Relevant background notes from previous written parliamentary questions relating to the effects on human health of exposure to lead in the UK in the last three years. 8p.

Relevant background notes from previous written parliamentary questions relating to the effects on human health of exposure to lead in the UK in the last three years. 8p.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to privatise the NHS Blood and Transplant service.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to privatise the NHS Blood and Transplant service.

Westminster Hall adjournment debate on the future of the National Blood Service.

Westminster Hall adjournment debate on the future of the National Blood Service.

I congratulate the hon. Gentleman on securing this important debate. May I ask him a question on the subject of reform? The National Blood Service is crying out for new donors. Should the fact that there is still an arbitrary ban on certain groups of society giving blood, such as...

I congratulate the hon. Gentleman on securing this important debate. May I ask him a question on the subject of reform? The National Blood Service is crying out for new donors. Should the fact that there is still an arbitrary ban on certain groups of society giving blood, such as...

Everything should be up for review at the present time. I am quite sure that the National Blood Service is considering that matter as part of its review. Donors give their services absolutely free to the national health service. The Department of Health funds the production of all the organisation's...

Everything should be up for review at the present time. I am quite sure that the National Blood Service is considering that matter as part of its review. Donors give their services absolutely free to the national health service. The Department of Health funds the production of all the organisation's...

Thank you, Mr Williams, for relieving me of my Chairman duties so punctually. It was a great relief to have a rest and a coffee before I opened this debate. I am pleased to see the Minister in her place, because this is a subject that she will understand from...

Thank you, Mr Williams, for relieving me of my Chairman duties so punctually. It was a great relief to have a rest and a coffee before I opened this debate. I am pleased to see the Minister in her place, because this is a subject that she will understand from...

I congratulate my hon. Friend on securing this debate. As I understand it, the National Blood Service is allowed to use the blue flashing light to transport blood to the most serious cases. Is it not the case that if the service were privatised, the private sector companies would transport...

I congratulate my hon. Friend on securing this debate. As I understand it, the National Blood Service is allowed to use the blue flashing light to transport blood to the most serious cases. Is it not the case that if the service were privatised, the private sector companies would transport...

If that were the case, it would make it much more dangerous for those patients who were waiting to receive that blood or organ. I would not like to see that happening. The National Blood Service has created a strategy for each of its departments as it strives to improve...

If that were the case, it would make it much more dangerous for those patients who were waiting to receive that blood or organ. I would not like to see that happening. The National Blood Service has created a strategy for each of its departments as it strives to improve...

Does my hon. Friend share my concern about the staff who currently work in the National Blood Service? Many of them opt to work in such services because they believe in the public good and in the common good. Does he share my concern about the impact that privatisation will...

Does my hon. Friend share my concern about the staff who currently work in the National Blood Service? Many of them opt to work in such services because they believe in the public good and in the common good. Does he share my concern about the impact that privatisation will...

Just for the record, it was my hon. Friend the Member for Bradford South (Mr Sutcliffe) who raised that issue, but it is one that I am concerned about. Will the Minister address the new role of the economic regulator, Monitor, and the responsibilities that it will have regarding competition?...

Just for the record, it was my hon. Friend the Member for Bradford South (Mr Sutcliffe) who raised that issue, but it is one that I am concerned about. Will the Minister address the new role of the economic regulator, Monitor, and the responsibilities that it will have regarding competition?...

I apologise for confusing the hon. Gentleman with the Member who was sitting next to him. At least it gave me the opportunity to clarify the point. To ensure that I give the hon. Gentleman a precise answer, I will have to come back to him on Monitor because I...

I apologise for confusing the hon. Gentleman with the Member who was sitting next to him. At least it gave me the opportunity to clarify the point. To ensure that I give the hon. Gentleman a precise answer, I will have to come back to him on Monitor because I...

I have a letter from Andrew Pearce, who is the head of donor advocacy in the NHS. The second paragraph says:"““The review is at an early stage and is likely to take a few months. Although we cannot rule out that the review might eventually suggest that some of our...

I have a letter from Andrew Pearce, who is the head of donor advocacy in the NHS. The second paragraph says:"““The review is at an early stage and is likely to take a few months. Although we cannot rule out that the review might eventually suggest that some of our...

I thank the hon. Gentleman for his intervention. What matters is that people get good value for money from the taxes that they pay. What also matters is that we do things effectively and efficiently, so we constantly market-test within NHS provision. We should do so. What matters to us...

I thank the hon. Gentleman for his intervention. What matters is that people get good value for money from the taxes that they pay. What also matters is that we do things effectively and efficiently, so we constantly market-test within NHS provision. We should do so. What matters to us...

Yes. That is exactly right. Those staff, who are well trained specialists in their area, are very concerned about the damage that this proposal would do to the blood transfusion system and they are very angry about what is possibly going to happen. Of course, they also fear that donors...

Yes. That is exactly right. Those staff, who are well trained specialists in their area, are very concerned about the damage that this proposal would do to the blood transfusion system and they are very angry about what is possibly going to happen. Of course, they also fear that donors...

I congratulate the hon. Gentleman on securing this important debate. He raised an important issue when he said that there are a number of reasons why people give blood. Personally, I gave blood at the Galpharm stadium in Huddersfield a couple of years ago because I was inspired by Adrian...

I congratulate the hon. Gentleman on securing this important debate. He raised an important issue when he said that there are a number of reasons why people give blood. Personally, I gave blood at the Galpharm stadium in Huddersfield a couple of years ago because I was inspired by Adrian...

I referred earlier to another privatisation that took place in the health service, when cleaning was put out to tender. Of course, the quality of the service was reduced. That is exactly what I fear will happen with the blood service, because if someone is in the business of making...

I referred earlier to another privatisation that took place in the health service, when cleaning was put out to tender. Of course, the quality of the service was reduced. That is exactly what I fear will happen with the blood service, because if someone is in the business of making...

Having not served under your chairmanship before, Mr Williams, I now find myself doing so twice in a day. It is a pleasure. I congratulate the hon. Member for Heywood and Middleton (Jim Dobbin) on securing the debate and I pay tribute to his experience of this sector. I also...

Having not served under your chairmanship before, Mr Williams, I now find myself doing so twice in a day. It is a pleasure. I congratulate the hon. Member for Heywood and Middleton (Jim Dobbin) on securing the debate and I pay tribute to his experience of this sector. I also...

I thank the hon. Gentleman very much. That was a very positive contribution, based on his own specific experience. There is a petition about this issue, there are now some 35,000 signatures on it, and it is building up all the time.

I thank the hon. Gentleman very much. That was a very positive contribution, based on his own specific experience. There is a petition about this issue, there are now some 35,000 signatures on it, and it is building up all the time.

I also congratulate my hon. Friend on securing a very important debate about an issue that is of great concern among the public. I wanted to ask him about the lessons from overseas countries where blood transfusion services have been privatised and where it is standard to pay for donated...

I also congratulate my hon. Friend on securing a very important debate about an issue that is of great concern among the public. I wanted to ask him about the lessons from overseas countries where blood transfusion services have been privatised and where it is standard to pay for donated...

I thank the Minister for clarifying that there will be no sell-off—no privatisation—of the national blood service. Some Opposition Members are concerned that if there was some privatisation there would be a drop in donations, which is something that no one in the House would wish. Hopefully, Members on both...

I thank the Minister for clarifying that there will be no sell-off—no privatisation—of the national blood service. Some Opposition Members are concerned that if there was some privatisation there would be a drop in donations, which is something that no one in the House would wish. Hopefully, Members on both...