Clause 2 - Wales Centre for Health
Health (Wales) Bill
5:15 pm
Mr Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley, Conservative)
I beg to move amendment No. 8, in
clause 2, page 2, line 12, at end insert '; but at least one-third of the members shall be appointed only on the nomination of community health councils.'.
I welcome the hon. Member for Caernarfon back to the Committee after the strains and tortures of finding a dentist who was prepared to deal with him. I hope that he is in much better shape now than he was a few hours ago.
The clause and the amendment deal with the Wales Centre for Health, a body that we all welcome. It could be vital in promoting activities to protect and improve health in Wales, and will also be known as Canolfan Iechyd Cymru. I see it as an important body, which is why we seek to amend the Bill in such a way. I should be interested to hear what the Minister has to say on our suggestion, which tries to ensure some independence for the body, and with good reason.
Subsection (2) states:
''The Centre is to consist of such number of members appointed by the National Assembly for Wales as the Assembly may determine''.
That is an extremely wide power, and lets the Assembly appoint exactly whom it likes. The nomination powers may be the same as those that we spoke about on the previous amendment. The Assembly will be able to appoint the chairman or propose further regulations as to how he may be appointed.
One reason why we seek more certainty of independence for a body that champions patients' rights is that it will deal with some important aspects
of health promotion and protection. Prevention of smoking in public places was mentioned on Second Reading. Perhaps the centre will recommend policy guidance on that on behalf of the Welsh Assembly, or on behalf of us in Westminster if we want to take primary powers to try to improve health. Smoking raises the emotions of many people in one way or another, but the subject is controversial.
The body may deal with substance abuse as well, a vital subject that is sometimes overlooked. Ten years ago, I was extremely concerned about glue sniffing, as it was then known. Substance abuse still goes on, involving glue and other substances, and some direction is needed on it. Alcohol abuse is widely recognised in the House; the all-party group on alcohol misuse has an important role in bringing those problems to the fore. CHCs may want to carry out a study so as to start a campaign to promote sensible policy guidance on the subject.
I am a former chairman of the all-party group on drugs misuse, and there may be a campaign on drugs. I would welcome that in the whole community in Wales, especially schools and youth centres. I was saddened to read today that nine pupils had been suspended from a north Wales secondary school after they were allegedly caught with cannabis. The school is in Denbighshire, and the pupils have been suspended for up to 10 days. Disturbingly, the report on the matter stated that it would be the fifth time in 2002 that pupils at schools in north and mid-Wales had been disciplined over drugs.
That must concern all members of the Committee. We must put the message across, whether in relation to cannabis or other drugs, and we must deal with the problems that young people face. We would all welcome a campaign in schools led by the Wales Centre for Health. Again, there are resource implications, but the money would be saved in spades.