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NHS Staffing

I am pleased to follow the eloquent and passionate speech by my hon. Friend the Member for Wellingborough (Mr. Bone), who showed considerable knowledge of the health service's advantages and shortcomings in his area. I did not initially intend to contribute to this debate, but I came in at the beginning and my interest has increased as the debate has progressed. I am pleased that the Minister will be replying, and I intend to give her plenty of time to do so. She may know that what would have been an outstandingly successful parliamentary career for me floundered because of my support for the national health service and what it stood for. I chaired the Health Committee for a period. It was a wonderful Committee, with fantastic relations with all areas of the national health service, mainly through the commitment of its members, not least various Labour Members, such as the late Audrey Wise and Mrs. Mahon. They were tremendously supportive of me in undertaking critical inquiries, one of which was into maternity services.