Draft Health and Social Care Act (Northern Ireland) 2022 (Consequential Amendments) Order 2022

Peter Kyle Excerpts

Monday 17th October 2022 General Committees

[Peter Kyle (Hove) (Lab)]

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mrs Murray, for the first time, and I hope not for the last. I also commend the Minister for his maiden statutory instrument speech. It was magnificent.

This should be a short and uncontroversial debate. We support the measures that the Government are taking to ensure that our Westminster legislation matches the Northern Ireland Assembly’s Health and Social Care Act. The Act passed by the Assembly provided for the dissolution of the regional Health and Social Care Board, transferring its functions to the five Northern Ireland health and social care trusts.

I pay tribute to the officials who have been working hard to identify the 25 Acts that now have out-of-date references and need to be updated. It is good that devolved government allowed Northern Ireland representatives to legislate on health earlier this year. Northern Ireland of course has particular challenges in health: there is a serious problem with waiting lists in Northern Ireland, in both primary and secondary healthcare. People in Northern Ireland deserve a functional Government who can deliver for all communities on health and social care.

The draft order stems from a devolved policy area. We support restoring the institutions in Northern Ireland so that more Acts can be passed there. The Labour party cherishes the Belfast/Good Friday agreement and believes that its functions and the principles that underpin it represent the best way forward for Northern Ireland. I thank the Minister and you, Mrs Murray.