Clause 11 - Amendments and repeals
Health Protection Agency Bill [Lords]
10:45 am
Miss Melanie Johnson (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Department of Health; Welwyn Hatfield, Labour)
I will do my best.
The amendments and appeals are all consequential on the creation of the agency as a non-departmental public body from its predecessor bodies, with one exception. The exception is the amendment of paragraph 3 to schedule 3. That will allow the Secretary of State to direct his function of
appointing medical inspectors under the Immigration Act 1971, which is also exercisable by persons specified in the direction who exercise functions in relation to health in England or Wales. That delegation takes account of the fact that the arrangements for identifying medical inspectors are best made locally. The intention is to delegate appointments in England to the HPA—initially a special health authority and subsequently the agency as established by the Bill—and in Wales to the National Assembly for Wales. I reassure the hon. Gentleman that is the only change of any significance—it is not really a change of significance, but I draw it to hon. Members' attention. Otherwise, the matter in question is consequential on the creation of an NDPB.