My Lords, the Minister will understand why I ask her this question, because we have discussed it many times before. When this new regime comes in, will there be any restriction or criteria at all that would prevent any disabled person of working

age walking into a Jobcentre Plus and not being turned away at the door because they do not meet the criteria? Can they just walk in and get help?

My Lords, the Minister will understand why I ask her this question, because we have discussed it many times before. When this new regime comes in, will there be any restriction or criteria at all that would prevent any disabled person of working

age walking into a Jobcentre Plus and not being turned away at the door because they do not meet the criteria? Can they just walk in and get help?

My Lords, I support the Government in regulation, because what has happened in Hull has been tragic for the people concerned. We have noticed increasing television advertising for funerals without any form of ceremony or service. Of course, that is personal preference, but it looks as though the public are increasingly putting their faith in funeral directors to have sole charge of the deceased from the time they die to the time they are cremated, without necessarily having any input from people around them—of course, some people have no surviving relatives or friends—and I think that trust needs to be regulated.

My Lords, I support the Government in regulation, because what has happened in Hull has been tragic for the people concerned. We have noticed increasing television advertising for funerals without any form of ceremony or service. Of course, that is personal preference, but it looks as though the public are increasingly putting their faith in funeral directors to have sole charge of the deceased from the time they die to the time they are cremated, without necessarily having any input from people around them—of course, some people have no surviving relatives or friends—and I think that trust needs to be regulated.

My Lords, I am grateful to put on the record of the House that I met Ann in the early 1980s and we became close friends. We worked together to become Members of Parliament. We debated with anybody and on anything, and she taught me a lot. She was ahead...

My Lords, I am grateful to put on the record of the House that I met Ann in the early 1980s and we became close friends. We worked together to become Members of Parliament. We debated with anybody and on anything, and she taught me a lot. She was ahead...

To ask His Majesty's Government what the average waiting time is for the Land Registry to issue a changed Title Deed following the completion of a domestic dwelling sale.

To ask His Majesty's Government what the average waiting time is for the Land Registry to issue a changed Title Deed following the completion of a domestic dwelling sale.

To ask His Majesty's Government what percentage of staff employed by the Land Registry work from home.

To ask His Majesty's Government what percentage of staff employed by the Land Registry work from home.

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the efficiency of the work of the Land Registry.

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the efficiency of the work of the Land Registry.

My Lords, I declare my interest as a vice-president, along with my noble friend Lord Touhig, of the National Autistic Society, and I hold lasting power of attorney for autistic adults. I thank the excellent chair of our committee—I genuinely think we would not have got here without her.

When the...

My Lords, I declare my interest as a vice-president, along with my noble friend Lord Touhig, of the National Autistic Society, and I hold lasting power of attorney for autistic adults. I thank the excellent chair of our committee—I genuinely think we would not have got here without her.

When the...

My Lords, does the Minister accept that, prior to a diagnosis of dementia or Alzheimer’s, many people are diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment and sometimes there is a very long gap between that diagnosis and ultimately a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s? Will she look at the way in which the new plan is drafted to ensure that once a diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment has been given, there is a much quicker follow-up? Sometimes it is years later, and by then it is too late. I should declare that I am an ambassador for the Alzheimer’s Society.

My Lords, does the Minister accept that, prior to a diagnosis of dementia or Alzheimer’s, many people are diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment and sometimes there is a very long gap between that diagnosis and ultimately a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s? Will she look at the way in which the new plan is drafted to ensure that once a diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment has been given, there is a much quicker follow-up? Sometimes it is years later, and by then it is too late. I should declare that I am an ambassador for the Alzheimer’s Society.

Does the Minister agree that, since it is a given fact that women over 70 can self-refer every three years, there is no need for these layers of bureaucracy and administration in the health service? There is no reason why a GP needs to refer a woman in that age group to their local breast screening unit. I go into the hospital breast-screening unit and say, “Could I please book an appointment?” They say, “Yes, certainly”. No GP comes anywhere near it. Let us cut out the bureaucracy; there is too much of it in the NHS.

Does the Minister agree that, since it is a given fact that women over 70 can self-refer every three years, there is no need for these layers of bureaucracy and administration in the health service? There is no reason why a GP needs to refer a woman in that age group to their local breast screening unit. I go into the hospital breast-screening unit and say, “Could I please book an appointment?” They say, “Yes, certainly”. No GP comes anywhere near it. Let us cut out the bureaucracy; there is too much of it in the NHS.

My Lords, we have heard three wonderful maiden speeches, each distinct in its own way. I can see clearly that each of our contributors today will make an important contribution to our future debates, and I congratulate them all.

I will focus on the proposed SEND changes in the forthcoming education...

My Lords, we have heard three wonderful maiden speeches, each distinct in its own way. I can see clearly that each of our contributors today will make an important contribution to our future debates, and I congratulate them all.

I will focus on the proposed SEND changes in the forthcoming education...

Is there any monitoring of when GPs insist on a telephone call rather than a face-to-face meeting, or when things are sent by email to the surgery and they are then triaged by others rather than their normal GP? Is there any identifying of just how many cases they miss...

Is there any monitoring of when GPs insist on a telephone call rather than a face-to-face meeting, or when things are sent by email to the surgery and they are then triaged by others rather than their normal GP? Is there any identifying of just how many cases they miss...

The noble Lord, Lord McCabe, referenced older people in particular in his Question—he did not say where he drew the line at old, but perhaps I will declare an interest. What happens, for example, when really older people need heart surgery but are considered to be an anaesthetic risk? With new

developments in heart surgery, I wonder whether the Minister can tell us what progress there has been in carrying out procedures without necessarily needing to have invasive surgery.

The noble Lord, Lord McCabe, referenced older people in particular in his Question—he did not say where he drew the line at old, but perhaps I will declare an interest. What happens, for example, when really older people need heart surgery but are considered to be an anaesthetic risk? With new

developments in heart surgery, I wonder whether the Minister can tell us what progress there has been in carrying out procedures without necessarily needing to have invasive surgery.

My Lords—

My Lords—

My Lords, the employment of autistic adults remains at a remarkably low rate of about 30%. Each time there is a new strategy under the Autism Act, employment has been highlighted as one of the priorities. The strategy is due for renewal in July. I am sure that the Minister will be involved in the discussions for planning that strategy. How does she think we can now get autistic adults of all age groups into employment? It has been far too slow and has taken far too long, under all Governments.

My Lords, the employment of autistic adults remains at a remarkably low rate of about 30%. Each time there is a new strategy under the Autism Act, employment has been highlighted as one of the priorities. The strategy is due for renewal in July. I am sure that the Minister will be involved in the discussions for planning that strategy. How does she think we can now get autistic adults of all age groups into employment? It has been far too slow and has taken far too long, under all Governments.

My Lords, I support the noble Lord, Lord Norton of Louth. Since coming to this House 16 years ago, I have been fortunate in the ballot for one-year inquiries—in which we are often

encouraged to recommend post-legislative scrutiny—to have successfully brought forward one-year inquiries into two pieces of legislation which...

My Lords, I support the noble Lord, Lord Norton of Louth. Since coming to this House 16 years ago, I have been fortunate in the ballot for one-year inquiries—in which we are often

encouraged to recommend post-legislative scrutiny—to have successfully brought forward one-year inquiries into two pieces of legislation which...

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they conducted a resource and cost analysis when setting guide prices for autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder assessments for 2026–27; and if so, whether they will publish that data.

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they conducted a resource and cost analysis when setting guide prices for autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder assessments for 2026–27; and if so, whether they will publish that data.

To ask His Majesty's Government what are the criteria for (1) autism, and (2) attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, assessments in 2026–27; and what the differences are between those two assessments.

To ask His Majesty's Government what are the criteria for (1) autism, and (2) attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, assessments in 2026–27; and what the differences are between those two assessments.

To ask His Majesty's Government what consultations they had with service providers in establishing the NHS Payment Scheme guide prices for autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder assessment in 2026–27.

To ask His Majesty's Government what consultations they had with service providers in establishing the NHS Payment Scheme guide prices for autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder assessment in 2026–27.

My Lords, it is a great pleasure to follow the noble Baroness in her contribution this morning. This short but very important Bill was brought from the Commons in July last year. Many of us feel we have waited a very long time for it to appear on the Floor...

My Lords, it is a great pleasure to follow the noble Baroness in her contribution this morning. This short but very important Bill was brought from the Commons in July last year. Many of us feel we have waited a very long time for it to appear on the Floor...

My Lords, I think we are all grateful to the noble Lord, Lord Fairfax, for giving us this valuable opportunity today. When, within our lifetimes, we experienced the introduction of the world wide web and the internet, we could see the opportunities that that technology brought—but it also brought harms,...

My Lords, I think we are all grateful to the noble Lord, Lord Fairfax, for giving us this valuable opportunity today. When, within our lifetimes, we experienced the introduction of the world wide web and the internet, we could see the opportunities that that technology brought—but it also brought harms,...