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Health and Social Care Bill

Thank you very much, Mr. Deputy Speaker. The Lords amendments before us are grouped under the heading ““Public health protection””, and that is what we are talking about. We are talking about the duties placed on public health staff to detain and isolate people, and to protect the public. Let me finish by saying that health inequalities can be changed by public health staff. The inequality gap in the infant mortality rate has not been reduced by a sufficient amount to meet the target. The inequality gaps in male and female life expectancy at birth have both increased since the baseline. If current trends continue, the target will not be met. The inequality gap in cancer mortality has declined since the baseline, despite a slight increase in the last period. The minimum requirements for the 2010 target have already been met. However, that is irrelevant, as the meaningful outcome measure is the five-year survival rate. Although I welcome the Lords amendments, they place yet more duties on public health staff, who are struggling to meet the already onerous burden imposed by the rising rates of substance misuse and sexually transmitted infections, and, more worryingly than anything else, particularly from this Government, by the rising inequalities in health. Lords amendment agreed to. Lords amendments Nos. 38 to 47 agreed to.