Clause 6
Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill [Lords]
4:45 pm
Robert Key (Salisbury, Conservative)
I support the amendment very strongly because it addresses the fundamental issue of whether it is right for some of the services in the national health service to be paid for by the patient. Any licence charge is inevitably passed on to patients—and in different ways. Quite a lot of it comes down in the end to postcoding. I object very strongly to the discrimination against fertility centres in the national health service. They find themselves faced with very high charges, as my hon. Friend the Member for Boston and Skegness said. As far as I can see, this measure is an extension of that, although perhaps the Minister will convince me that it is nothing to do with that, that patients will not suffer or lose a penny, and that the primary care trust will not be able to pass on any of the charges to patients.
My basic point is that there should be no discrimination against fertility treatment. Fertility treatment is not a luxury; it relates to a medical condition. The rich will continue to look after themselves. If we are not careful, we will see the national health service clobbering the poor—it is as stark as that. This is an issue of principle. My hon. Friend is seeking, in a far kinder way than me, to press the Minister to explain the measure, and I support him. I shall take some convincing that the amendment should be withdrawn, and I hope that it is not.