Clause 5 - Co-operation
Health Protection Agency Bill [Lords]
9:45 am
Mr Paul Burstow (Shadow Secretary of State for Health, Health; Sutton and Cheam, Liberal Democrat)
Again, the explanatory note to the clause is exceedingly brief. It says:
''Clause 5 puts the Agency and other bodies which exercise functions relating to the Agency's functions under a mutual duty of co-operation.''
It was very clear on Second Reading that there was anxiety and a lack of clarity about what that means in practice. My amendments explore further just how the mutual duty will work in practice. I know that there was some discussion in the other place about which organisations might be involved. On Second Reading, the hon. Member for North-West Leicestershire (David Taylor) raised concerns about the relationship between the HPA and the Environment Agency, and expressed his frustration about the Environment Agency's discharge of its functions, particularly in relation to the National Radiological Protection Board.
The amendment takes the concept of mutual co-operation a step further. The HPA will have ongoing relationships with several bodies, so surely it would make sense for it to set out and agree with those bodies how they will function. Where are the tripwires that kick-start the discharging of those functions? Who is responsible on the ground for managing and directing the resources? These things are essential for the sake of clarity. They do not need to be clarified in detail in the legislation, but surely a duty should be placed on the HPA that informs those relationships with other bodies and clarifies issues such as the chain of command in major incidents, and how the HPA will mobilise another agency and at what point? It would be useful if the Minister could spell out how the Government envisage those things being done.