My Lords, on behalf of my noble friend Lady Blackwood and myself, I thank all noble Lords who have contributed to the constructive deliberations and review of the Bill during its passage over the past weeks. In that time, it has been the subject of spirited and carefully considered debate, both inside and outside of this Chamber. As we approach the final leg, I would like, in particular, to offer my thanks to the noble and learned Lords, Lord Hope and Lord Judge; the noble Lords, Lord Patel, Lord Kakkar, Lord Lisvane, Lord Foulkes and Lord Marks; the noble Baronesses, Lady Thornton, Lady Jolly, Lady Brinton and Lady Wheeler; and my noble friends Lord Lansley and Lord Dundee, for their considered contributions to this important debate. I am also grateful to my noble friend Lord O’Shaughnessy, who has been an invaluable supporter of this Bill. I also thank my noble friend Lord Young and the Bill team for all their support and hard work. I fully acknowledge the invaluable role played by my noble friend Lady Blackwood in leading on this Bill.
This Bill has been subject to considerable scrutiny and continues to be so, as the noble Baroness, Lady Thornton, has just said. I am grateful to the noble Lords who sought to improve and strengthen this important Bill.
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I am pleased to hear that the noble Baroness, Lady Thornton, supports the Statement made by my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Health in the other place. I can reassure her that, as she will be aware, we have two SIs that will come before the Grand Committee on Thursday, and I look forward to her support for those regulations. As she rightly highlights, our intention is to continue the reciprocal arrangements where we possibly can. In addition, through those SIs we will look at reciprocal healthcare arrangements with member states for urgent treatment where it may have started or is in the process of being started.
I thank the noble and learned Lord, Lord Hope, for his supportive comments. I say to the noble Baroness, Lady Thornton, and other noble Lords that our amendments have significantly reduced the scope of the Bill’s powers and are a response to this House’s clear request for increased opportunities for parliamentary oversight. We have removed the consequential Henry VIII power; limited the ability to confer functions to public bodies only; provided greater parliamentary scrutiny of regulations relating to data processing; provided greater transparency concerning the financial aspects of future reciprocal healthcare policy, in the form of an annual report; placed a statutory duty to consult the devolved Administrations where regulations under Clause 2 make provision within a devolved authority’s legislative competence; and finally, and significantly, sunset two of the three regulation-making powers in Clause 2 so that they can be exercised only for a period of five years after exit day.
Of course, the other place will now need to decide if it agrees with the amendments made in this Chamber. Notwithstanding that, again I extend my offer to keep working with noble Lords to ensure that we have the best possible outcome for the Bill and for the people reliant upon reciprocal healthcare arrangements. I beg to move.