Baroness Howells of St Davids: My Lords, what steps are the Government taking to ensure that community cohesion is properly active among those with mental health problems, both inside and outside the prison system?
Baroness Howells of St Davids: My Lords, I too congratulate the noble Baroness, Lady Gould of Potternewton, on introducing this debate with such clarity and good humour. With so many speakers, it would appear that everything has been said. I believe that the suffragettes, wherever they are, are smiling down on this debate because so many men have participated, which is unusual for such a debate. I am sure that the...
Baroness Howells of St Davids: My Lords, the debate of the noble Baroness, Lady Eccles of Moulton, gives the House an opportunity to look specifically at one of the Government's manifesto commitments: healthcare at the point of need. Like other noble Lords, I thank her for this opportunity. With the indulgence of the House, I begin by contrasting two stories, one from a poor country and the other from Great Britain. I was...
Baroness Howells of St Davids: asked Her Majesty's Government: Why, in the light of the McMaster Review into excellence in the arts, a number of arts venues, such as the Bush Theatre in Shepherd's Bush, are facing cuts to funding on quantitative grounds.
Baroness Howells of St Davids: My Lords, I too am grateful to the noble Baroness, Lady Perry, for calling this debate today. I am proud to say that standards in education have been one of the key objectives of this Government since they came to office in 1997. I am glad to see my noble friend Lord Adonis will be responding to this debate as I know that school standards have been a passion of his during his time in this...
Baroness Howells of St Davids: My Lords, I, too, congratulate my noble friend on her fortitude in the way she has championed women's issues and for the clear and concise way in which she opened the debate. Kofi Annan said: "Violence against women is perhaps the most shameful human rights violation and it is perhaps the most pervasive. It knows no boundaries of geography, culture or wealth. As long as it continues, we...
Baroness Howells of St Davids: asked Her Majesty's Government: What percentage of first year undergraduate students, excluding those from other European Union member states and overseas, applied from schools or colleges in the maintained sector this year and in each of the past five years to: the University of Birmingham, Bristol University, the University of Cambridge, Durham University, the University of Exeter, Imperial...
Baroness Howells of St Davids: asked Her Majesty's Government: What percentage of first year undergraduate students, excluding those from other European Union member states and overseas, are from black and ethnic minority backgrounds this year and in each of the last five years to: the University of Birmingham, Bristol University, the University of Cambridge, Durham University, the University of Exeter, Imperial College...
Baroness Howells of St Davids: My Lords, I thank the noble Lord, Lord Luce, for introducing this timely debate and for his thorough introduction. I speak to you as a child of the British Commonwealth and as someone who has lived her adult life as a citizen of the Commonwealth. Many would say that that is not much of a difference, but appearances can be deceptive. The transition in the title highlights the ever-changing...
Baroness Howells of St Davids: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether those whose mental illness is drug-induced by cannabis will be excluded when new hospital prison wings are built for those with mental illness.
Baroness Howells of St Davids: My Lords, I thank all noble Lords for taking part in this debate. As I listened, I wondered what my slave ancestors would say in the spirit world. I think they would be very pleased with today's debate, but I also think they would be shocked that slavery still exists and they would be giving us the message that it must end with us. I also believe they would think the time has come for a...
Baroness Howells of St Davids: rose to call attention to the bicentenary of the abolition of the slave trade and to the United Kingdom's role in tackling its legacies; and to move for Papers. My Lords, today's debate is an opportunity for Members of this House to commemorate the bicentenary of the passing of the Abolition of the Slave Trade Act 1807. I am pleased that so many distinguished noble Lords are taking part....
Baroness Howells of St Davids: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they have any proposals to bring in regular prostate screening for men.
Baroness Howells of St Davids: My Lords, I thank the noble Lord, Lord Northbourne, for inviting the House to debate this important subject. The UNICEF report on childhood in industrial countries holds up to the light the way in which we in the United Kingdom support and parent our young people, and it finds us wanting. However, we can point to some sections of the report, such as the figures for relative poverty, and take...
Baroness Howells of St Davids: My Lords, we all hugely admire the noble Baroness, Lady Gould, for ensuring that we mark 8 March with a debate on women's issues and for so clearly setting out women's achievements as well as those of the Government. As this year we mark the 200th anniversary of the Act of Parliament abolishing slavery, I have chosen to introduce the story of Phyllis Wheatley. She was born in Senegal in...
Baroness Howells of St Davids: My Lords, when I proposed this amendment in Committee, I related to noble Lords the story of a young Asian girl. Today, I will not give any further case studies but, as I am sure noble Lords know, there are many more. The amendment would give children and young people under the age of 18 the right to receive counsel from an independent advocate when they are about to be, or have been,...
Baroness Howells of St Davids: My amendment has been linked to Amendment No. 27. It is intended to ensure that children and young people under 18 receive services that meet their needs. I am obliged to all noble Lords who have spoken so eloquently, laying a foundation of appreciation in this Committee that children under the age of 18 should not be treated as though they were adults. Also listening to the debate is Kathryn...
Baroness Howells of St Davids: My Lords, I register my appreciation to the noble Lord, Lord Colwyn, for initiating this debate when so many are concerned not with the treatment that the service is offering, which is very good indeed, but with the direction in which the NHS appears to be moving. I feel very fortunate to speak so early in the debate, leaving me plenty of time to listen to other noble Lords and, as usual, to...
Baroness Howells of St Davids: My Lords, homelessness has become a particular problem for young black males and elderly black people. What is the Government's response to those vulnerable groups?
Baroness Howells of St Davids: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will commission a national clinical framework for sickle cell and thalassaemia to help ensure that the potential benefits of the national newborn screening programme are fully realised.
