Opposition Day debate on the National Health Service
17 July 2012 (updated on 17 July 2012)
Shadow Secretary of State for Health, Andy Burnham moved an Opposition day debate in the House of Commons on Monday 16 July on the National Health Service
The motion in the name of Andy Burnham called on the Government to "honour pledges on NHS spending in the Coalition Agreement, and the commitment that future savings will be reinvested into the NHS front line, and to return at least half of the underspend to the Department of Health budget."
Secretary of State for Health, Andrew Lansley, responded on behalf of the Government. The House divided and the motion was defeated on division (Ayes: 228, Noes: 303).
Watch and read the views expressed by MPs during the debate on Parliament TV and in Commons Hansard. Also find parliamentary material on Health Services in the Topics and News sections.
- Parliament TV: Opposition debate on the National Health Service
- Commons Hansard: Opposition debate on the National Health Service
- Topics: Health Services and medicine
- News: Health Services and medicine
Opposition day debates
Opposition days are days allocated in the House of Commons in each session for the discussion of subjects chosen by the Opposition. Seventeen days are at the disposal of the leader of the largest opposition party to decide which topics are debated. Three days are also allocated to the other smaller opposition parties.
The Opposition generally use them to raise questions of policy and administration. Frequently, two separate subjects are debated on an opposition day.