Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe: To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the purchase price of methadone, per unit, paid by the NHS in England in (1) 2005, (2) 2010, (3) 2015, and (4) 2019.
Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the average annual cost per person of methadone (1) treatment, and (2) supervision.
Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have assessed the value for money that the methadone programme in England represents; if so, what was the outcome of any such assessment; and if not, why not.
Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to divert funding currently used for methadone treatment to initiatives to support people to abstain from opiates.
Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to develop drug and alcohol services over the next 12 months.
Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much money they have allocated to drug and alcohol services in 2019 compared with (1) 2015, (2) 2016, (3) 2017, and (4) 2018.
Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to assess the regulation, and the general effectiveness, of methadone.
Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe: My Lords, I am grateful to the Minister for that reply. I am disappointed that the Government are not prepared to undertake a review. I do not want methadone treatment to end, but I believe that the cost is now becoming astronomical and have sent the Minister questions about this previously. People in the industry say that it now costs £1 billion a year, yet an increasing number of people...
Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe: My Lords, I congratulate the Government and welcome their initiative on the NHS. I assure them that, if they have the chance to put this in place, some of us on this side will ensure that it is well scrutinised and applied. I also welcome the long-awaited Domestic Abuse Bill. I hope that both Houses can come together to find the best way to ensure that this scourge is brought to an end. I...
Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe: Is it not the Government’s responsibility to ensure that anybody going on a flight should know what damage is being done to the environment as a consequence of that flight? Is it not time that each individual should have on their ticket or in the email sent to them the amount of carbon that they will be using on that flight? Is it not right that we should have an international scheme...
Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe: My Lords, I declare an interest as the Royal College of Psychiatrists provides me with a psychiatrist to help me with my work here. While working with psychiatrists and the royal college, I have learnt that, although understandable concern exists about the dangers of technology for children—particularly gaming—there is also a body of evidence that technology can be very useful in dealing...
Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe: My Lords, I am pleased to speak again on this topic. In September, contrary to my party’s viewpoint at the time, I said that I thought, when I revisited Mrs May’s deal, that it was worthy of support and that it offered an opportunity, given the Commission’s offer to take a look at the backstop. In the event, we now have a change and we have a further deal. It is interesting to see the...
Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe: Does the Minister share my view that the experience of visiting galleries and museums has changed quite radically in recent years since we saw the introduction and extension of the iPad and iPhones? Often when we try to see a picture we are surrounded by people taking selfies in front of it. It has changed completely from what it used to be. There is a great opportunity for museums and...
Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe: I was in the Commons and—I think probably like the country—welcome the more conciliatory approach that the Prime Minister adopted. He was asked whether, in the light of trying to secure the majority which he needs at the other end, he would be willing to put the Whip back on those he had expelled. He did not give a straight answer—indeed, he dodged it, which was to be expected. Equally,...
Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe: My Lords, perhaps I may press the Minister to go back to the Question and to the question asked by my noble friend Lord Whitty. We rely to a fair degree on electricity from nuclear power stations in France. What assessment has been made of the position if the French, because of climate change, should decide that they cannot maintain the same level of supply as in the past? What guarantees do...
Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe: My Lords, yesterday I raised the issue of the opportunity that rests within the political declaration for a solution to the problem which the country faces. The offer from the Commission is still open for the Government of the day to hold discussions and negotiations to find a way through on the backstop, linked to the political declaration. I asked the Minister twice yesterday why the...
Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe: Does the Minister agree that Europe offers further negotiations on the backstop in the political agreement? If so, why are we not picking that up?
Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe: The noble Lord said that there is no incentive for Europe. All the incentives are there for Europe to negotiate a deal with us and it has made an offer to which we have not responded, unless the Minister tells us that we have.