My Lords, I rise briefly to express my strong support for Amendment 58A. I used to teach my medical students and my postgraduates by telling them that today’s discoveries in basic medical science bring about tomorrow’s practical developments in patient care. Surely this is what the amendment is about. If I were to be pedantic, I would prefer a change in the wording to:
“The HRA shall also have the function of promoting the translation of research into innovative practice”.
That is preferable to simply “encouraging” it. Again, I am happy to support the amendment.