HL Deb 15 April 1985 vol 462 cc432-3

2.50 p.m.

Lord Kilmarnock

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question standing in my name on the Order Paper.

The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government, in view of recent remarks by Mr. Kenneth Clarke, the Minister for Health, to indicate how and to what extent they propose to stimulate the growth of the private sector in primary health care.

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health and Social Security (Baroness Trumpington)

My Lords, the future provision of primary health care, including the role of the private sector, is being considered in the context of the Green Paper which the Government intend to publish later this year. I cannot pre-empt that information.

Lord Kilmarnock

My Lords, is it not the case that the Government have been promising publication of this Green Paper since the summer of last year—that is to say, for nearly 12 months? Is it not also the case that the Minister for Health, Mr. Kenneth Clarke, at the Financial Times conference on private health care said that he wanted to encourage the development of private care in the family doctor sphere? Would it not be a good idea if the Government brought forward the paper so that we could have a full and free discussion of those important matters?

Baroness Trumpington

My Lords, we believe that it is better to get the contents of the Green Paper right rather than hurry to get it published by some preordained date. In answer to the second part of the noble Lord's question, I would say that our approach to private health care is based on two beliefs. One is the fundamental principle that people should have the right to spend money on health care if they want to do so. The second is that private medicine poses no threat to the National Health Service. On the contrary, the existence of a thriving private sector strengthens the National Health Service and does not weaken it.

Lord Ennals

But is the noble Baroness aware, my Lords, that the vast majority of general practitioners have expressed the view, through the British Medical Association, that they are not in favour of privatisation within the field of primary health care? Is she aware also that there is a deep sense of concern among general practitioners about a whole range of rumours such as that they will be paid by voucher and other suggestions that there will be advertising by general practitioners, one against the other? Does she agree that those rumours which create such concern would be removed if the Green Paper were published quickly? There has been a long delay. Can it not now be published?

Baroness Trumpington

My Lords, in reply to the noble Lord, Lord Ennals, I would say that I have just answered that very point. However, with regard to the question of vouchers, as my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Social Services has already made clear in another place, the Government have no plans, and never have had plans, to introduce a voucher system. Noble Lords will simply have to await the publication this year of the Government's Green Paper to see what proposals emerge.

The Earl of Lauderdale

My Lords, will my noble friend not agree that in this matter, as in many others, many of the rumours seem to stem from the Opposition?

Baroness Trumpington

My Lords, in answer to my noble friend I would say that that may be his opinion.

Lord Kilmarnock

My Lords, will the noble Baroness not agree that the whole purpose of a Green Paper is that it is a document for discussion? It is not intended to have matters right. It is something that we can discuss and we can try to decide between ourselves whether or not it is right. Is that not the reason for publishing it?

Baroness Trumpington

My Lords, it seems to me that the noble Lord, Lord Kilmarnock, has just himself answered the question that he put—that discussion in order to get it right is exactly what is going on.