To ask His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact of increasing numbers of local pharmacy closures on primary healthcare services.

To ask His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact of increasing numbers of local pharmacy closures on primary healthcare services.

My Lords, I thank the Minister for her response, but 65% of community pharmacies are now operating at a loss; 45% have been forced to rely on personal savings or remortgaging their own homes just to keep their doors open, mainly to vulnerable people with the highest levels of need. What is the Minister’s response to the fact that individual pharmacists are subsidising essential front-line services out of their own pockets? Given that the closures are hitting deprived communities the hardest, what specific measures is the Secretary of State taking to prevent the creation of pharmacy deserts in areas with the greatest health needs?

My Lords, I thank the Minister for her response, but 65% of community pharmacies are now operating at a loss; 45% have been forced to rely on personal savings or remortgaging their own homes just to keep their doors open, mainly to vulnerable people with the highest levels of need. What is the Minister’s response to the fact that individual pharmacists are subsidising essential front-line services out of their own pockets? Given that the closures are hitting deprived communities the hardest, what specific measures is the Secretary of State taking to prevent the creation of pharmacy deserts in areas with the greatest health needs?

Lords motion to take note of the relationship between (1) acute, and (2) primary and community, healthcare services. Agreed to on question.

Lords motion to take note of the relationship between (1) acute, and (2) primary and community, healthcare services. Agreed to on question.

My Lords, it is a great privilege to open today’s debate on matters that are of such concern to so many people and which lie at the heart of our local communities. As we all know, health services are severely overstretched, whether in a local context or elsewhere. The systems...

My Lords, it is a great privilege to open today’s debate on matters that are of such concern to so many people and which lie at the heart of our local communities. As we all know, health services are severely overstretched, whether in a local context or elsewhere. The systems...

I thank the Minister for her remarks and her explanation. She is obviously very committed to her plan. I think it is fair to say from what we heard during the debate, which had strong contributions from both professional and patient experience, that people in this Chamber are not convinced...

I thank the Minister for her remarks and her explanation. She is obviously very committed to her plan. I think it is fair to say from what we heard during the debate, which had strong contributions from both professional and patient experience, that people in this Chamber are not convinced...

My Lords, the basic idea that the list of controlled drug precursor chemicals should be in sync across the UK and with international agreements that we have signed up to is a clear and reasonable one. More complicated is the process by which we have got here. It is also...

My Lords, the basic idea that the list of controlled drug precursor chemicals should be in sync across the UK and with international agreements that we have signed up to is a clear and reasonable one. More complicated is the process by which we have got here. It is also...

My Lords, it is a great privilege to follow my noble friend Lady Teather’s eloquent maiden speech, and I congratulate her on it and welcome her thoughtful remarks. In her speech, her expertise and experience as a former Minister for Children and Families shone through, and her long-term commitment to...

My Lords, it is a great privilege to follow my noble friend Lady Teather’s eloquent maiden speech, and I congratulate her on it and welcome her thoughtful remarks. In her speech, her expertise and experience as a former Minister for Children and Families shone through, and her long-term commitment to...

My Lords, what have the Government done to engage local populations and groups in communities to ensure that local people have the chance to feed in to the plans for the new arrangements and engage more fully in voting, thereby lifting the voting figures?

My Lords, what have the Government done to engage local populations and groups in communities to ensure that local people have the chance to feed in to the plans for the new arrangements and engage more fully in voting, thereby lifting the voting figures?

My Lords, Amendment 190 in my name would place an obligation on the Government to introduce devolved fiscal and revenue-raising powers within 12 months of the introduction of the Act. Fiscal devolution is the transfer of financial powers and responsibilities from central government to local authorities, enabling them to raise...

My Lords, Amendment 190 in my name would place an obligation on the Government to introduce devolved fiscal and revenue-raising powers within 12 months of the introduction of the Act. Fiscal devolution is the transfer of financial powers and responsibilities from central government to local authorities, enabling them to raise...

My Lords, I apologise that I was unable to speak at Second Reading, but I support the amendment spoken to by the noble Lord, Lord Hendy, which I have signed. The amendment seeks to remind the Government of existing obligations under treaties and other international law with regard to measures...

My Lords, I apologise that I was unable to speak at Second Reading, but I support the amendment spoken to by the noble Lord, Lord Hendy, which I have signed. The amendment seeks to remind the Government of existing obligations under treaties and other international law with regard to measures...

I belatedly state my interest: I am a member of the LGPS. I apologise; I should have said that at the beginning of my speech, so I just put it on the record.

I belatedly state my interest: I am a member of the LGPS. I apologise; I should have said that at the beginning of my speech, so I just put it on the record.

Moved by

Baroness Janke (LD)

95A: After Clause 19, insert the following new Clause—

“Secretary of State duty: strategic authority character and consent

(1) Before undertaking a function listed in subsection (2), the Secretary of State must discharge the duties described in subsections (3) and (4).

(2) The functions are any function carried out by...

Moved by

Baroness Janke (LD)

95A: After Clause 19, insert the following new Clause—

“Secretary of State duty: strategic authority character and consent

(1) Before undertaking a function listed in subsection (2), the Secretary of State must discharge the duties described in subsections (3) and (4).

(2) The functions are any function carried out by...

My Lords, this amendment would place certain requirements on the Secretary of State in the event of significant local government reorganisation. Before the Secretary of State redraws the local government structures, the amendment simply asks for two things: a realistic assessment of the impact on communities and services, and consent...

My Lords, this amendment would place certain requirements on the Secretary of State in the event of significant local government reorganisation. Before the Secretary of State redraws the local government structures, the amendment simply asks for two things: a realistic assessment of the impact on communities and services, and consent...

I thank the Minister for the response, but I feel that the safeguards he has outlined do not address the potential risks in this Bill. The message that seems to be going out at the moment is that the Government are determined to deliver at any cost. Local communities are...

I thank the Minister for the response, but I feel that the safeguards he has outlined do not address the potential risks in this Bill. The message that seems to be going out at the moment is that the Government are determined to deliver at any cost. Local communities are...

My Lords, I wish to speak to Amendment 196D, which would place a duty on strategic authorities to work with local and community-based bodies when exercising their functions. Devolving powers to the level of the people whom they affect means that effective devolution depends not only on transferring powers from...

My Lords, I wish to speak to Amendment 196D, which would place a duty on strategic authorities to work with local and community-based bodies when exercising their functions. Devolving powers to the level of the people whom they affect means that effective devolution depends not only on transferring powers from...

Moved by

Baroness Janke

14: Clause 3, page 2, line 32, at end insert—

“(3A) Before laying regulations to designate a single foundation strategic authority under subsection (1), the Secretary of State must consult all levels of local government in the affected area.

(3B) Consultation under subsection (3A) must include consideration of—

(a) the proposed...

Moved by

Baroness Janke

14: Clause 3, page 2, line 32, at end insert—

“(3A) Before laying regulations to designate a single foundation strategic authority under subsection (1), the Secretary of State must consult all levels of local government in the affected area.

(3B) Consultation under subsection (3A) must include consideration of—

(a) the proposed...

My Lords, in echoing my colleague’s comments reflecting on the previous debate, it sounds as though today we are agreeing on uniformity rather than devolution. The Bill gives the Secretary of State sweeping powers to merge, restructure or abolish councils without parliamentary oversight and local consent—all apparently in the name...

My Lords, in echoing my colleague’s comments reflecting on the previous debate, it sounds as though today we are agreeing on uniformity rather than devolution. The Bill gives the Secretary of State sweeping powers to merge, restructure or abolish councils without parliamentary oversight and local consent—all apparently in the name...

I thank the Minister for her comments. I do, however, feel that there is a distinct lack of local input into the proposals in this Bill; that is one of the symptoms of the approach the Government are taking. They seem to be taking the view that they have decided...

I thank the Minister for her comments. I do, however, feel that there is a distinct lack of local input into the proposals in this Bill; that is one of the symptoms of the approach the Government are taking. They seem to be taking the view that they have decided...

My Lords, when I saw the Title of this Bill, I thought that all the long years of deliberation and the many reports produced on the subject of local devolution were about to come to fruition. Experts such as Sir Michael Lyons, Tony Travers and the late Lord Kerslake are...

My Lords, when I saw the Title of this Bill, I thought that all the long years of deliberation and the many reports produced on the subject of local devolution were about to come to fruition. Experts such as Sir Michael Lyons, Tony Travers and the late Lord Kerslake are...

To ask His Majesty's Government what recent discussions they have had with the government of Israel about the safety and treatment of Marwan Barghouti.

To ask His Majesty's Government what recent discussions they have had with the government of Israel about the safety and treatment of Marwan Barghouti.