Health Bill [HL]

I thank the Minister for her reply, and everyone who has contributed to the debate and supported the amendment. I pay tribute to the health team who listened to us patiently—and the noble Lord, Lord Dubs. I listened to them patiently and, uncharacteristically, I did not lose my rag when I had a meeting with them. I just listened carefully to what they said. I have thought and thought about this and feel we cannot simply say that it is the discretion of the medical practitioner to treat or to decide whether or not a situation is an emergency. We know of many examples of people not being treated when they need treatment. Whether it is because doctors do not understand the law or have not read the documents—it is more likely that they have read them but do not understand them—we know of examples of people being sadly neglected, especially, as my noble friend has said, in the case of HIV/AIDS. Of course, the cost must be assessed, but let us know the estimated cost to treat these people. We need some sort of assessment. I have no quarrel with the Department for International Development with which I worked for many years. It is the best department in government. No doubt we shall be called bleeding hearts, Mother Teresa and Albert Schweizer—does anybody remember him? He was my hero when I was at school. The noble Lord, Lord Judd, was so right about the tabloid press. This initially was a reaction to what the tabloid press would say about a stupid government who let people in to use all our health services, and that we are fools to accept it. I am sure that that was the main reason.