Contributions
1,850 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDCoronavirus: New CasesI was making the point that there is the benefit of hindsight but also the fallacy of hindsight. The benefit is that we learn from mistakes we made in the past. We learn from…11 Jul 2022HANSARDCoronavirus: New CasesUndoubtedly there will be an inquiry; in fact, the Government announced that there would be one. There will also be lots of independent inquiries and academics writing about what…11 Jul 2022HANSARDCoronavirus: New CasesOne of the things we do in the Department of Health and Social Care is to have regular meetings with our counterparts in the devolved Administrations—all the Ministers do. The…11 Jul 2022HANSARDCoronavirus: New CasesWe are finding that vaccination is clearly the best way to break the link between catching Covid and hospitalisation. Sadly, a large part of our population still has not been…11 Jul 2022HANSARDCoronavirus: New CasesWe rely on data from the UK Health Security Agency. It monitors this, and looks at ONS data, data on hospitalisations and the capacity of the NHS to absorb the increase in patient…11 Jul 2022HANSARDCoronavirus: New CasesI asked that very same question when I had the briefing with UKHSA officials earlier, and they said they are still focusing on the backlog. If it gets to a point where it is…11 Jul 2022HANSARDCoronavirus: New CasesMy noble friend makes a very important point. You always have to look at these things in the round and you have to look at the trade-offs. Many noble Lords will recognise that,…11 Jul 2022HANSARDCoronavirus: New CasesThe noble and gallant Lord makes a very important point: we have to continue with the living with Covid strategy, and keep an eye on the Covid cases, but also be aware that we…11 Jul 2022HANSARDCoronavirus: New CasesAs I said, we are keeping everything under review. We called our strategy Living with Covid-19 as opposed to “We’ve Got Over Covid-19” because we knew it could come back at any…11 Jul 2022HANSARDCoronavirus: New CasesThe noble Lord will be aware that health policy is devolved. There are times when the devolved Administrations want to go their own way and not follow England—11 Jul 2022HANSARDCoronavirus: New CasesMy noble friend raises a very important question. We are waiting for advice from the JCVI, coming later this week, on the autumn programme. There have been various reports, but we…11 Jul 2022HANSARDCoronavirus: New CasesWe continue to see Covid-19 case rates and hospitalisations rise in all age groups, with the largest increases in hospitalisations and ICU admissions in those aged 75 and older. A…11 Jul 2022HANSARDCoronavirus: New CasesI have to strongly disagree with the noble Baroness when she says that the Government are doing nothing. We are reliant on the UKHSA, which monitors rates and gives us advice,…11 Jul 2022HANSARDCoronavirus: New CasesThe noble Lord will be aware of the different balances and trade-offs that the Government have to consider. At one stage, I think we spent £2 billion in a short period on testing,…11 Jul 2022HANSARDCoronavirus: New CasesWe continue to monitor the situation. The Secretary of State and I have regular meetings with the UKHSA, which tells us about the various issues of concern. Noble Lords will know…11 Jul 2022HANSARDCoronavirus: New CasesI am sure the noble Lord will have been in meetings with the devolved Administrations; sometimes they want to go their own way. For example, when we reduced some of the measures…11 Jul 2022HANSARDCoronavirus: New CasesI start by paying tribute to the noble Baroness for her championing of civil liberties issues and making sure there was a debate on them. I will, with pleasure, take back her…11 Jul 2022HANSARDHealth Improvement and Food ProductionThe delay on “buy one get one free” was a cost of living delay. The delay on advertising was because the Act did not come in as originally intended. There was a delay in getting…07 Jul 2022HANSARDHealth Improvement and Food ProductionThe noble Baroness makes an important point, but we have to recognise the reality: not where we want to get to, but where we are at the moment. People do eat food that will need…07 Jul 2022HANSARDHealth Improvement and Food ProductionMy Lords, I also congratulate the noble Baroness, Lady Walmsley, on securing this debate. I am also grateful to all noble Lords for their considered and thoughtful contributions.…07 Jul 2022