Health Bill In Commons First Week After Recess

Health Bill In Commons First Week After Recess

PRESS ASSOCIATION -- Controversial plans to radically shake up the NHS will return to Parliament in the first week after the summer recess.

The Health and Social Care Bill, which was sent back to a committee of MPs after an outcry over its original contents, will complete its journey through the Commons in September.

MPs will spend two days in September re-examining the legislation in the Commons chamber.

Shadow Commons leader Hilary Benn called for more time to scrutinise the Bill, which he said was far longer than the legislation which originally set up the NHS.

He said allocating two days for report stage and third reading on September 6 and 7 was "inadequate".

Mr Benn said: "The Health and Social Care Bill is three times longer than the 1946 Act setting up the NHS and has now been in committee twice.

"But second time around only 64 of the Bill's 299 clauses were looked at again."

He asked Commons Leader Sir George Young: "Given that this lengthy Bill has had to go back to committee a second time, will you find time for four days on report instead of the inadequate two that have been offered?"

Sir George said the Government had been "very generous" with the time offered to debate the legislation.

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