Engagements (Hansard, 22 October 1991)

§ Q4. Mr. Morgan
To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 22 October.

§ Mr. MacGregor
I have been asked to reply.
I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply that I gave a few moments ago.

§ Mr. Morgan
Following the statement by the Secretary of State for Health to the House yesterday, to the effect that it was illegal for NHS patients to be charged for services —except for the three categories prescribed by law —what redress does the right hon. Gentleman, who is standing in for the Prime Minister today, suggest to my constituent, Mr. Charlie Harding of Ely, who was charged £100 for his nebuliser by Llandough hospital's chest medicine department and who is still paying £32 a year for the nebuliser to be maintained? Mr. Harding was torpedoed during world war 2 and is now being torpedoed again by this two-faced Government, who say that charging is wrong but who do not do anything about it? What redress does the right hon. Gentleman have in mind to help Charlie Harding get his money back?

§ Mr. MacGregor
I understand that the health authority has provided the nebuliser on loan and the hon. Gentleman will know —

§ Mr. Morgan
It is a different case.

§ Mr. MacGregor
In one particular case, the equipment has been provided on loan. With regard to other cases, I wish to make the position absolutely clear. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has made it clear that there will be no charges for patients on the national health service and we will look at cases where payments have already been made.

§ Mr. Brandon-Bravo
Like my hon. Friends, I know that my right hon. Friend very much welcomes the statement by the Secretary of State for Health yesterday, especially with regard to our additional provision for residential homes. Will my right hon. Friend note, comment upon and compare our caring approach on residential homes with the approach of the Labour party, whose friends in Nottinghamshire have spent the past six months trying to close the 12 homes in our county?

§ Mr. MacGregor
I agree with my hon. Friend. The policies that we have been pursuing in respect of care in the community, which includes residential homes, have very considerably improved the care and resources devoted to such elderly residents. I am sure that all hon. Members will welcome the additional resources—well above the level of inflation—that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Security announced yesterday for them.

§ Q5. Mr. Canavan
To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 22 October.

§ Mr. MacGregor
I have been asked to reply.
I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply that I gave some moments ago.

§ Mr. Canavan
Will the Leader of the House now settle the dispute between the Secretary of State for Health, who told the House yesterday that it is illegal to charge national health patients for fertility treatment, and the Scottish Office Minister with responsibility for health, who claimed that it is perfectly legal? No matter who is right or wrong with regard to the legal technicalities, will the Government intervene now to ensure that such treatment is available free on the NHS?

§ Mr. MacGregor
The position is absolutely clear. It is illegal for the NHS to charge NHS patients except in the limited respects allowed by statute. The NHS has, of course, never provided every service in every area. It is up 795 to local health authorities to decide local priorities—[HON. MEMBERS: "Ah!"] That has always been the case and it was the case under the previous Government. There is nothing. unusual about that. As I said to the hon. Member for 796 Cardiff, West (Mr. Morgan), if there are specific examples of NHS bodies overstepping the law, we shall investigate them