NHS (60th Anniversary)

Considering the occasion, the purpose of the debate, the nature of the motion that we have tabled and the way in which I am introducing it, that was a wholly inappropriate response. As far as I could tell from listening to it, it was probably inaccurate, but it was difficult to say. In the 60 years since the establishment of the national health service, it has been under the stewardship of Conservative and Labour Governments—Conservative Governments for 35 years and Labour Governments for 25 years. In that time, the NHS, for all its vicissitudes and the ups and downs that it has suffered, has none the less exhibited continuous gain, from the point of view of the people of this country. It has benefited us individually and collectively and remains part of the glue that holds society together. From the point of social solidarity and a sense of security in this country, it is immensely important to people. Conservative Members know—as do all hon. Members—how much we rely on the NHS. I suspect that many of us, from all parties, have occasion to visit other countries—I am thinking especially of America—where the experience of people visiting their health services is too often of worrying about whether they can pay for their care, what the circumstances will be if they become chronically ill and whether, if they visit an accident and emergency department, they might first be asked for their insurance policy or visa number. We do not have those experiences in this country. We have a sense of equity and an understanding that, as part of our social solidarity, we are collectively committed, through taxation, to providing a comprehensive health care service, free at the point of delivery and based on people's need, not their ability to pay. Those principles are unchanging, even though policies may change or be debated. I do not believe that we disagree about the principles.