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Shipman Inquiry

I share the gratitude of our colleague, the hon. Member for Oxford, West and Abingdon (Dr. Harris), for the manner in which the Minister is introducing the debate. As we are establishing the principles that we should apply, does he agree that the enormity of what Harold Shipman did and the huge betrayal of trust that occurred, to which the Minister referred, does not invalidate the principle that the medical profession is capable of self-regulation within a statutory framework? Although the balance of professional and lay participation in the process will change, we should start from the presumption that, with the appropriate levels of transparency, doctors are capable and competent enough to regulate themselves.