NHS Next Stage Review

Part of Oral Answers to Questions — Prime Minister – in the House of Commons at 12:32 pm on 4 July 2007.

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Photo of Alan Johnson Alan Johnson The Secretary of State for Health 12:32, 4 July 2007

I am tempted to ask—to echo the hon. Gentleman's predictable response—"Is that it?". It is a shame, because he thinks about these things, and he sent me a letter about having a dialogue on resolving these issues. His response will not be shared by NHS staff. NHS staff right across the country will be pleased that we are initiating the biggest consultation exercise we have ever had—a genuine dialogue about how we move to the next phase of the NHS. The hon. Gentleman said that we were asking Members on the Opposition Benches to sit silent for a year—but as I said in my statement, we are asking Ara Darzi to report first in October. The second part of the report will be next year, but certainly not 12 months away.

The hon. Gentleman said that he thought this was going to be NHS independence day. I take issue with him about the Conservative party's policy on independence for the NHS. It is a fundamental central plank—