Statistics and Registration Service Bill

moved Amendment No. 192: 192: Clause 40, page 18, line 14, after second ““information”” insert ““— ““(a)”” The noble Earl said: I shall also address Amendments Nos. 194, 196 and 198. As the Committee will be aware, Clauses 40 and 41 sanction the disclosure of patient registration information to the board—such disclosure duly constrained by subsections (3), (4) and (5). So far so good. Obviously, such data will be invaluable in preparing population statistics. Neither do I doubt that the terms of Clause 36(3) leach into those two clauses. To the extent that they do, that is both welcome and useful. However, given the extreme sensitivity of personal medical information, the same level of protection as exists under Clause 36 should apply to those two clauses and should be expected in the drafting. Hence the amendment. I beg to move.