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Strategic Health Authorities (Establishment and Abolition) (England) Order

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The motion states clearly that the order for the establishment or abolition of SHAs should be referred to Standing Committees on Delegated Legislation. As all hon. Members will know, those Standing Committees are made up of Members from all parties in the House. If they have points to raise about the propriety of the terms of the order, that is the place to do it. As the hon. Member for Eddisbury (Mr. O'Brien) would know if he had ever been a Minister—several hon. Members on the Conservative Benches have been Ministers and, indeed, members of the Cabinet—it is not uncommon for such orders to be presented to the House of Commons with a deadline that, if it has expired by the time the Standing Committee considers them, does not negate the very valuable contribution that Standing Committees make.