Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

If it is difficult to license practitioners, it seems that in the short term it will be easier, where there is legislation, to license the practice—the premises. I appeal for serious consideration to be given to activating this part of the Health and Safety at Work, etc. Act. I realise that this comes under the jurisdiction of another Department, but my hon. Friend's Department is concerned when people who attend acupuncturists' premises are exposed to risk. I submit that it is vital to tackle the control of the disease by reducing the opportunity for spreading it. The control of premises would be helpful in that connection. It would have a salutary effect on lay practitioners of acupuncture and would encourage a safe practice. Unnecessary exposure to this potentially dangerous disease is unacceptable, and it must be curtailed to protect the public.

I hope that the Department will take the outbreak in Birmingham—not yet concluded, because of the chain of silent carriers of the virus—as a warning and will take steps to introduce appropriate and effective legislation to deal with this serious problem. I ask my hon. Friend not to wait for further outbreaks before something is done. This is an urgent matter which requires urgent attention. I ask him to heed the warning and to act in the interests of the safety and health of many of our citizens before it is too late.