Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
Bill will ‘protect NHS from Boris Johnson’
IAN BUNTING
Airdrie’s MP has backed a Bill to protect the NHS from “being used as a bargaining chip in future trade deals with foreign nations”.
Neil Gray welcomed the introduction of the SNP’s NHS Protection Bill which enshrines in law that all four of the UK’s health services must be “protected as publicly owned and publicly operated, and its services publicly commissioned”.
He said: “The NHS in Scotland – and all parts of the UK – is precious to those who use it and we must do everything we can to protect it.
“While health policy is devolved to Scotland, we cannot currently stop Westminster from signing away our NHS in a damaging trade deal, or entering agreements with other nations that would dramatically push up drug prices or risk our public services.
“That is why I am supporting this proposal for a new law that will protect our National Health Services from Boris Johnson and Donald Trump.
“I will not stand idly by while there is a risk that the Tories will trade away our vital health service for a trade deal with Donald Trump.
“Our NHS has been there to care for and protect us for the last 70 years; now it’s our turn to stand up and protect the NHS.”
Mr Gray has also praised the Scottish Government- owned Scottish Water for supplying its product to users at “considerably less cost” than the majority of its privately- owned English counterparts.
Recent figures show that the average cost of residential water bills in England is £415 per household whereas Scottish householders pay £369 – an 11 per cent difference.
Mr Gray said: “Given all the talk from the Tories and Labour about the SNP Government in Holyrood not getting on with the day job, these figures just show that, where the finances of the general public are concerned, households in Scotland are better off under the SNP.
“Keeping water companies in public hands is far more beneficial to the end users than having private companies charging whatever they wish, as is happening south of the border.”