Off-patent Drugs Bill

Peter Dowd Excerpts

Friday 6th November 2015 Commons Chamber

[Paul Flynn (Newport West) (Lab)]

rose—

[Peter Dowd (Bootle) (Lab)]

rose—

[Alistair Burt]

I will deal with these two interventions, and then, if colleagues do not mind, I will have to make progress.

[Alistair Burt]

I have known the hon. Gentleman for a long time, and that last bit was rather unworthy of him. I have not seen anything from the ABPI, but having picked up this measure from my colleague, the Under-Secretary of State for Life Sciences, dealt with the evidence, as I have seen it, and had conversations with officials, I am perfectly convinced.

[Peter Dowd]

I have been sent here by my constituents, and the Minister said on his website, in response to a constituent regarding the Assisted Dying (No. 2) Bill:

“I believe that human life is intrinsically valuable and sacrosanct.”

I respect that view, but does he not agree that having rejected that Bill just a few weeks ago, this House has a responsibility, through this Bill, to facilitate, without reticence, access to medicines that would give practical and humane effect to the will of this House for those who have a terminal illness or for the prevention of that terminal illness?

[Alistair Burt]

Yes, of course. Why would a Government not wish to do that? I quite understand the hon. Gentleman’s point. I am trying to explain that that is exactly what happens now, and that to suggest otherwise carries a degree of risk.