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Palliative Care

My Lords, I too ask the indulgence of the House to make a brief intervention. I am told that I can do so as long as I am finished by four o’clock; I hope to be finished by 3.59 if I try very hard. I have two points to make. Before I do so, I join in congratulating the noble and learned Lord, Lord Lyell of Markyate, on his marvellous maiden speech. He was my first pupil at the Bar. I tried hard not to take him—not because there was anything wrong with him, but because I did not think that I was adequate to take a pupil of such ability at that early stage in my career. His father insisted, and I am very glad that I took him as a pupil. I am not at all surprised that he showed in his speech today that the qualities that he began to show then have flourished and blossomed. As a member of the board of a hospice, and as one who has seen people in the last days of a terminal illness desperately needing what can be provided by the hospice movement, I realise how important the debate has been. I too congratulate and thank the noble Baroness, Lady Finlay of Llandaff, on and for raising the issue. It is important as a public discussion, and in terms of asking the Government to do more than they already generously do. My second point is to emphasise, as the noble Lord, Lord Patel, stressed, that we are not talking only about cancer. People with many other diseases—for example, motor neurone disease, which increasingly seems to be a problem—also desperately need the help of the voluntary movement. As has already been stressed, the fact that it is voluntary should be emphasised in any debate of this kind. Tribute has been paid to Dame Cicely Saunders and I add the warmest tribute to her work. The most informative, moving and agreeable fund-raising dinner at which I ever spoke was in support of Dame   Cicely’s hospice and her movement. There are many other volunteers. Who, I ask rhetorically, could have done more to help the joint care home movement, of which I saw something as Prior of the Order of St   John, or to help the Dame Cicely movement than Her Royal Highness Princess Alexandra? She has given the greatest support in this area, beginning at the top and moving down, as have many others. I apologise for not having put my name down to speak in this debate. I thank your Lordships for giving me two-and-a-half minutes in which to contribute, and I congratulate the noble Baroness, Lady Llandaff, on her speech.