General Medical Council: Internal Guidance

Lord Sandhurst Excerpts

Tuesday 17th October 2023 Lords Chamber

[Lord Cormack (Con)]

My Lords—

[Lord Sandhurst (Con)]

My Lords—

[Baroness Williams of Trafford (Con)]

My Lords, my noble friends should come to a gentlemen’s agreement on who is going first.

[Lord Cormack (Con)]

My Lords—

[Lord Sandhurst (Con)]

My Lords—

[Noble Lords]

Oh!

--- Later in debate ---

[Lord Markham (Con)]

I think the noble Lord makes the point very well. I do not think I have anything to add, apart from basic agreement.

[Lord Sandhurst (Con)]

My Lords, the GMC may be independent but it is a creature of statute and should remember that. Parliament can change its statutes at any time. Are we to anticipate that, if the doctors’ regulator —this creature of statute—refers to its female staff, by which I mean women, as chest feeders or people with cervixes, the Minister will make it plain that this language from the medical regulator is unacceptable?

[Lord Markham (Con)]

I am quite happy, as mentioned previously, to talk to the GMC about its use of language, the importance of the use of correct language and the clear feelings of all of us in the House today about women who are women and mothers, and men who are male and fathers. I will leave it to the GMC as to how it deals with staff matters, but I will be very clear on medical issues and the belief of all of us here in this House.