Peers to vote on delaying the Health Bill
pharmafile | October 12, 2011 | News story | | NHS reforms
The government’s health reforms face the prospect of a significant delay if a vote today goes against them.
Peers in the House of Lords will today vote on whether to send the Health and Social Care Bill to a select committee for further scrutiny, something that would delay its passage towards legislation by several months.
Crossbench Peer Lord Owen, one of the two Peers who tabled this delay, said a special select committee was the only way of looking at “the complexity of this new relationship we are trying to establish” between patients and clinicians.
But because of set timing for legislation, such a delay will be enough to ensure the Bill cannot be read during this Parliament, meaning it would have to wait until after the next general election to be re-considered.
Health minister Lord Howe told Peers: “The House [of Lords] must have proper time to examine the Bill, but the proposal put forward by Lord Owen could result in delay, which could well prove fatal to it. This is not a risk that I believe this House should take.”
Labour Peers led by Baroness Thornton are expected to support Lord Owen’s amendment when the house votes on the issue later today.
Peers will also vote on an amendment by Labour peer – and former GP – Lord Rea to block the Bill, which could kill off the reforms completely.
Health secretary Andrew Lansley told the BBC he is willing to make further amendments to the Bill to ensure its survival.
Ben Adams
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