Clause 8 - Transfer of property and staff etc.
Health Protection Agency Bill [Lords]
10:30 am
Miss Melanie Johnson (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Department of Health; Welwyn Hatfield, Labour)
Indeed. That is what I said in relation to schedule 1. It is for the HPA to agree with the devolved assemblies the work that it is doing for them, the cost of that work and the fact that the cost will come across in order to fund the level of service that is required. That is exactly what paragraph 19 to schedule 1 does.
The hon. Gentleman asked a related question on the transfer of property. The requirements to consult the devolved assemblies reflect the fact that they are all joint stakeholders or owners of the NRPB. There is no need for dispute resolution. All Departments agree the contents of the Bill, and the agency will take on the rights of predecessor bodies in that regard. There is always discussion among parts of government about how progress will be made, but that is the usual process of government. It happens every day of the week in a million different ways throughout the United Kingdom, especially now that we have devolution. Nothing is different in this respect. There will be no need for dispute resolution for the reasons that I have just given.
Question put and agreed to.
Clause 8 ordered to stand part of the Bill.
Schedule 2 agreed to.