Speeches by Smyth.

“With due respect to the hon. Lady, it is not a matter of the Minister being busy, whether that is me or anybody else. It is about the operational running of a £200 billion organisation with 1.5 million staff treating millions of people every day. I am sure we all remember from our own experience incidents and unforesee…”

“No, I have finished. Question put and agreed to. Clause 8 accordingly ordered to stand part of the Bill. Clause 9 Secretary of State’s power to provide assistance Question proposed, That the clause stand part of the Bill.”

“Clause 9, which will insert new section 12DA into the National Health Service Act 2006, will give the Secretary of State a clear statutory duty to provide financial, staffing or other practical assistance in connection with the health service. The power may be used to support persons providing, or proposing to provide,…”

“In concluding the debate on this part of the Bill, the Opposition have helpfully made most of my arguments for me. The hon. Member for Sleaford and North Hykeham opened with reference to the pandemic and the unusual circumstances in which we have found ourselves. It is obviously important that this Government learn the…”

“I will respond to that question before picking up the other comments. If I do not address all the Committee’s comments, I will come back to Members. Everyone would expect this, but let me be clear: this Government are absolutely committed to a free-at-the-point-of-use, taxpayer-funded service. We also think that unless…”

“I will make some points, and then I will be happy take the hon. Lady’s intervention if I do not address what she was going to say. The hon. Member for North Shropshire outlined some of the history. This clause seeks to strike a balance. The governing principle behind it is that the decisions of the Secretary of State m…”

“I refer the hon. Gentleman back to my comments. The health service is defined under section 1 of the NHS Act 2006 as not being separate from the people it exists to serve. It is defined as “a comprehensive health service” for “the people of England”, directed at improving their health and at the “prevention, diagnosis …”

“The hon. Lady tempts me to delve into the politics of future Secretaries of State. They will respond according to the manifesto on which they are elected by the British public. That is the point of a democratically accountable public service. I think that the clause strikes that balance, as I have said. For those reaso…”

“We have a clear political and—as I think the hon. Member for Sleaford and North Hykeham said—philosophical division here. This Government believe in democratic accountability, in politics and in good government. I understand that both Opposition parties were architects of the 2012 Act, which created this huge, independ…”

“I thank the hon. Lady for that intervention, and I will come on to the power. As hon. Members are aware, NHS England currently holds similar powers, so it makes sense for these powers to be held by the Secretary of State once NHS England is abolished. I want to be clear—I hope that this will address the hon. Lady’s poi…”

“Education and training”

“Clause 7”

“Clause 6 ordered to stand part of the Bill.”

“Promoting innovation”

“Clause 6”

“Clause 5 ordered to stand part of the Bill.”

“HB78 The College of Optometrists”

“HB77 Specialised Healthcare Alliance (SHCA)”

“HB76 National Children’s Bureau on behalf of the Health Policy Influencing Group (HPIG)”

“HB75 Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health”