Report (1st Day)

Part of Health and Social Care Bill – in the House of Lords at 4:00 pm on 8 February 2012.

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Photo of Lord Walton of Detchant Lord Walton of Detchant Crossbench 4:00, 8 February 2012

My Lords, in rising briefly to support the amendment so ably proposed by my noble friend Lord Patel and supported by the noble Lord, Lord Alderdice, I ask the Minister one very simple question. In Clause 1(1)(a) the Bill talks about the,

"physical and mental health of the people of England", and says that the health service must be "designed to secure improvement" in that health. What on earth could the objection possibly be to inserting in paragraph (b) at line 6 the unexceptional words listed in the amendment? They simply stress the crucial importance of mental as well as physical illness. How on earth could this be construed as doing any damage whatever to the Bill? It is something that I hope very much the Government can be persuaded to accept.