Health Bill

I thank the Government for bringing forward the Bill and I will certainly support it. The only amendment to which I wish to speak is Amendment No. 106, because it affects Wales. The National Assembly for Wales has made it very clear that it has been waiting for this Bill for some time. Indeed, it has undergone a full consultation process both with the population and with members of the pub trade, hoteliers and so on. I find it amazing that, with devolution and with the Government of Wales Act, anyone should now be attempting to tell the Assembly, in even tighter terms, what it should do when we are trying to enhance its powers. The amendment is contrary to the spirit of devolution that this Government have been putting forward in other Bills. I would object very strongly to an attempt to impose a date on Wales when, for some time, Wales has been ready to roll out a policy and in fact has been waiting for this Bill.