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2,941 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDCovid-19: Critical Care CapacityMy noble friend Lady Blackwood is right that there are two types of test. The first is an antigen test to ensure that those in hospital, as workers or patients, do not currently…23 Mar 2020HANSARDCovid-19: Critical Care CapacityMy Lords, Covid-19 is the major challenge of our generation. This Government’s priority is to protect life, which is why we are taking urgent action significantly to increase…23 Mar 2020HANSARDCovid-19: Critical Care CapacityMy Lords, the decision by Northwick Park was entirely welcome, because we welcome the realism and practicality on the part of the management in seeking help when it is needed. We…23 Mar 2020HANSARDCovid-19: VaccineMy Lords, vaccine development is moving very rapidly but is still at a very early stage. The Government are working closely with industry to assess UK manufacturing capability for…19 Mar 2020HANSARDCovid-19: VaccineThe noble Lord, Lord McNicol, is entirely right to focus on the importance of vaccines. The Government are extremely concerned that the entire public have a clear line to having…19 Mar 2020HANSARDCovid-19: HelplinesMy Lords, as part of its coronavirus response, NHS 111 has already trained an additional 1,000 call-handlers. NHS England has been clear that investment will increase as demand…19 Mar 2020HANSARDCovid-19: HelplinesThe noble Baroness, Lady Watkins, reflects the feeling of all the House in her comments on the Lord Speaker, and I entirely endorse her comment that we must all respect the…19 Mar 2020HANSARDCovid-19: VaccineMy noble friend has an important and exciting idea, and I am grateful to her for communicating it to me in advance of today’s Question. I have already taken the idea to Treasury…19 Mar 2020HANSARDCovid-19: HelplinesThe noble Lord, Lord Alderdice, is entirely right: one of the features of this virus is its extremely unpredictable nature. The way in which it reacts in different people at…19 Mar 2020HANSARDCovid-19: HelplinesThe question of indemnity insurance is addressed in detail in the coronavirus emergency Bill. We are fully aware of the concerns of anyone returning to work, and indeed anyone who…19 Mar 2020HANSARDCovid-19: VaccineThe focus on the actual production of the vaccine is a matter of sequencing. We are moving incredibly quickly in all areas, but the focus at the moment, I think understandably, is…19 Mar 2020HANSARDCovid-19: HelplinesThe noble Baroness, Lady Thornton, is right that the Government have moved incredibly quickly, particularly in the last two weeks. The pace of the virus has been faster than…19 Mar 2020HANSARDContraceptives and Hormone Replacement Therapy DrugsThe noble Lord is entirely right to focus on pharmacists. I pay tribute to the important role they play in communities. Their role will be essential in the forthcoming months when…18 Mar 2020HANSARDContraceptives and Hormone Replacement Therapy DrugsThe noble Lord, Lord Kakkar, is entirely right to stress this point about regulation. I assure him and the House that we are working extremely closely with Public Health England…18 Mar 2020HANSARDContraceptives and Hormone Replacement Therapy DrugsThe noble Baroness is entirely right to express her frustration. It is enormously frustrating for those concerned and for our medicine supplies. Medicine production is a long-term…18 Mar 2020HANSARDContraceptives and Hormone Replacement Therapy DrugsThe noble Baroness, Lady Thornton, is entirely right that supply problems persist. The NHS looks after 11,000 drugs and at any one time around 100 or 150 have supply problems. It…18 Mar 2020HANSARDContraceptives and Hormone Replacement Therapy DrugsMy Lords, we are aware of ongoing supply issues with some HRT drugs and a limited number of contraceptives. We are sympathetic to those affected. I am pleased to say that the…18 Mar 2020HANSARDCovid-19 UpdateMy noble friend is entirely right; it is a point well understood in Government. But he does slightly answer his own question, because our priority at this stage is to ensure that…16 Mar 2020HANSARDCovid-19 UpdateI reassure the noble Lord that, as with the response to HIV some years ago, we will not allow any lacuna or gaps in the regulatory arrangements or any delays of the regulatory…16 Mar 2020HANSARDCovid-19 UpdateAs the noble Baroness will be aware, this is a fast-changing situation. I cannot come to this House, in all honesty, and give an account for every single element of the strategy…16 Mar 2020