"My Lords, it is far easier to develop a code of practice over time and change it in the context of changes in the environment. It is much more difficult to change a law by statute, which means it has to be brought back into both Houses of Parliament, so …..." Baroness Blackstone - View Speech
"My Lords, I declare an interest as the chair of one of the medical royal college’s trusts. I want to speak to this group of amendments, taking into account the medical profession. I entirely agree, and I am sure that the vast majority of doctors will also entirely agree, that …..." Baroness Blackstone - View Speech
"My Lords, my noble friend the Chief Whip has rightly pointed to the lack of progress we are making on this Bill. Part of the problem is not how much time we spend on each amendment, but the number of amendments that have been put down, which is unprecedented. I …..." Baroness Blackstone - View Speech
"I was not going to interrupt the noble Lord, but his last remark does lead me to interrupt him. I do not think there is anybody who backs the Bill because they think it is more expensive for people to continue to be treated. Nor do I think it is …..." Baroness Blackstone - View Speech
"My Lords, I will speak very briefly to support what the noble Baroness, Lady Boycott, has just said. As the Minister knows, I very strongly support the Bill and welcome it, but it seems that there is a gap here.
"My Lords, I wonder whether we can now hear from the Front Benches. We have had a long discussion about these issues and have moved into the danger of repetition. We have already had a response from the sponsor of the Bill too, so I think it is now the …..." Baroness Blackstone - View Speech
"May I finish what I am saying? My noble and learned friend Lord Falconer of Thoroton has already made the concession that he would like very much to discuss this point. Will the noble Baroness please go straight to the compromise she is proposing, rather than referring to various other …..." Baroness Blackstone - View Speech
"My Lords, I congratulate my noble friend Lord Whitehead on joining this House. He and I worked together in the 1997 Labour Government, when he was an enormous support to me. I know he will make a huge contribution to the House.
"We have given an enormous amount of time to looking at safeguards. The noble Lord just totally denied that and said that we have to begin all over again. We do not. This debate has regrettably been characterised by too few of the speakers giving any consideration at all to …..." Baroness Blackstone - View Speech