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1,737 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDStrikes (Minimum Service Levels) BillAgain, my understanding is that there will be later groups of amendments where we will talk specifically about the devolved Governments, so there will be further opportunities…09 Mar 2023HANSARDStrikes (Minimum Service Levels) BillI thank the noble and learned Lord for his comments. As I have said, in these circumstances we are talking about putting in place those minimum service levels for the trust to be…09 Mar 2023HANSARDStrikes (Minimum Service Levels) BillAgain, I believe that it is trying to work off the 1992 definitions and work. The beauty of these debates, as I have come to appreciate about the House of Lords and the job that…09 Mar 2023HANSARDStrikes (Minimum Service Levels) BillFirst, yes, that has been worked through on this. Secondly, that is one of the purposes of the consultation. Thirdly—this is the point that I was about to make—as the noble Lord…09 Mar 2023HANSARDStrikes (Minimum Service Levels) BillYes, that is very much what happens at the moment, so that is the categorisation process that is entered into—and, from that, they categorise whether it is category 1, 2, 3 or 4,…09 Mar 2023HANSARDStrikes (Minimum Service Levels) BillCorrect. I emphasise once more the process set out here: if it were decided that there was that threat, that is the point at which we would go into consultation. That is the…09 Mar 2023HANSARDStrikes (Minimum Service Levels) BillThe noble Lord never disappoints me. I always say, from my business life, that two plus two equals five. Whenever you try to develop a new service or product, you need critical…09 Mar 2023HANSARDStrikes (Minimum Service Levels) BillI am well versed only in the area of health, and I will defer to my noble friend to deal later with that. I am replying specifically on health.09 Mar 2023HANSARDStrikes (Minimum Service Levels) BillWe are talking about the absolute minimum services. As I said, we had the consultation process. Clearly, we would be saying that this is an area where there is a real concern over…09 Mar 2023HANSARDStrikes (Minimum Service Levels) BillI thank the noble Lord. This again relates to consultation. In all of these circumstances, for services that we think could be critical, we would go through the 12-week…09 Mar 2023HANSARDStrikes (Minimum Service Levels) BillI believe that the principles are there in the derogations. Again, I believe no one wants to see any circumstances where there is a threat to life. That is felt uniformly by all…09 Mar 2023HANSARDStrikes (Minimum Service Levels) BillI shall just finish and get the point out, and then happily hear the noble Lord’s follow-up question. In these circumstances, we are saying that it is around category 1 and 2,…09 Mar 2023HANSARDStrikes (Minimum Service Levels) BillAs I say, we have some good experience, because of course this is exactly what is currently happening. What is agreed between the local trusts and the unions in those…09 Mar 2023HANSARDStrikes (Minimum Service Levels) BillWe absolutely try to guard against that possibility and get there in the end. The sincere hope is that none of this is ever needed but, as both the nurses and the unions are…09 Mar 2023HANSARDCovid Pandemic: Testing of Care Home ResidentsI am sorry for my noble friend’s loss, albeit one of too many losses in those circumstances. Yes, we absolutely need to learn the lessons around social care settings. Most people…06 Mar 2023HANSARDCovid Pandemic: Testing of Care Home ResidentsI do not know the said ex-Minister, so cannot comment on that. If we cast our minds back, it was a very pressurised environment in which lots of decisions had to be made very…06 Mar 2023HANSARDCovid Pandemic: Testing of Care Home ResidentsThe first major finding was setting up the UK Health Security Agency, because of a feeling that the bodies that were there at the time were not best placed. That was the first…06 Mar 2023HANSARDCovid Pandemic: Testing of Care Home ResidentsYes, it is vital that we understand exactly what happened when and that we learn lessons. I am sure we will see that some mistakes were made, and we need to learn from those. From…06 Mar 2023HANSARDCovid Pandemic: Testing of Care Home ResidentsWe all agree that visiting should be allowed as much as possible. I know that the policy is that people can receive at least one visitor, but I know that there are also examples…06 Mar 2023HANSARDCovid Pandemic: Testing of Care Home ResidentsIt is to the regret of everyone that so many deaths were caused in care homes. That is something that I know everyone feels very deeply about. At the same time, the testing…06 Mar 2023