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Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick

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Oral Answers to Questions

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick Excerpts

Murder of Lee Rigby
Tuesday 25th November 2014

(9 years, 5 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Jeremy Hunt Portrait Mr Hunt
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No, I will not support the hon. Gentleman’s Bill.

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick Portrait Ms Margaret Ritchie (South Down) (SDLP)
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Given the uncertainty of the French and German Governments on the investor-state dispute settlement mechanism, as well as the indication by EU Commission President Juncker that he will not back it, why have this Government not done more to protect the health service from a practice that would leave it vulnerable to private sector intervention?

Jeremy Hunt Portrait Mr Hunt
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This is what the EU chief negotiator said to the former Labour shadow Health Secretary, who is chair of the all-party group on TTIP:

“the rights of EU Member States to manage their health systems according to their various needs can be fully safeguarded…There is no reason to fear either for the NHS as it stands today or for changes to the NHS in future as a result of TTIP.”

It could not be clearer than that.

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