My Lords, I commend the Government for their investment in Isambard 1 computing at Bristol University, which I gather has now had approaches from several hundred SMEs to use its computing power, which is one of the fastest processors globally. What plans do the Government now have to install Isambard 2, which I understand Bristol University would welcome and would increase even further the United Kingdom’s compute power?

My Lords, I commend the Government for their investment in Isambard 1 computing at Bristol University, which I gather has now had approaches from several hundred SMEs to use its computing power, which is one of the fastest processors globally. What plans do the Government now have to install Isambard 2, which I understand Bristol University would welcome and would increase even further the United Kingdom’s compute power?

My Lords, we have in the NHS a network of cyclotrons, which produce loaded medical isotopes. What we do not have is reactor-based production of isotopes, so we import 80% to 90% of those isotopes from abroad, with supply chains often precarious. This means that our patients, particularly cancer patients, have delays in getting their treatment. The Welsh Government produced a good business plan for reactor-based production of isotopes in Wales, at a cost of £400 million and lasting 70 years. If Wales is not an ideal place, maybe the Government will consider Scotland—but when are we going to have such reactor-based production?

My Lords, we have in the NHS a network of cyclotrons, which produce loaded medical isotopes. What we do not have is reactor-based production of isotopes, so we import 80% to 90% of those isotopes from abroad, with supply chains often precarious. This means that our patients, particularly cancer patients, have delays in getting their treatment. The Welsh Government produced a good business plan for reactor-based production of isotopes in Wales, at a cost of £400 million and lasting 70 years. If Wales is not an ideal place, maybe the Government will consider Scotland—but when are we going to have such reactor-based production?

My Lords, the Minister referred to blue light and its effect on children, which is correct, but a similar biological effect occurs in the retina of children based on the amount of time they spend on screen usage, particularly at night, because, as mentioned already, it disrupts melatonin production, which disrupts sleep. The same effect happens based on the length of time children use screens as for LED lighting, particularly higher-wavelength LED lighting. I thank the Minister for commenting on that.

My Lords, the Minister referred to blue light and its effect on children, which is correct, but a similar biological effect occurs in the retina of children based on the amount of time they spend on screen usage, particularly at night, because, as mentioned already, it disrupts melatonin production, which disrupts sleep. The same effect happens based on the length of time children use screens as for LED lighting, particularly higher-wavelength LED lighting. I thank the Minister for commenting on that.

My Lords, we are entering the phase of debate on the Bill which I personally consider to be the most crucial part. Why do I consider it to be the most crucial part? It is because tackling health inequality is central to the revival, if not the survival, of the...

My Lords, we are entering the phase of debate on the Bill which I personally consider to be the most crucial part. Why do I consider it to be the most crucial part? It is because tackling health inequality is central to the revival, if not the survival, of the...

I was going to do so after I heard the Minister’s response.

I was going to do so after I heard the Minister’s response.

The Minister did what I thought she would do: point to areas in the legislation that might help reduce inequalities in health and in outcome, and therefore inequalities in healthcare provision. She mentioned the 10-year health plan, but she was not able to point to where it says the gap...

The Minister did what I thought she would do: point to areas in the legislation that might help reduce inequalities in health and in outcome, and therefore inequalities in healthcare provision. She mentioned the 10-year health plan, but she was not able to point to where it says the gap...

Why not, when, as she mentioned, the Minister was previously so successful as part of the Government who demonstrated how they could implement cross-government action and reduce inequality?

Why not, when, as she mentioned, the Minister was previously so successful as part of the Government who demonstrated how they could implement cross-government action and reduce inequality?

My Lords, in response to the question asked about the devolved Administrations, the Minister suggested we should interpret the data with caution. The caution is this: Scotland established one of the world’s first fracture liaison services, which is recognised globally as the most effective. Claims of a 50% reduction in repeat fractures might be exaggerated, but not by much. So what is the caution?

My Lords, in response to the question asked about the devolved Administrations, the Minister suggested we should interpret the data with caution. The caution is this: Scotland established one of the world’s first fracture liaison services, which is recognised globally as the most effective. Claims of a 50% reduction in repeat fractures might be exaggerated, but not by much. So what is the caution?

Lords motion to take note of the effect of artificial intelligence, screen usage and social media on children. Agreed to on question.

Lords motion to take note of the effect of artificial intelligence, screen usage and social media on children. Agreed to on question.

My Lords, it is a pleasure to open this very important debate on the effects of AI, screen use and social media on children. Your Lordships will excuse me for using a screen to fulfil my screen time.

Before I start, I sincerely thank the noble Baroness, Lady Lloyd of Effra,...

My Lords, it is a pleasure to open this very important debate on the effects of AI, screen use and social media on children. Your Lordships will excuse me for using a screen to fulfil my screen time.

Before I start, I sincerely thank the noble Baroness, Lady Lloyd of Effra,...

My Lords, I thank the Minister for her response. She may not have had the opportunity to pick up some of the points that were made, particularly about developing an AI policy, either through a commission or through other routes, and maybe she can reflect on that again.

There were some...

My Lords, I thank the Minister for her response. She may not have had the opportunity to pick up some of the points that were made, particularly about developing an AI policy, either through a commission or through other routes, and maybe she can reflect on that again.

There were some...

My Lords, I say to the noble Lord, Lord Young of Cookham, that I could always read my writing, most of the time. I have accused the noble Earl, Lord Howe, previously of being a class act and I repeat that today. With his usual silken charm, he demonstrated how...

My Lords, I say to the noble Lord, Lord Young of Cookham, that I could always read my writing, most of the time. I have accused the noble Earl, Lord Howe, previously of being a class act and I repeat that today. With his usual silken charm, he demonstrated how...

My Lords, these drugs are relatively new and pretty powerful as GLP-1 and GLP-2 agonists. The important issue is safety: through NHS prescribing and MHRA reporting, we collect data on medium-term and long-term side-effects, but we do not do so through private sector prescribing. It is important that this data is collected, so would the Minister suggest that the MHRA devise a system so that private practice providers of these drugs can report medium-term and long-term side-effects?

My Lords, these drugs are relatively new and pretty powerful as GLP-1 and GLP-2 agonists. The important issue is safety: through NHS prescribing and MHRA reporting, we collect data on medium-term and long-term side-effects, but we do not do so through private sector prescribing. It is important that this data is collected, so would the Minister suggest that the MHRA devise a system so that private practice providers of these drugs can report medium-term and long-term side-effects?

My Lords, it is a pleasure to follow the noble Lord, Lord Strathclyde, and I thank the noble Baroness, Lady Taylor of Bolton, for introducing her sensible report that introduces retiral. Speaking personally, I will do what is recommended in the report when my time comes to fulfil the retirement...

My Lords, it is a pleasure to follow the noble Lord, Lord Strathclyde, and I thank the noble Baroness, Lady Taylor of Bolton, for introducing her sensible report that introduces retiral. Speaking personally, I will do what is recommended in the report when my time comes to fulfil the retirement...

Lords question for short debate on what assessment they have made of the use of patient data for research.

Lords question for short debate on what assessment they have made of the use of patient data for research.

My Lords, after listening to the last debate, I am tempted to speak only about how health research data might help economic growth to alleviate all the debt that we were talking about, but I will not. I thank the noble Baroness, Lady Merron, for taking this debate and ,all...

My Lords, after listening to the last debate, I am tempted to speak only about how health research data might help economic growth to alleviate all the debt that we were talking about, but I will not. I thank the noble Baroness, Lady Merron, for taking this debate and ,all...

My Lords, can the Minister say in the spring of which year the workforce plan will be published?

My Lords, can the Minister say in the spring of which year the workforce plan will be published?

My Lords, the Minister quite rightly alluded to the clinical entrepreneur programmes, and she might want to say a bit more about how successful they have been. Does she agree that, for these programmes to succeed in making clinical departments more innovative, we need strong academic departments working together with universities and teaching hospitals?

My Lords, the Minister quite rightly alluded to the clinical entrepreneur programmes, and she might want to say a bit more about how successful they have been. Does she agree that, for these programmes to succeed in making clinical departments more innovative, we need strong academic departments working together with universities and teaching hospitals?

My Lords, the development of Evo 2—which is an AI biological model with 9.3 trillion nucleotides extending over 128,000 different species, including humans—means that there is now a capability to produce proteins, molecular structures and even genomes, and therefore artificial pathogens. So is it time for the UK to have mandatory enforcement and regulation of functional-base synthetic DNA?

My Lords, the development of Evo 2—which is an AI biological model with 9.3 trillion nucleotides extending over 128,000 different species, including humans—means that there is now a capability to produce proteins, molecular structures and even genomes, and therefore artificial pathogens. So is it time for the UK to have mandatory enforcement and regulation of functional-base synthetic DNA?

My Lords, I thank the Minister for the Statement today and the noble Baroness, Lady Amos, for her excellent report. We have many reports now describing the tragedies occurring in maternity services. I hope this report will be the final one before we go back to delivering the best maternity...

My Lords, I thank the Minister for the Statement today and the noble Baroness, Lady Amos, for her excellent report. We have many reports now describing the tragedies occurring in maternity services. I hope this report will be the final one before we go back to delivering the best maternity...