Off-patent Drugs Bill

Mark Durkan Excerpts
Friday 6th November 2015

(9 years, 1 month ago)

Commons Chamber
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Alistair Burt Portrait Alistair Burt
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After I have dealt with the other interventions, I will deal with the actions since last year’s Bill.

Mark Durkan Portrait Mark Durkan (Foyle) (SDLP)
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We listened to a debate earlier in which we heard about many much-loved fictional characters. This Bill is about real people with real conditions and making real-life differences for them, and we are yet to hear a real argument against it. I remind the Minister of what he said at the conclusion of the last debate about not denying sunshine. Why is he acting as an agent of darkness on this Bill?

Alistair Burt Portrait Alistair Burt
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Because if the message that goes out from this debate is that there is only one way to get these drugs, and if people feel that they cannot get them because of what has been said here, that would be darkness indeed. That is not the truth. That is not the position.