a result of increased monitoring. We are also bringing forward proposals to increase the maximum fine that water companies face for breaches of environmental laws.</p> answering member printed Lord Benyon attachment 1 file name Framework_for_understanding_environmental_antimicrobial_resistance_in_England_-_report.pdf title Framework - 2 file name Antimicrobial_resistance_surveillance_pilot_site_selection_and_database_extension_-_report.pdf title Report question first answered 25/01/2023 12:00:51 answering member 1547 label Biography information for Lord Benyon
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1566183

registered interest
date	11/01/2023
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	Medical Records: Adoption
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have plans to reassess the guidance to GP practices on the erasure of medical records of adopted children, given (1) the increasing understanding of the usefulness of current and future genetic screening technologies, and (2) the use of family information to inform screening and treatment.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL4652
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/01/2023 answer text <p>There are no plans at present to reassess the guidance. Primary Care Support England’s guidance states that current adoption legislation requires all adopted patients to be given a new National Health Service number, and all previous medical information relating to the patient to be put into a newly created medical record. If possible, electronic medical records should be merged on the relevant General Practice’s system with the new post-adoptive details. If this guidance is followed, then medical records for adopted children should not be erased.</p><p> </p><p>A copy of this guidance is attached.</p> answering member printed Lord Markham question first answered 17/01/2023 12:03:10 answering member 4948 label Biography information for Lord Markham attachment 1 file name adoption-medical-records-practice-guide.pdf title Medical records for adopted patients GP guidance
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1565299

registered interest
date	09/01/2023
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Bread and Flour: Additives
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to ensure that the Retained EU Law (Reform and Revocation) Bill will not result in people in the UK being exposed to azodicarbonimide, potassium bromate, or any other flour bleaching agents or industrial bread additives banned across the EU.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL4535
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/01/2023 answer text <p>Through the Retained EU Law (Reform and Revocation) Bill, the Government is considering which retained European Union legislation should be repealed, reformed or preserved. The Government will continue to work with a range of organisations and stakeholders to ensure we maintain our world leading standards of food safety and quality.</p><p>Our national Bread and Flour Regulations 1998, which are not in scope of the Retained EU Law (Reform and Revocation) Bill, do not allow the use of flour bleaching agents in the preparation of any flour or bread.</p> answering member printed Lord Benyon question first answered 24/01/2023 14:58:29 answering member 1547 label Biography information for Lord Benyon
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1565301

registered interest
date	09/01/2023
answering body	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept id	208
answering dept short name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
hansard heading	Saudi Arabia: Slavery
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what specific representations they have made to the government of Saudi Arabia over the continuance of modern slavery and other reported human rights abuses of expatriate workers in that country, particularly domestic workers, farmers and drivers.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL4537
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/01/2023 answer text <p>His Majesty's Government has regular discussions with Saudi Arabia about modern slavery and labour laws. I last discussed these matters on 21 December with the President of the Saudi Human Rights Commission. We welcome the labour law reforms for migrant workers that were announced in 2021 and have encouraged the Kingdom to expand these to include domestic workers. We also welcome progress in implementing the Saudi National Action Plan to combat human trafficking, including recent agreements with the International Organisation for Migration and the UN.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 24/01/2023 17:18:23 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1565302

registered interest
date	09/01/2023
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Furniture: Chemicals
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of Environment Agency guidance directing that waste upholstered domestic seating containing persistent organic pollutants (POPs) must be destroyed through incineration, on (1) the capacity of local authorities to provide waste collections, and (2) fly tipping.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL4538
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/01/2023 answer text <p>The Environment Agency (EA) is working to tackle the illegal disposal of waste domestic seating containing large quantities of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs). It has issued additional guidance to help waste holders comply with important, existing, legal requirements, which minimise the environmental impacts of POPs.</p><p><br> We have been working with both local authority and waste industry representatives since early 2021 to understand the impacts where changes to waste management arrangements are required and help them prepare to comply.</p><p><br> Many local authorities were incinerating waste upholstered domestic seating before the EA guidance was published and others took steps to do so once they became aware of the issue. This has minimised the impact on their waste collections. We expect local authorities to continue to accept waste upholstered domestic seating and to ensure they are disposing of it appropriately.</p><p><br> The Government recognises that this is particularly challenging for some local authorities and is currently aware of three examples of local disruption to waste collections. Officials are monitoring a number of risks, including a risk of increased fly-tipping of waste domestic seating. The EA will continue to support local authorities as they take action to comply.</p> answering member printed Lord Benyon question first answered 26/01/2023 12:39:39 answering member 1547 label Biography information for Lord Benyon
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1565303

registered interest
date	09/01/2023
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Car Washes: Conditions of Employment
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they plan to take in response to the research by Nottingham Trent University which found that more than 90 per cent of hand car washes are likely to be employing workers illegally.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL4539
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/01/2023 answer text <p>Illegal working undercuts honest employers, puts vulnerable migrants at risk of exploitation, prevents legitimate job seekers from accessing employment and defrauds the public purse. Tackling this damaging crime remains a key priority and as the Prime Minister set out in his statement to Parliament on the 13th December we are increasing the number of illegal working raids by 50%.</p> answering member printed Lord Murray of Blidworth question first answered 23/01/2023 17:43:35 answering member 4950 label Biography information for Lord Murray of Blidworth
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1565304

registered interest
date	09/01/2023
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Ecology: Education
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have made to address (1) the collapse of provision of plant science education in the UK, and (2) the broader lack of nature literacy, as identified by the Scottish Government.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL4540
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/01/2023 answer text <p>The government believes it is vital that young people are taught a broad and balanced curriculum, including about plants and nature, biodiversity, and our impact on the environment.</p><p>At COP26, the department announced its commitment to develop a primary science model curriculum with a focus on nature. On 9 January, the department published its ‘Plant biosecurity strategy for Great Britain (2023 to 2028)’, which sets out a commitment to protecting plant biosecurity in Great Britain, including raising awareness of the importance of healthy plants and trees.</p><p>These commitments support the existing requirements in the national curriculum for science and geography, that pupils are taught about plants through a range of topics including the requirements of plants for life and growth, how they vary from plant to plant, how to identify how plants are adapted to suit their environment in different ways, and that adaptation may lead to evolution. In secondary science, within biology, pupils study plants in more depth including their importance in an ecosystem, positive and negative human interactions with ecosystems and the importance of biodiversity more broadly.</p><p>In geography pupils are taught about nature, including how systems interlink and how we affect our surroundings, natural environments, as well as a deep understanding of the Earth’s physical processes. A key aim of GCSE geography is to ensure young people become environmentally informed. It requires pupils to understand the interactions between people and environments, global ecosystems and biodiversity, and human interaction with ecosystems and environments. Fieldwork also forms an important part of this GCSE.</p><p>The department has also announced the development of a new GCSE in natural history, to be taught from 2025, which will include opportunities for students to gain a deeper knowledge of the natural world around them.</p> answering member printed Baroness Barran question first answered 20/01/2023 13:38:29 answering member 4703 label Biography information for Baroness Barran
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1563809

registered interest
date	21/12/2022
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Cryptocurrencies: Advertising
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of cryptocurrency advertisements being targeted at (1) young people, and (2) people from minority communities, including with the involvement of celebrities, sports stars and sports teams; and what plans they have, if any, to place restrictions on such advertising.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL4473
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/01/2023 answer text <p>The government’s ambition is to make the UK a global hub for cryptoasset technology and investment. In April, previous Ministers set out a number of reforms which will see the regulation and aspects of tax treatment of cryptoassets evolve. The government will also consult on its approach to regulating wider cryptoasset activities in the coming weeks.</p><p> </p><p>Recent events in cryptoasset markets have highlighted the importance of establishing regulation which supports safe innovation and protects consumers and stability. As the cryptoasset market has developed rapidly, HMT and the FCA have been working at pace to adapt existing regulation to the challenges – and opportunities – posed by unique cryptoassets.</p><p> </p><p>For instance, to protect consumers, the FCA has banned the sale of cryptoasset derivatives to retail consumers and in January 2022 the government published a response to a consultation on a proposal to bring certain cryptoassets into the scope of financial promotions regulation. The forthcoming legislation on cryptoasset promotions, and supporting FCA rules, will regulate in-scope cryptoasset financial promotions, requiring them to be fair, clear and not misleading. This is aimed at improving consumers’ understanding of the risks and benefits associated with cryptoasset purchases and ensuring that cryptoasset promotions are held to the same standards as similar risk financial services products.</p><p> </p><p>The government also draws attention to and restates the FCA’s warnings to consumers that buyers of most cryptoassets should be prepared to lose all of the money they invest.</p><p> </p><p>The government and the Cryptoassets Taskforce continue to closely monitor the wider cryptoasset market and will stand ready to take further regulatory action if required.</p> answering member printed Baroness Penn question first answered 09/01/2023 16:58:09 answering member 4726 label Biography information for Baroness Penn
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1563810

registered interest
date	21/12/2022
answering body	Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
answering dept id	211
answering dept short name	Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
answering dept sort name	Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
hansard heading	Homelessness
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the number of households at risk of being made homeless over the coming year by landlords who cannot meet their costs at current levels of rent given the increase in interest rates; and what steps they intend to take to protect such households.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL4474
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/01/2023 answer text <p>No such assessment has been made. The causes of homelessness are complex, and it is driven by a range of factors, both personal and structural.</p><p>Government is committed to preventing homelessness where possible. We have announced the allocation of £654 million in funding through the Homelessness Prevention Grant that will be made available to local authorities in 2023/24 and 2024/25. This is in addition to the £50 million top-up to the Homelessness Prevention Grant for 2022/23 announced earlier in December.</p><p>This is on top of the action Government has taken to support households with the cost of living. At Autumn statement, the Chancellor announced further support for 2023/24. This included a 10.1% increase in benefits from April 2023, and extra support provided to all households with the Energy Price Guarantee which will save the average UK household £500 in 2023-24.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Scott of Bybrook question first answered 09/01/2023 17:39:10 answering member 4553 label Biography information for Baroness Scott of Bybrook
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle