David Amess

Conservative Party | Southend West

Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Bill

This speech was part of a debate in the House of Commons.

Mr. David Amess (Southend, West): This Bill marks the beginning of the end for this dreadful Government. The reason that I say that is that the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Prime Minister have clearly fallen out big time. Were I to look back on the Conservative years in government, I would reflect that things were never quite the same when our Prime Minister and our Chancellor fell out. As I watched presidential questions on the monitor in my room in the House of Commons, it was interesting to observe the body language between the Prime Minister and the Chancellor of the Exchequer when foundation hospitals were mentioned. It was clear that the Chancellor did not want anything whatever to do with the proposals.

Of course, what we are seeing today is a complete charade - the Labour party is split from top to bottom and it has only itself to blame. Having observed closely its 18 years in opposition, it was clear that all that it used to do was to use the health service as a political football. As soon as an adverse outcome occurred, it would blame the Conservatives. Of course, Labour Members of Parliament were past masters at spreading poison. We heard that from a speech a little while ago when the word "privatisation" was mentioned. What absolute hypocrisy. If Labour Members are worried about voting for this Bill because they think that it is privatisation, they do not know the first thing about privatisation. There is no doubt about it: the Government have got themselves into this mess because of the way that they behaved during 18 years in opposition.

The star ratings system for hospitals, as the Secretary of State knows only too well, is a complete fiasco. It is one of the biggest Government fiddles that I have ever seen. I have absolute proof of that from managers: how is it possible for a hospital to achieve a three-star rating when the same consultants work at other hospitals that are given one or two-star ratings? The system is absolutely meaningless.

Of course, this dreadful Government are completely obsessed with targets. It is a pity that the Secretary of State did not set himself a target for what he has done since he took over from the right hon. Member for Holborn and St. Pancras (Mr. Dobson), who made a very interesting speech. When the right hon. Member for Holborn and St. Pancras spoke, Labour Members fell quiet. They seem to remain quiet when one of their number makes a speech that is anti-Government but when a Conservative does so there is some noise - [Interruption.]

The proposals are completely watered down, and the reason is that the Secretary of State has spent all his time in little meetings with his colleagues, listening to their concerns and trying to find out how to buy off the 124 Members who signed the early-day motion. The result will be interesting. The Bill will do nothing to improve patient care.

I am proud to be a member of the Select Committee on Health. Our excellent Chairman, the hon. Member for Wakefield (Mr. Hinchliffe) is not in the Chamber at the moment. The Secretary of State's evidence to the Committee on 4 March was wholly inadequate. When I challenged the right hon. Gentleman on NHS staff, he dismissed the point as though all was well. I mentioned that "Agenda for Change" specified that

"while zero and one star trusts will be limited to any extra recruitment and retention premiums they are able to pay staff and two and three stars will not be limited but will have to consult other local trusts, foundation trusts will not be subject to any of these safeguards."

I asked him how poorer performing trusts would be able improve when the balance was tipped so firmly against them. With the disarming technique that the right hon. Gentleman employs when he comes before the Select Committee, we got between 10 and 15 minutes of soft soap but absolutely no answer. I am still waiting for the Secretary of State to write to me, as is my hon. Friend the Member for Woodspring (Dr. Fox), who posed the right hon. Gentleman several questions during the debate on 9 January. My hon. Friend has tabled 50 parliamentary questions, many of which have not yet been dealt with.

Earlier, the hon. Member for Wakefield mentioned four points from the Health Committee's report. If hon. Members do not have time to read the whole report, there is a one-page summary. The whole all-party Committee agreed the report and our concern about the outcome of the Government's proposals was obvious.

We all applaud the national health service, but the idea that the Labour party invented and continues to sustain the NHS - [Interruption.]

Mr. Deputy Speaker: Order. The House must do the hon. Gentleman the courtesy of listening to him.

Mr. Amess: The idea that only the Labour party supports the NHS is completely disingenuous. Labour Members should be absolutely ashamed of their behaviour over many years. Of course, the challenges are enormous, but the Government came into power suggesting, "Vote Labour and you'll save the national health service". They have signally failed to do that. Members will have read the castigatory briefing from the Royal College of Nursing, which criticised the Bill, especially the fact that the regulator will not be independent.

As usual, we hold our debates in the House and pat one another on the back for our speeches supporting the Government or otherwise. However, last Thursday, we had the local government election results. In Essex, we went Conservative. Labour was thrown out in Castle Point and in Basildon, and the Liberals were thrown out in Chelmsford. People no longer trust this -

David Taylor (North-West Leicestershire): On a point of order, Mr. Deputy Speaker. I wonder whether you could interpret the relevance of these comments to the subject under debate.

Mr. Deputy Speaker: The hon. Gentleman can leave these matters to the Chair.

Mr. Amess: People no longer trust this Government. Yes, socialism was defeated in 1992, but the third way has been well and truly rumbled by the British people. This is a rotten Bill and I hope that the House will vote against it.