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Not specified in the provided text - Clause not specified, but it is related to Schedule 12
08 September 2026
Lead MP
Karin Smyth
Debate Type
Bill Debate
Tags
No tags
Other Contributors: 23
At a Glance
Karin Smyth raised concerns about not specified in the provided text - clause not specified, but it is related to schedule 12 in the House of Commons. Other MPs contributed to the debate.
How the Debate Unfolded
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said:
Lead Contributor
Opened the debate
Karin Smyth is moving that the clause be read a Second time. She has not provided detailed arguments or statistics in this excerpt, but her intent is to advance the debate on the amendments within Schedule 12.
Karin Smyth
Lab
Bristol South
Karin Smyth is proposing the clause be read a Second time, indicating her support for the amendments within Schedule 12. She has not provided detailed arguments or constituency impacts in the given text.
Jim Allister
DUP
North Antrim
Jim Allister intervened to raise concerns about the compatibility of new clause 94 with section 45B of the United Kingdom Internal Market Act 2020. He questioned how the imposition of a licensing programme could be consistent with the promise to avoid further export procedures that could negatively impact intra-UK trade, specifically between Northern Ireland and Great Britain.
Bernard Jenkin
Con
Harwich and North Essex
Bernard Jenkin intervened to ask the Minister a question, indicating that he had concerns or inquiries regarding the proposed amendments.
Judith Cummins
Lab
Bradford South
She welcomed the interventions and supported the need for clarity on the readiness of the Care Quality Commission (CQC) for the merger with the Health and Social Care Internal Board (HSSIB). She emphasised the importance of public confidence and the potential conflict of interest if the CQC chief executive saw all safe space information.
Grahame Morris
Lab
Easington
Supported new clauses 113 and 114, highlighting the importance of a national framework of agreed metrics for radiotherapy and annual reporting by integrated care boards. He stressed the cross-party consensus on health inequalities and the need for a review of access to radiotherapy and waiting times, citing data on the disparity in radiotherapy access across the UK. He also emphasised the importance of radiotherapy as a specialised service with limited capacity and the need for dedicated expertise.
Helen Morgan
Lib Dem
Brecon and Radnorshire
Morgan emphasised the importance of maintaining patient safety mechanisms, such as Healthwatch and HSSIB, and the need for robust whistleblowing routes. She also highlighted the corridor care crisis and the need for an independent inquiry into the issue, as well as a right to start cancer treatment within 62 days of referral.
Liz Twist
Lab
Blaydon
Liz Twist welcomed new clause 159, which seeks to address the legislative omission in mental health parity with physical health, requiring the Secretary of State to publish national waiting time standards for mental health services within 12 months of the Bill passing into law. She argued that measuring mental health waiting times is crucial for addressing the severe consequences of excluding mental health from core constitutional ambitions.
Gosport
Caroline Dinenage discusses the need for regulation in the funeral sector, citing cases of misconduct and urging the government to implement a statutory scheme for regulation. She emphasises the importance of protecting grieving families and ensuring that businesses handling deceased bodies are properly overseen.
Amanda Martin supports Caroline Dinenage's proposal, emphasising the need for robust regulation to protect reputable funeral directors and ensure they can operate with integrity.
Stuart Andrew
Con
Pudsey
Stuart Andrew supports the proposal, referencing Donna Ockenden’s report to emphasise the case for regulatory reform in the funeral sector.
Bernard Jenkin
Con
Harwich and North Essex
Mr Jenkin supports amendments 1 to 4, which aim to retain the Health and Social Care Safety Investigation Body (HSSIB) function. He criticises the Government for failing to justify the abolition of HSSIB and suggests that the provision is part of a broader alignment with EU policies, which he sees as problematic. He argues that HSSIB provides a crucial independent safety investigation function.
Karin Smyth
Lab
Bristol South
Ms Smyth indicated dissent to a proposal but did not provide extensive arguments or details.
Jeff Smith
Lab
Manchester, Withington
Mr Smith supports new clauses 86 and 87, which aim to promote psychedelic-assisted therapy treatments involving schedule 1 controlled substances. He argues that these treatments have shown significant potential in treating PTSD, trauma, mental health issues, and end-of-life distress. He highlights bureaucratic barriers to research and international precedents for exempting such research from the Home Office licensing requirement. He notes that the Government has accepted ACMD recommendations in principle but lacks a clear timetable for implementation.
Ms Sabine supports new clauses 116 and 117. New clause 116 calls for assessing the availability of medical cannabis on the NHS for children, exemplified by the case of Clover Carkeet. New clause 117 aims to address the postcode lottery in access to speech and language therapy, highlighting the challenges faced by individuals with vocal cord paralysis. She calls for a strategy to tackle waiting times and unequal access to speech and language therapy.
Karin Smyth
Lab
Bristol South
She supports the amendment, advocating for stronger patient voices within the NHS and for local populations to be empowered in care decisions. She also addresses concerns about Healthwatch and HSSIB, highlighting the need for effective independent scrutiny in patient safety. She commits to reviewing provisions to ensure they sufficiently empower local populations and embed patients' voices in care.
Adrian Ramsay
INTERVENTION
Ramsay questions whether the Minister's remarks suggest a review of the plans to scrap Healthwatch, citing the CEO of Healthwatch Norfolk's concerns about patient safety and scrutiny of the health system.
Bernard Jenkin
INTERVENTION
Conservative
Jenkin requests to give way, possibly to further question the Minister about the future of Healthwatch.
Freddie Van Mierlo
INTERVENTION
Van Mierlo requests to give way, possibly to further question the Minister about the future of Healthwatch.
Deirdre Costigan
INTERVENTION
Costigan thanks the Minister and notes that the NHS trust in north-west London has been improving in reducing waiting lists. She agrees that the changes through the Bill, including the proposed amendment, will further help in bringing down waiting lists and addressing issues with corridor care.
Rachel Taylor
INTERVENTION
Taylor requests to give way, possibly to further question the Minister about the future of Healthwatch.
Mark Sewards
INTERVENTION
Sewards reminds the Minister that the Prime Minister said in July that the funeral sector needed to be regulated. He asks if this remains a priority for the Government.
Jim Dickson intervened to thank the Secretary of State for her remarks and raised the issue of dementia, suggesting that data on dementia should be brought into a single place to drive progress on early diagnosis and treatment. He emphasised the importance of this priority for the Government.
Damian Hinds
Con
East Hampshire
Damian Hinds welcomed the Secretary of State back to the Department and expressed concerns about the lack of detail behind a large IT project, the removal of patient voice, and the extensive top-down reorganisation of the NHS. He highlighted that this was the third Secretary of State for the Bill and noted the scrutiny that will be given to its implementation in the House of Lords.
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