Health Bill

23 juin 2026

Sommaire mis à jour le 23 juin 2026

Members examine clauses 1–3 on abolishing NHS England and integrating its functions into the Department, with the Minister outlining accountability, workforce implications and projected £1 billion savings, before turning to clause 4 on strengthening the Secretary of State’s duty to tackle health inequalities and wider social determinants. The Committee debates competing amendments on cross‑government responsibilities, data and transport access, hears the Minister’s defence of the existing drafting and existing cross‑government work, and then concludes clause 4 and opens clause 5 on patient choice.

Committee mar. 23 juin 2026 Début réel 10:10 House of Commons

15:37 - 15:58

Intervenant 2

We are now sitting in public and the proceedings are being broadcast, so I'll remind all members again please to turn your phones to silent. And we continue with the debate on group one. I was about to call the minister to respond to that debate unless any other member wishes to contribute. I see none, in which case, Minister.

15:58 - 16:00

Intervenant 1

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

16:00 - 17:11

Intervenant 3

And casting my mind back to before the weekend, where I think we did have quite a wide-ranging debate on these clauses. But I think, as I said, a substantial agreement about the central proposition to abolish NHS England. And I pay particular tribute to my friend the honorable member for Lichfield, who succinctly put his finger on the key issue here, that it's fundamentally right that people and their elected representatives should be able to hold ministers for account for the performance of the health service, and it's right that ministers should have the tools to be able to make the changes that are needed. And NHS England's abolition is a necessary result of restoring that principle. The debate also raised a number of questions, a substantial number of which we will address during the course of this committee as we go to the relevant clauses.

However, I'll pick up a couple now. And can I reassure the right honorable member for Melton and Syston that the government does take the impact of this process on staff seriously. We'll be treating people with the care, respect and fairness they're owed through this process now and in the months ahead. We're also committed to consulting with recognized trade unions and have a joint partnership forum to support that ongoing engagement. And more broadly, we recognize that change of this type, it's never easy.

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