"I start by congratulating all those who have made their maiden speeches today. I have listened to some and they have been excellent, as one would expect, from all parts of the House.
I welcome the broad thrust of the Queen’s Speech. Unfettered by coalition partners, we are now free …..." Richard Drax - View Speech
"I know from a meeting that I attended before the debate that the HFEA has said, “PNT involves genetically modifying a human embryo”...." Richard Drax - View Speech
"I am listening carefully to the hon. Gentleman. Everyone in this House wants the best for these families—there is no doubt about that—but it is the speed of the introduction of the regulations that concerns us. As for experimentation, I heard today that no trials are being carried out on …..." Richard Drax - View Speech
"As we know, one cap does not fit all. That applies to the NHS as much as to anything else. In Dorset the clinical commissioning group is reviewing health services and looking for local solutions to local problems. Does my right hon. Friend agree that that is the long-term solution …..." Richard Drax - View Speech
"I congratulate my right hon. Friend on his remarks and thank him for the extra £1 billion for primary care. In South Dorset, I hear many complaints about the agency fees for recruiting staff, which is one reason why trusts tend to recruit nurses from abroad—from places such as Spain. …..." Richard Drax - View Speech
"I, too, congratulate my hon. Friend on this excellent debate. Does it not surprise him that the acute hospitals are not clamouring to keep the community hospitals, which could free up their beds, allowing patients to go home to their local communities, where they are going to get better, not …..." Richard Drax - View Speech
"I am listening attentively to my hon. Friend’s excellent speech. Dare I say, reorganisation in the NHS is not something that I particularly want to address, but is it not common sense for trusts to look again at how best to use what they have, rather than to play with …..." Richard Drax - View Speech
"May I just clarify my concern that administrators can reach out, far beyond where we initially thought they could, into such areas as community hospitals, of which there are several in my constituency? The NHS is in such a financial mess, and getting worse, that these powers will inevitably provide …..." Richard Drax - View Speech
"Rather than looking at administrators and what can be done in the event of a disaster, let us look at Dorset county hospital as a classic case of what to do. It was in trouble and has been turned around, and local clinicians and managers are now talking to the …..." Richard Drax - View Speech
"In Swanage, we too had a consultation that was a disaster. It was binned, thank God, but another one has been started. It is taking a year, if hon. Members can believe it—a year of waiting, cost, experts and so on. This is another problem with the NHS: unfortunately, people …..." Richard Drax - View Speech