Latest news with #Trussell
The National
3 days ago
- Health
- The National
Genomic sequencing of English newborns raises big ethical questions
At first glance, the promise to 'leapfrog killer diseases' by predicting illness before symptoms arise is seductive. However, the inevitable gathering of clinical information about incurable conditions before consent for that knowledge is possible is far less desirable. Good intentions won't mask that overreach. READ MORE: Labour's welfare cuts 'to cost 300,000 Scots £500 per year' – Trussell We, as citizens and therefore NHS patients, must distinguish between what is clinically useful now, and what could cause unintended harm later to future citizens. There are serious, treatable conditions that warrant early detection, such as congenital adrenal hyperplasia, phenylketonuria, and medium-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency, already covered by the existing neonatal blood spot test. Others, like spinal muscular atrophy and severe combined immunodeficiency, might justifiably be added to this programme due to their treatability in infancy and tragic consequences if missed. However, full-genome sequencing is an entirely different kettle of fish, and one where children's future health profiles are shaped before they can understand their medical identity. Data might be used (or, god forbid, leaked) in ways they neither consented to nor benefit from, as many conditions flagged through genome sequencing may not be actionable until adulthood, even if they clinically materialise at all. In these cases, deferring screening until the individual is Gillick competent not only respects autonomy, but avoids unnecessary medicalisation, psychological harm, and downstream discrimination. READ MORE: EHRC changes guidance on single-sex toilets after legal challenge Scotland has long taken a more precautionary approach to data governance, consent, and health service design. Yet decisions taken in England – particularly those involving genomic infrastructure, research frameworks, and health data integration – affect the NHS as a whole. If new models of care are built around this profiling, Scottish patients could be pressured to participate in UK-wide systems by default, and NHS Scotland might be forced to adopt models shaped around English data flows and private-sector partnerships. That potential risk gains urgency when considering that more than half of Wes Streeting's campaign funding since entering parliament has come from private health interests. While there's no direct evidence of genomic firms funding policy, the climate is clear: expanding health data infrastructure creates lucrative opportunities for diagnostics, trials, and pharmaceutical development. Without robust regulation, public good may be compromised for private gain. READ MORE: See the full list of 127 Labour MP rebels on UK welfare and Pip cuts A more sensible and ethical approach for the UK Government to follow would be to: • Reaffirm a commitment to proportionate, consent-based screening, recognising the fundamental difference between life-saving early detection and speculative risk profiling. • Resist premature implementation of whole-genome sequencing in newborns without full public consultation and independent ethical oversight. • Support the development of anonymous, aggregate data models – suitable for population health planning without compromising individual autonomy or privacy. • Expand existing neonatal screening programmes only where early intervention is proven to change outcomes significantly, and where ethical and equitable delivery is achievable. • Establish robust UK-wide legal protections on the use, storage, and re-identification of genomic data, offering explicit guarantees against insurance or employment discrimination. If we truly value preventative care and personal empowerment, we must ensure these ideals are not compromised by haste or commercial capture. Progress in medicine should be grounded in consent, equity, and care, rather than outsourced potentially unaccountably. Ron Lumiere via email
The National
3 days ago
- Business
- The National
Labour's welfare cuts 'to cost 300,000 Scots £500 per year'
Trussell, the anti-poverty charity which runs some 1400 food banks across the UK, also told MPs that new claimants for the health element of Universal Credit would be £3000 per year worse off if Labour's proposed changes go through. The UK Government is aiming to cut disability and sickness benefits by £5 billion annually by cutting back who is eligible for Personal Independence Payments (Pip), as well as freezing the health element of Universal Credit at the current rate and halving it for new claimants. The UK Government's own analysis has found that the cuts would push 250,000 people into poverty, including 50,000 children. READ MORE: SNP minister hits out at Labour Government's welfare cuts Labour are facing a major rebellion from more than 120 MPs over the controversial plans, which could be stopped dead if opposition parties unite behind a 'reasoned amendment' against the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill, which is due to be voted on on July 1. In a briefing to MPs reported by the Daily Record, Trussell estimated that there are around 300,000 Scots in receipt of the health element of Universal Credit and associated benefits facing cuts. "All would stand to be affected by the freeze which by 2029/30 amounts to [a] real terms cut of £500 per year,' the charity said. It further added: 'Nine in ten new recipients to UC health in Scotland from April 2026 will experience a cut of £3000 per year by 2029/30.' Prime Minister Keir Starmer has insisted he will not change course despite outcry over planned cutsSNP MSP Collette Stevenson said: 'This analysis delivers a damning verdict on the Labour Party's planned cuts to disability benefits which will hit the most vulnerable in our society hardest. 'With over 100 Labour MPs now confirming that they will join the SNP in voting against the cuts if Labour press ahead with them next week, it is imperative that Keir Starmer does yet another U-turn and scraps his plans immediately. 'To press ahead with the cuts would have a devastating impact on families across Scotland, pushing thousands of more people into poverty, and people would never forgive Keir Starmer.' Speaking from The Hague at a Nato summit on Wednesday, Starmer said he would not back down. 'We have got to make the reforms to our system. It isn't working as it is,' he said. READ MORE: EU, taxes, and Labour 'out of step': What we learned in John Curtice's polling report 'It doesn't work as it stands for people who desperately need help to get into work or for people who need protection. It is broken. 'We were elected in to change that which is broken, and that's what we will do, and that's why we will press ahead with reforms.' Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham has added his voice to the senior figures calling on the Government to reconsider. He told BBC Newsnight: 'When the PLP [Parliamentary Labour Party] delivers its collective wisdom in such numbers, it is invariably right. And it is right on this.' His London counterpart, Sadiq Khan, has said ministers 'must urgently think again' about the plans, while Labour's First Minister of Wales Baroness Eluned Morgan has also called for a rethink. Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar has previously spoken in support of the reforms, but is facing unrest within his group. So far, 10 Scottish Labour MPs have put their names to the reasoned amendment which would block the welfare cuts.
Daily Record
3 days ago
- Health
- Daily Record
Around 300,000 disabled and sick Scots to 'lose £500' under Labour welfare cuts
EXCLUSIVE: The charity Trussell has laid bare the impact of the proposed cuts on disabled people Hundreds of thousands of disabled and ill Scots face losing £500 a year under the Labour Government's welfare cuts. Anti-poverty charity Trussell also says new claimants are in line for a £3,000 a year hit if the controversial changes are pushed through by MPs. More than 120 Labour MPs are threatening to scupper the Government's welfare bill and plans to slash £5bn from disability and sickness benefits. The rebels are alarmed at forecasts showing that 50,000 children could be plunged into poverty if the bill becomes law. A key element of the package is freezing the rate of the health element of Universal Credit and Employment and Support Allowance payments until 2030. In a briefing to parliamentarians, Trussell estimated that there are nearly 300,000 people receiving these payments in Scotland: "All would stand to be affected by the freeze which by 2029/30 amounts to [a] real terms cut of £500 per year.' Labour Ministers also want to cut the health part of UC for people claiming it for the first time. The Trussell briefing stated: 'Nine in ten new recipients to UC health in Scotland from April 2026 will experience a cut of £3,000 per year by 2029/30.' They previously cited analysis by WPI Economics which said the welfare reforms will push 15,000 people in disabled households in Scotland into severe hardship by 2030. In the briefing, Trussell urged MPs to vote for an amendment which would effectively kill the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment bill. As reported by the Record, ten Scottish Labour MPs have backed the amendment which criticises the lack of a 'formal consultation' with disabled people and warns of the impact on poverty levels. The wording also hits out at the Government for not publishing an 'assessment' of the impact of these reforms on 'health or care needs'. The Scottish Labour sceptics are Richard Baker, Scott Arthur, Euan Stainbank, Brian Leishman, Lilian Jones, Tracy Gilbert and Elaine Stewart. Kirsteen Sullivan, Patricia Ferguson and Maureen Burke have also backed the amendment. SNP MSP Collette Stevenson said: 'This analysis delivers a damning verdict on the Labour Party's planned cuts to disability benefits which will hit the most vulnerable in our society hardest. With over 100 Labour MPs now confirming that they will join the SNP in voting against the cuts if Labour press ahead with them next week, it is imperative that Keir Starmer does yet another U-turn and scraps his plans immediately. 'To press ahead with the cuts would have a devastating impact on families across Scotland, pushing thousands of more people into poverty, and people would never forgive Keir Starmer.' Speaking to LBC, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the Bill would not be pulled in the face of the mounting rebellion: 'There'll be a vote on Tuesday, we're going to make sure we reform the welfare system.' Sir Keir said the current system 'traps people in a position where they can't get into work'. 'In fact, it's counterproductive, it works against them getting into work. So we have to reform it, and that is a Labour argument, it's a progressive argument.' Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham added his voice to the senior figures calling on the Government to reconsider. He told BBC Newsnight: 'When the PLP (Parliamentary Labour Party) delivers its collective wisdom in such numbers, it is invariably right. And it is right on this. I would say to the Government, listen to the PLP.' His comments came after his London counterpart, Sir Sadiq Khan, said that ministers 'must urgently think again' about the plans. The bill also plans to restrict eligibility for the personal independence payment, the main disability payment in England, which could affect funding for Holyrood.
Daily Mirror
18-06-2025
- Health
- Daily Mirror
DWP disability cuts branded 'catastrophic' as Liz Kendall unveils major changes
Charities urged MPs to reject changes to the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and Universal Credit, which the Government's own assessment said risked pushing people into poverty The Government has been accused of turning its back on sick and disabled people after pressing ahead with "catastrophic" benefit cuts. Charities urged MPs to reject changes to the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and Universal Credit (UC), which the Government's own assessment said risked pushing an extra 250,000 people, including 50,000 children, into poverty. Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall argued she was taking "the road of compassion, opportunity and dignity" as she sought to soften the impact by introducing a 13-week transition period so existing claimants avoid a cliff edge. But campaigners said the last-minute changes to the plans would do little to mitigate the devastating impact. Around 3.2 million families could be hit by the overall reforms by 2030, with an average loss of £1,720 per year, according to the Government's analysis in March. The document said estimates did not include the impact of the £1 billion employment support package "which we expect to mitigate the poverty impact". Around 800,000 people are expected to be impacted by PIP changes, including 370,000 current claimants and 430,000 future recipients, with an average loss of £4,500 per year. READ MORE: 'Spend a day in our life, PM' says mum whose disabled daughter may lose PIP benefits The tightening of eligibility will mean those who can't wash half of their body or cook a meal unaided no longer qualify for the daily living element - unless they have another condition. The UC health element, which is claimed by more than two million people, will be frozen at £97 a week for existing claimants until 2029/30, and reduced to £50 a week for new claimants from 2026/27. Ms Kendall has previously said people under 22 will no longer be able to access the health top up of UC - and instead will be offered a 'youth guarantee' of training or work, with threats of benefit cuts if they reject the offer. The 13-week grace period will apply to existing claimants who lose the PIP daily living component, including those who lose eligibility to Carers Allowance and the carer's element of Universal Credit. More than 200,000 people with the most severe, lifelong conditions to be protected from future reassessment for UC. Food bank network Trussell said: "The reality of this Bill is still record cuts in support for disabled people, and the biggest cuts to social security since 2015." Mencap, the learning disability charity, accused the Government of having "confirmed the choice to turn its back on thousands of disabled people". Carers UK said at least 150,000 people will lose their Carer's Allowance, while nearly 100,000 carers who receive both PIP and Carer's Allowance will lose their disability benefit. Keir Starmer is braced for the biggest revolt of his premiership of the legislation, with dozens of Labour MPs poised to rebel when it faces its first Commons test in the coming weeks. Labour MP Steve Witherden, who represents Montgomeryshire and Glyndŵr, told the Mirror: "I find the proposals deeply concerning, particularly at a time when poverty levels across the UK are already alarmingly high. "Millions of children live in households where parents are struggling to afford basic necessities such as food, heating, or even sterilising baby bottles. "This Bill risks exacerbating these difficulties, with cuts that could push disabled households into even deeper hardship - especially in Wales, which currently has the highest poverty rates among disabled people in the UK. I will be voting against this Bill.' Ms Kendall said the system was broken - and would fail to deliver for those who need it most without reform. "Our social security system is at a crossroads," she said. "Unless we reform it, more people will be denied opportunities, and it may not be there for those who need it. "This legislation represents a new social contract and marks the moment we take the road of compassion, opportunity and dignity. "This will give people peace of mind, while also fixing our broken social security system so it supports those who can work to do so while protecting those who cannot - putting welfare spending on a more sustainable path to unlock growth as part of our Plan for Change." Ministers say the plans - designed to slash £5billion from the welfare bill by 2030 - are designed to drive down spiralling costs and help more people back into work. One in 10 people of working age now claiming a sickness or disability benefit and some one million young people are not in education, employment or training - around one in eight. The number of people claiming PIP is expected to double from 2 million to 4 million over this decade, sending the bill for working-age sickness and disability benefit to £70billion a year by the end of this Parliament. A record 3.74 million people in England and Wales were claiming PIP in April. Helen Barnard, Director of policy at Trussell, said: 'This bill will push nearly half a million more people into severe hardship and towards the doors of food banks." She added: 'The last minute details on protections offer something for a small proportion of people, but even they will still see a real-terms cut." Mencap's Jackie O'Sullivan said: 'Today the Government confirmed the choice to turn its back on thousands of disabled people and by pushing ahead with these welfare reforms, they are causing a huge amount of anxiety. 'Mencap's recent survey of people with a learning disability found an alarming 70% would need to cut down on food if they lose PIP, while over half (60%) said they would need to cut back on heating and nearly half (45%) were worried they would be unable to leave their home." Charlotte Gill, Head of Campaigns and Public Affairs at the MS Society, said: "The government claims this Bill is about protecting people, but in reality it will take thousands of pounds a year from disabled people, including many living with MS – pushing more into poverty and worsening people's health. 'PIP is a lifeline not a luxury. If these cuts go ahead, many will be forced to reduce spending on essentials like food and heating. And some have told us they would have to leave work." James Taylor, Director of Strategy at disability equality charity Scope said: 'This bill will be catastrophic for disabled benefits will plunge hundreds of thousands into poverty." Louise Murphy, senior economist at the Resolution Foundation, said the longer period of protection for those affected by Pip cuts would ease the blow but said extra funding for employment support wasn't coming into effect until 2029. She added: "While ministers have softened the stick of welfare cuts, they have not strengthened the carrot of greater employment support."
North Wales Live
17-06-2025
- Business
- North Wales Live
Recipe box launches The Bear inspired range that will help charity
Recipe box Gousto has announced the launch of 'The Bare', a new limited-edition recipe range that pays homage to dishes from Chicago-based, fan-favourite TV show The Bear, set to return for its fourth series later this month. But behind the recipes lies a more urgent purpose: raising money for Trussell to support people who'd otherwise go without the bare essentials this summer. The initiative comes as Trussell's 'The Cost of Hardship & Hunger' report reveals that a record 1 in 7 people across the UK now face severe hardship, including 6.3 million adults and 3 million children. Over the summer, food banks in the Trussell community are expected to support a child with emergency food every 41 seconds. Orders from 'The Bare' range will help Trussell support families. 'The Bare' features three recipes inspired by the hit culinary TV show: Chicago-Style Beef Sandwich & Fries, Friends & Family Spaghetti with Mozzarella Garlic Bread, and even THAT viral Crisp-Topped Omelette with Fries & Salad. Gousto has transformed the cult favourites into simple, stress-free meals with easy-to-follow recipe cards and pre-measured ingredients. Timo Boldt, Founder and CEO of Gousto, said: "Ensuring more families have access to fresh, good food has always been part of our purpose to have a positive impact on people and the planet. With this screen-worthy recipe range, we're making it easy for food lovers to recreate cult-favourite dishes at home, while supporting the vital work of food banks in the Trussell community". Gousto has also partnered with Big Zuu to launch 'The Bare'. Big Zuu said: 'Getting behind 'The Bare' was a no-brainer for me. It's about more than just flavours; it's about making some noise for people going without the basics. I've always believed good food should be for everyone, and teaming up with Gousto and Trussell on this campaign means we're getting real support to families who need it. And if you're asking – THAT Crispy Omelette with Fries is my go-to. It's easy, full of flavour and the ultimate comfort food.'
