Health Bill
10:35 am
Steve Webb (Shadow Secretary of State for Health, Health; Northavon, Liberal Democrat)
Thank you, Mr. Illsley, and good morning. This is the first time that I have served under your chairmanship, and I look forward to serving under you and your colleague.
We welcome the flexibility that the programme motion gives us. It will allow us time to discuss Part 1, which has attracted a great deal of attention. However, many members of the Committee will have received representations—for example, about the proposed changes to optometry services. If it seems as though important issues will be squeezed out, the Sub-Committee has the opportunity to revisit the motion. However, to begin with, the flexibility that it gives us is welcome.
One of my worries is that one issue can dominate debates in Committee and that other important changes receive little scrutiny as a result. If we do not scrutinise them in Committee, the danger is that those one or two headline issues will dominate time on Report. That would be regrettable, as further important issues are dealt with later in the Bill. I give you my assurance, Mr. Illsley, that we will not seek to protract proceedings. We will make our points as succinctly as possible and then sit down.