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Criminal Justice and Immigration Bill

moved Amendment No. 110: 110: Clause 118, page 87, line 24, at end insert— ““(d) a registered hospice or specialist palliative care unit.”” The noble Baroness said: My Lords, in Committee my noble and learned friend Lady Butler-Sloss spoke of the anomaly that, under the wording of the Bill, some hospices would be covered and others would not. She mentioned a specific example of a hospice situated in the grounds of the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital being covered by the Bill, while an identical hospice in another town, which just so happens to be situated outside the boundaries of the hospital grounds, will not be covered. My amendment aims to remedy the anomaly by including all hospices and specialist palliative care units. I speak as someone who has worked in hospices for much of my working life. For the most part, they are quiet, tranquil places. However, it is not all that uncommon for family members or acquaintances of staff, fuelled by alcohol, to become aggressive or abusive towards staff. The other problem is that hospices by their nature have controlled drugs on the premises. There are, fortunately, remarkably few attempts by addicts to access those drugs, but that may change in future. Hospices have security staff at night, when the number of staff is lower than during the day and the place is at its most vulnerable. It would seem sensible to allow them the potential protection of this legislation. In Committee, the Minister told noble Lords: "““It is worth the Government reflecting further on hospices and where they fall in the definition. I am not sure that we can necessarily help, but I will certainly have a closer look at that””.—[Official Report, 10/3/08; col. 1322.]" I appreciate the work that the Minister has undertaken, his detailed letter and for having met me earlier. I am disappointed that the Government have indicated that they will not extend the clause to all hospices, nor to any premises, as in the very neatly drafted amendment tabled by the noble Lord, Lord Thomas of Gresford, where NHS services are provided. I fear that this is going to leave general practitioners and other services vulnerable, as it will leave hospices vulnerable. These are places where aggression is not only from patients who are ill but from relatives, friends and hangers-on and even stray members of the public. Extension through the amendment would not cost any money but would signal a clear commitment to non-tolerance of violent behaviour towards all healthcare workers in the course of performing their NHS duties, particularly as we move towards having more and more services provided out in the community. It is with the background that I have tabled my amendment—and I fully endorse the amendment grouped with mine, in the name of the noble Lord, Lord Thomas of Gresford. I beg to move.