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Lord Bruce of Donington: My Lords, does my noble friend agree that much of the existing difficulty about
the various accession treaties, which will be exacerbated, is due to the widespread uncertainty as to the full extent of the acquis communautaire and the extent to which the Treaty of Nice is likely to affect it fundamentally, bearing in mind that a very large number of Ministers have not even read the treaty?
Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: My Lords, I am sure that all noble Lords will have read the treaty in detail, and a great deal more besides, by the time they come to debate it in your Lordships' House. My noble friend is quite right that there will be a very wide variety of opinions on the issue of the acquis communautaire. I am sure that my noble friend will contribute to the debate on that treaty to the fullest extent, and I hope that many other noble Lords who take such an interest in the matter will do likewise.
National Health Service: Have Your Say
3.25 p.m.
Baroness Young asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What purpose is intended to be achieved by the recently launched National Health Service advertising campaign, Have Your Say, aimed at 10 to 16 year-olds.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Lord Hunt of Kings Heath): My Lords, the campaign aims to raise awareness among young people, parents and health professionals that young people are entitled to have their say in relation to their healthcare. This may include seeing a health professional unaccompanied if that is their wish. The campaign encourages young people to adopt a responsible approach to their healthcare needs.
Baroness Young: My Lords, I thank the Minister for that reply. Is the noble Lord concerned that in most cases this activity will take place behind the backs of parents who will not know what their children are doing? Can he explain how that squares with a reply given by the noble and learned Lord the Lord Chancellor to the noble Lord, Lord Quirk, to a Question for Written Answer? In that Written Answer the Lord Chancellor said that the Children Act 1989 was based on the Law Commission report of 1988 which in turn said that the law of parental responsibility included,
- "to provide consent for medical treatment".--[Official Report, 10/7/01; col. WA 70.]
Baroness Gardner of Parkes: My Lords, can the Minister inform the House whether it is now possible to treat a dental patient under the age of 16 without requiring the parent or guardian to sign a form as has always been the practice? Has that rule been changed?
Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: My Lords, I understand that the position as I have just stated it applies to doctors and other healthcare professionals.
Baroness Walmsley: My Lords, does the Minister agree that the main objective of the campaign is to encourage young people who may not otherwise do so to come forward for medical advice from professionals? Does the noble Lord also agree it is very important that young people believe that they will be understood and their own personal concerns taken into account and that, if so, they are more likely to co-operate and take the professional advice that they are given?
Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: My Lords, I agree with the noble Baroness. The website to which people are referred as a result of the poster campaign was set up and is run by two practising general practitioners who specialise in adolescent healthcare. I have looked at some of the information that is available on the website. It is perfectly sensible and would be very applicable to young people who quite rightly seek information. Compared with other information obtainable on the Internet, it is very wholesome and sensible stuff.
Baroness Andrews: My Lords, since the two groups in society which make the most intensive use of the health service are young people and elderly people and as they are the people who are most likely to be neglected in consultation processes, does the Minister agree that when we are seeking to improve the health service we should make as many opportunities as possible available to them in order to contribute to the future of a service which affects them so deeply?
Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: My Lords, I very much agree with my noble friend. In some parts of the
country efforts are made by local statutory bodies to involve young people in discussions about health and other policy issues. For instance, the young people's parliament in Birmingham has a specific role and remit to pick up young people's concerns and opinions about health. They can then be fed back to the local health service. We should certainly encourage that.
Baroness Carnegy of Lour: My Lords, with reference to the Question of my noble friend Lady Young and the quotation from the noble and learned Lord, the Lord Chancellor, is the Minister saying that the noble and learned Lord was misinformed?
Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: No, my Lords. My noble and learned friend put forward a general rule. He is not misinformed. But I have stated the position following the Gillick ruling.
The Earl of Listowel: My Lords, has there been a decline in teenage pregnancy rates? If so, can the Minister say to what he ascribes that decline?
Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: My Lords, it is well known that the teenage pregnancy rate in this country is very high. Live birth rates per 1,000 women aged 15 to 19 in 1996 were 22.9 per cent in the UK. While the US rate is double that figure, other European companies are doing much better; for instance, the Netherlands rate is 4.1 per cent. However, I understand that the latest figures that we have for 1999, compared with 1998, show a reduction in under-18s of 4 per cent and under-16s of 7 per cent. That is encouraging.
We clearly must hope that the trend continues. I believe that the way to achieve that is by a balanced approach; by making information available to young people as much as possible; by having these media campaigns; and by having local strategies. But clearly there is an awfully long way to go before we can get these teenage pregnancy rates down to any level that could be called acceptable.
Office of Communications Bill [H.L]
3.32 p.m.
Lord Carter: My Lords, on behalf of my noble friend Lady Blackstone, I beg to introduce a Bill to establish a body corporate to be known as the Office of Communications; and to confer functions in relation to proposals about the regulation of communications on that body, on certain existing regulators and on the Secretary of State. I beg to move that this Bill be now read a first time.
Moved, That the Bill be now read a first time.--(Lord Carter.)
On Question, Bill read a first time, and to be printed.
Greenham and Crookham Commons Bill
The Chairman of Committees (Lord Tordoff): My Lords, I beg to move the first Motion standing in my name on the Order Paper.
Moved, That this House do agree with the orders made by the Commons set out in their message of 10th July.--(The Chairman of Committees.)
On Question, Motion agreed to; and it was ordered that a message be sent to the Commons to acquaint them therewith.
Animals in Scientific Procedures
The Chairman of Committees: My Lords, I beg to move the second Motion standing in my name on the Order Paper. At the request of the Select Committee I feel that I should say a word or two about this matter.
This is an unusual Motion. The Select Committee on Animals in Scientific Procedures was appointed by the House in March. Some witnesses have been called before the Committee; for example, those who work for companies involved in animal experiments. They have expressed their concern at being filmed while giving evidence. They are worried in particular that their photographs could be shown on the world-wide web. Your Lordships will be aware that already there have been attacks on people working in this area. Under the rules of the House, normally broadcasters have the right to film any public meeting of Select Committees. The only way to exclude cameras is to hold the meetings in private.
The Select Committee does not wish to keep out members of the public, nor to prevent sound broadcasting of its proceedings. It simply wishes to have the power to prevent the televising of a meeting that might endanger witnesses. The Motion before the House will give the Committee that power. As the Motion makes clear, this applies only to this committee and will not affect the broadcasting of other committees of your Lordships' House.
Moved, That the Select Committee on Animals in Scientific Procedures shall have power to refuse to allow the televising of proceedings to which strangers are admitted.--(The Chairman of Committees.)
On Question, Motion agreed to.
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