This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/int/news/-/news/uk-politics-17447992
The article has changed 11 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Version 5 | Version 6 |
---|---|
MPs set to approve NHS bill as Labour bid fails | |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Labour have failed in a last-ditch bid to delay planned changes to the NHS in England, with MPs set to approve the coalition's proposals. | |
Calls for MPs to postpone their final consideration of the NHS overhaul until an assessment of the potential risks is published were defeated by 82 votes. | |
The House of Lords approved the Health and Social Care Bill on Monday and MPs are set to follow suit. | |
The government hopes it will now get Royal Assent and become law by Easter. | The government hopes it will now get Royal Assent and become law by Easter. |
The Health and Social Care Bill has had a difficult passage through Parliament with the government conceding substantial changes to the legislation. | |
The government overcame the final major parliamentary obstacle to the bill when it defeated a Labour motion on the issue of the NHS risk register by 328 to votes to 246. | |
MPs are now considering amendments to the bill agreed earlier by the Lords, prior to giving it final approval. | |
'No purpose' | 'No purpose' |
For Labour, shadow health secretary Andy Burnham appeared to concede the passage of the bill into law was now going to happen, adding: "The only hope that I can give to people worried about the future of the NHS today is that this might be the end of the bill but it is just the beginning of our campaign." | |
But Health Secretary Andrew Lansley told the Commons: "The truth is, this is political opportunism dressed up as principle. This is a debate for no purpose." | But Health Secretary Andrew Lansley told the Commons: "The truth is, this is political opportunism dressed up as principle. This is a debate for no purpose." |
Ahead of the debate, Conservative and Lib Dem ministers "banged" the table at a cabinet meeting to mark the impending passing of the NHS reforms into law. | |
It won't officially come into force until the Queen has signed the bill and it returns to the Commons for Royal Assent some time before Easter. | |
The legislation would abolish Strategic Health Authorities and Primary Care Trusts and give much greater control over care budgets and commissioning decisions to GPs and other health professionals. | The legislation would abolish Strategic Health Authorities and Primary Care Trusts and give much greater control over care budgets and commissioning decisions to GPs and other health professionals. |
It has been the subject of a prolonged battle over the past year - with professional bodies representing doctors, nurses and other NHS workers resisting the changes. | |
There has also been criticism from several leading Liberal Democrats of Conservative Health Secretary Andrew Lansley's plans. But the prime minister's spokesman said there had been "cross-party banging" of the table in cabinet. | |
'Two-tier service' | 'Two-tier service' |
He added that it would become law before the Easter Recess, which starts next Tuesday. | He added that it would become law before the Easter Recess, which starts next Tuesday. |
But unions said they would not relent in their opposition to the bill once it became law. | |
"We will continue to campaign hard to try and mitigate the worst excesses of this bill," said Unison general secretary Dave Prentis, adding that ministers were ignoring the "groundswell of opposition" to the proposals. | "We will continue to campaign hard to try and mitigate the worst excesses of this bill," said Unison general secretary Dave Prentis, adding that ministers were ignoring the "groundswell of opposition" to the proposals. |
"Patients will have a two-tier health service and where they live will determine the healthcare they receive." | "Patients will have a two-tier health service and where they live will determine the healthcare they receive." |
Members of Unison, which represents more than a million public sector workers, held a minute's silence outside Parliament in protest at the changes. | Members of Unison, which represents more than a million public sector workers, held a minute's silence outside Parliament in protest at the changes. |