Clause 7. — (Removal of Hardships.)

Part of Orders of the Day — National Health Service (Amendment) Bill – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 9 December 1949.

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Photo of Mr Stanley Tiffany Mr Stanley Tiffany , Peterborough 12:00, 9 December 1949

There has been a little confusion in this matter on the part of the Minister and other people who have spoken on this subject. I can see the necessity for regulations in respect of one of the two cases that have been mentioned. Because of that I shall support the Minister's request in this matter but I would ask the Minister himself to be quite clear about the reason for these regulations because the reason will obviously dictate the content of the regulations. The first reason given was the necessity for economy. It has been debated a little this morning that that fact is not the case at the present time, but the fact remains that that was the first reason given for the necessity to introduce regulations. That is borne out by the fact that if economy is needed in this service then exemptions from the measures to be taken should be given to certain classes of people—those least able to bear any charge which might have to be made as a result of the regulations.