Immigrants (NHS Treatment)

Peter Bone Excerpts
Monday 25th March 2013

(11 years, 7 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Jeremy Hunt Portrait Mr Hunt
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I understand my hon. Friend’s sense of unfairness at being asked to pay for her treatment by credit card, when we do not do that to foreign nationals who are treated in the NHS. I do not, however, want the NHS to become a service where the first question people are asked relates to their credit card or cheque book. If we are going to protect that much-cherished principle of NHS treatment, we need to get a grip on the kind of abuse that has run unchecked for far too long.

Peter Bone Portrait Mr Peter Bone (Wellingborough) (Con)
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Does the Secretary of State agree that the House is divided by two schools: the Opposition, who believe that the NHS should not charge anyone, which is why they did nothing for 13 years; and Government Members, who believe that foreign nationals who should pay, must pay.

Jeremy Hunt Portrait Mr Hunt
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I agree, and nothing we have heard this afternoon will give the British public any comfort at all that the Opposition get this problem.