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Health Minister Lord O’Shaughnessy says the debate has been a fertile ground for new ideas on an extremely important topic.

He says the nature of the NHS provides a unique opportunity for the data of over 60 million patients to be shared and to potentially save lives, making the healthcare system be safer, more effective and fairer.

The minister says data sharing should be widened when necessary to involve the sharing of data internationally to help combat rare tropical diseases.

He says that the priority needs to be keeping data safe, and notes that £60m has been invested in cyber resilience for local health trusts, and that another £150m will be invested in the next two years to improve the ability to detect and respond to cyber incidents.

Lord Shaughnessy says the department are considering how difficult it is for an adult to opt out of a dependent child's data being used as a priority.

He says that a lot of healthcare information is still recorded on paper forms and not online, and much of it is fragmented, but says progress is being made to ensure that as much information is being recorded digitally as possible.

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Image source, LEWIS HOUGHTON/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY

MPs are now holding a debate on Brexit, science and innovation, which has been tabled by the Backbench Business Committee. The debate is responding to findings of the Science Committee's report on the issue, which was published in March.

Committee chair Norman Lamb, having just presented his committee's other report, returns to begin proceedings.

"I hope today that we will help to generate some political momentum to ensure that science does not become a casualty of the Brexit process."

The government has made science a key pillar of the industrial strategy, he says, but "the shadow" of whether the UK will continue to participate in EU schemes and science programmes after Brexit "looms large".

The UK has in the past been able to "get more out than we put in", he says, but this will no longer be the case after Brexit.

There is some disagreement when Labour Brexiteer Graham Stringer intervenes to suggest the UK is actually a major net contributor to the EU.

"The science community takes the view that an agreement needs to struck," Mr Lamb continues, urging EU negotiators to show flexibility. He asks the minister to give an update on how negotiations on this front are going.

"Access to funding has clearly been a big issue," he says, but adds that "access to the best people is, in a way, the most important priority of all."

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Conservative Baroness Redfern says it is clear to see that data could help to improve the health of the nation, and notes that it is not only crucial, but has huge importance for the future of the NHS.

She says electronic health records are the way forward, and should be available across the country so to avoid the so-called postcode lottery. She calls for all hospitals to be digitised as soon as possible.

Baroness Redfern says a clear, robust strategy is needed to ensure that the NHS is taken forwards, and does not fall behind other international healthcare services.

She says that sharing anonymous patient data in a safe and productive way could be a progressive movement towards this.

"The UK has the opportunity to be a global leader in healthcare data research. This could improve the efficiency of our healthcare service and its quality."

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Education Committee Chair Robert Halfon begins his statement on their report on school exclusions.

The report came to the conclusion that excluded pupils were being failed by the education system and that there had been an alarming rise in the number of 'hidden' exclusions.

The committee is concerned that students with special education needs, have been bullied or have minor discrepancies in behaviour (such as uniform issues) are being excluded, he says.

"Schools should support children with additional needs... not exclude them without trying."

The report makes a number of recommendations, including a bill of rights for students and their parents.

"Teachers are inspirational, and children being taught in alternative provisions deserve to be taught by inspirational teachers."

He ends with the report's final recommendation, stating he is "shocked" that "there is no statutory requirement for local authorities to provide alternative provision for post-16".

He says it is absurd to expect children with special educational needs to survive in a further education envirionment with no assistance.

"We are providing a ladder with rungs that are too far apart."

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Conservative Baroness Neville-Rolfe says the scale of expenditure on healthcare, which is around £180bn, makes this a very important debate to be having.

She says the government shouldn't go "over the top" on data protection.

"Healthcare is provided for free, so in return, data in the system should be used by hospitals and scientists and in some controlled commercial ways to improve outcomes, and aggregate anonymous data should be published," she says.

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Science & Technology Committee Chair Norman Lamb is now making a statement on their report on e-cigarettes, which was published last month, external.

The report concluded that e-cigs should not be treated in the same way as cigarettes, and that the government is missing an opportunity by not using them more to help people stop smoking.

Mr Lamb says anybody that focuses on the risk of e-cigs, "has to take into account the risk of not adopting e-cigarettes".

He does stress that more evidence is needed on e-cigarettes however, and that the government should continue to review their safety and usage.

He says there needs to be a proper debate on the use of e-cigs in public spaces.

"I personally would not support any proposal which permitted the use on public transport," he says, pointing to the smell that some do not like. But he says "that is quite different" to restricting use in public spaces on "the basis of misplaced health concerns".

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Liberal Democrat, Lord Scriven, who was previously a senior manager in the NHS, asks why patients should not have access to their data and the government should have to ask them to use it, rather than them opting out.

He says this would make the government and the NHS think more about the ethics of this, and would make patients agents rather than being passive.

Next to speak, for his first time in the House of Lords is the newly appointed Lord Bethell, who was successful in the Conservative hereditary peers’ by-election to replace the retiring Lord Glentoran in July.

He says he believes this concept, if carried out appropriately, could help to save lives, and that this was the type of work he would like to be involved with in his new role.

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The DUP's Jim Shannon say the decision to cut MLA pay is the right decision, but that everyone is being punished "due to the refusal of one party, Sinn Féin".

He echoes his party colleague Gregory Campbell in calling for the pay of Sinn Féin representatives in Westminster, who refuse to sit in the Commons, to be also cut.

Ms Bradley repeats the issue of MP pay "is a matter for this House", and not one of her powers. She suggests Mr Shannon take it up with those responsible.

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Conservative MP Vicky Ford says she's pleased to see the Women and Equalities minister sat beside the secretary of state for Northern Ireland.

"Crucial decisons on women's rights should be taken in Northern Ireland, but if they are not able to be taken they cannot be delayed in perpetuity," she says, referring to access to abortion services.

Karen Bradley agrees with the start of Ms Ford's comments, and says it is vital decisions are made in Northern Ireland, "the sooner the better".

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Labour's Lord Hunt, a former health administrator, replies that he thinks there is a conundrum, which is the public's attitude to the use of their data.

Lord Hunt says he agrees there should be trust in patients' demand to use data for beneficial effects, and that it is important that patients are able to opt out of their data being shared.

"We know the public are strongly in favour of the use of this data, but data security issues, lack of transparency and potential discrimination by insurance agencies could prevent people from wanting to share it."

Lord Hunt says the process of opting out should be simple, and expresses his concerns that at present, many opt out decisions are not.

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Crossbench Lord Freyberg asks how NHS healthcare data could be used to improve the health of the nation.

Lord Freyberg says routine healthcare data generates lifesaving breakthroughs through real world research and provides the real time care quality assurance that allows the NHS to ensure that all patients get good quality care.

Use of healthcare data is needed because "we are falling behind as our investment is relatively modest in comparison to other countries".

Lord Freyberg asks if we want healthcare data to create value for the NHS and for society as a whole, or only elite hospitals.

He says that patients in one hospital could find out, through healthcare data sharing, that another patient has undergone a trial treatment which may be beneficial to them in an alternate hospital.

He adds that citizens should be able to opt in or opt out of this usage.

Lord Freyberg says these data sharing agreements would have to be rigid as the leakage of data is already occurring, and he expects it could worsen rapidly with new trade deals post-Brexit, particularly with non EU countries including the United States.

"We need to make the most of the data revolution that is alive all around the world."

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Kirsty Blackman, speaking for the SNP, says her party agrees that devolved decisions should be taken by devolved governments.

She asks for assurance that Northern Ireland's position will be properly represented in Brexit talks.

Ms Bradley agrees that their Northern Ireland's voice is not being properly heard: "that is simply not possible without a devolved government."

Ms Blackman says it's difficult for the government to be seen as a balanced broker in talks, "given their reliance on the DUP" in Westminster.

The Northern Ireland Secretary says she will consider all options to ensure the talks succeed.

Image source, HoC

Shadow Secretary Tony Lloyd gives "cautious welcome" to the proposals but says the demand of the Northern Ireland people is to see the restoration of devolved government.

He welcomes the decision on MLA pay and says its it a "step in the right direction".

The shadow secretary for Northern Ireland says there are many "critical decisions" held in "log jam" over the political such as nurses pay and equal marriage.

He adds that civil servants in Northern Ireland have no one to account to and urges Ms Brady to deal with the "democratic deficit".

The Northern Ireland Secretary thanks her shadow for his support. She says that there is "no easy answer".

Karen Bradley reiterates the UK government's commitment to the Belfast agreement and a power-sharing government.

However Ms Bradley says the people of Northern Ireland are entitled to "good governance" and decisions will continue to be taken in the House.

Ms Bradley says she will work with the parties and Irish government to restore Stormont.

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"Northern Ireland's voice must be heard," Northern Ireland Secretary Karen Bradley says.

Making a statement to the House, she announces Stormont Assembly members pay will be cut and legislation will be bought forward to allow civil servants to make decisions in the absence of devolution.

Northern Ireland has been without a devolved executive since January 2017, following a row between the governing DUP and Sinn Féin.

Ms Bradley says there will not be an election called, as current legislation says she must consider.

"I have not believed and do not now believe that holding an election during this time of significant change and political uncertainty would be helpful."

The legislation will be for "a limited and prescribed period", in which there will be no legal requirement to set a date for an election.

"This will provide a further opportunity to re-establish political dialogue, with the aim of restoring the executive," she says.

"Be in no doubt, no agreement can ever be imposed from outside Northern Ireland."

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Labour's Lord Haskell ask the government what it has made of demand for debt advice services, and what steps they are taking to reduce the level of household debt.

In reply, Conservative Lord Bates says he acknowledges that debt advice needs to be more widely available.

He says he admits there is a serious problem with personal debt in this country, but says it is less than its pre-crisis level when inflation is taken into account.

Conservative Lord Forsyth asks whether something should be done to limit the amount of gambling adverts on television, and what role they have to play in increasing household debt.

Lord Bates says a lot has already been done to ensure that gambling is less of a problem, including cutting the maximum state for fixed-odd betting terminals to £2.

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Northern Ireland Secretary Karen Bradley is now making a statement on restoring devolved government in Northern Ireland.

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"Another business question, another week in which we have no sight, no mention, or no possible clue, hint or even inference or raised eyebrow of the location of the Immigration Bill," says Labour MP Thangam Debbonaire.

She says MPs have to debate and pass the legislation by March next year, and asks when it will come to the House.

Andrea Leadsom says the government has introduced a variety of Brexit legislation, and that there will be a migration advisory report later in the year. The bill will come after that.

SNP MP Chris Stephens raises the matter of asylum seekers evicted from properties in Glasgow and requests a ministerial statement.

Ms Leadsom expresses sadness at the situation and says asylum seekers are protected by the UK government. She says she is happy to consult with ministers on Mr Stephens' behalf.

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Conservative Baroness Anelay asks the government what plans they have, if any, to reform divorce laws in England and Wales.

Conservative Baroness Vere replies that the government has addressed comments that change is needed to the current divorce laws, and that she looks forward to working with Lord Beecham on this in the future, who has been a leading figure in pushing for changes in divorce laws to be made.

Labour's Lord Beecham asks what steps are being taken to improve the availability of legal aid to those seeking divorce at the moment.

Baroness Vere says the government want to ensure that legal aid is available in the most necessary cases.

Conservative Baroness Shackleton says the current divorce laws are not fit for purpose and that new legislation is needed as soon as possible.

Select Committee
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Lord Bew is asked about shades of public opinion and dissenting opinion that is not represented in the House of Lords.

He tells the committee that when UKIP had over four million votes the Lords was not "massively tolerant".

He says a certain type of economist would add to the "variety of discussion" given the "uncertainty" about economic policy.

He adds Europe is the "one issue" where civility of debate has "broken down" and the House of Lords is at most 15% eurosceptic.

Chair Sir Bernard Jenkin says SNP, Sinn Fein and UKIP have been "under-represented".

Lord Bew agrees and adds the lack of representation of the Catholic community in Northern Ireland was glaring and HOLAC "struggled" to find candidates.

Sir Bernard says that the Liberal Democrats no longer have the support but have "all those peers".

With that the session comes to an end.