Introduced by Lord Beaumont of Whitley (Green), the Bill would compel the secretary of state to draw up a plan to prohibit piped music and the showing of television programmes in public areas of hospitals.

The Bill also requires those listening to music in the same area to wear headphones.

During second reading, Lord Beaumont argued that 'piped music', should be banned, stating that 'all unwanted noise raises the blood pressure and depresses the immune system. For some medical conditions, such as tinnitus, noise is actually very painful.'

He believed the Bill was important if hospitals were to remain 'places of restful calm'. In summing up his argument for the banning of piped music, Lord Beaumont pointed to a 1995 survey of blood donors which found 'that playing piped music made donors more stressed before giving blood and more depressed afterwards.

Lord Addington began his counter-argument by stating that he was not fully convinced 'background music, piped music, canned music is that bad.' He instead believed that some form of distraction for people waiting in hospital is required. He argued that 'things go wrong in hospitals, and TV screens or a little music allow you to switch off, not because the music is to your taste but often because it cuts down the amount of background noise.'

Earl Howe positioned himself as an advocate of peace and and quiet, yet felt that this Bill was 'a major step for the Secretary of State to tell NHS managers how to run their hospitals or, to be precise, their hospital waiting areas.'

Baroness Royall of Blaisdon felt that while she personally 'detested piped music', she did not believe it is a matter for regulation. She stated that 'our focus must be on the health and safety risks that cause greatest injury or ill health. Extending regulation into low-level risk areas would almost certainly attract much criticism and be suggestive of a nanny state. It would also add to the burdens on the NHS.'

The Bill was ordered to be read a second time, and committed to a Committee of the Whole House.

House of Lords

First reading: January 15 2007 [HL Bill 26]

Second reading: March 16 2007

Committee of the Whole House:

• 1st day: April 17 2007

Third reading: April 24 2007

House of Commons

First reading: April 25 2007