HC Deb 25 March 1991 vol 188 cc608-10
36. Mr. Butler

To ask the Lord President of the Council what information he has on the on-site medical provision for members of other EC Parliaments including the European Parliament.

Mr. MacGregor

Meaningful information about medical facilities in the Parliaments of the European Community is not readily available.

Mr. Butler

Will my right hon. Friend undertake a survey to gather such meaningful information to ensure that we are not the poor relation in that respect?

Mr. MacGregor

I know that my hon. Friend has much interest in those matters, but I do not think that a survey would add greatly to the knowledge which led the Services Committee, the authorities of the House and qualified and professional medical opinion to conclude that a general practitioner service would be inappropriate for the House. All those bodies came to the conclusion that such a service could not operate in accordance with criteria set down by the family practitioner committee, would not operate in the best interests of Members and their relationship with their regular GPs, and would be detrimental to agreed emergency procedures. I assure my hon. Friend that a number of people have studied the matter with considerable care. Having studied it carefully myself, I believe that the right conclusion has been reached.

Mr. Tony Banks

Does the Leader of the House agree that the bulk of Parliament's work is carried on the backs of a relatively small number of assiduous Members of Parliament who rightly complain about the lack of resources and facilities? Will he undertake a comparative study of the facilities available——

Mr. Speaker

Order. Does the question relate to medical facilities?

Mr. Banks

—medical facilities, secretarial facilities, research facilities and other facilities, to see how we compare with other Parliaments in Europe?

Mr. MacGregor

I have already said that I am trying to improve facilities wherever possible. The building in Bridge street will soon be an important additional step. I disagree with the hon. Gentleman's assumption that only a small number of Members carry a heavy load in the House. The vast majority of Members work extremely long hours. Moreover, I do not see how the hon. Gentleman's question relates to on-site medical provision in other Parliaments.

Mr. Winnick

On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. My hon. Friend the Member for Linlithgow (Mr. Dalyell), who takes a different view from mine on the Gulf war, mentioned that the House will not be sitting for two weeks. I should like to seek your advice, Mr. Speaker, because there have been persistent reports that the Saddam Hussein regime is using napalm weapons against the forces fighting in the present civil war. That appears to be in clear breach of international conventions and United Nations resolutions on the Gulf. Would it be right and proper for the House to break up without a statement from the Foreign Secretary? Many of us believe that the allies should give a clear warning to the Saddam Hussein regime that, should such action persist, the allies will have to consider what action to take.

Mr. Speaker

It is not for me to advise the hon. Gentleman on tactics, but if he was here last Thursday he would have heard me say that subjects for the Adjournment debate should be in my office by 10 o'clock this evening. The subject that he mentioned seems an admirable one to raise if he is fortunate in the ballot.