Stop the Saatchi Bill

Driven by an extraordinary two-year PR campaign on social media and a supportive newspaper partner, this all started as Lord Saatchi’s Medical Innovation Bill, metamorphosed through several versions, and was resurrected under a new name by Chris Heaton-Harris, before finally clearing its last hurdle in the Lords this week to become the Access to Medical Treatments (Innovation) Act. Pretty much the only thing they share is the word 'Innovation' in the title.

One day, it may be possible for politicians to ask the people who actually work in the medical field: what are the problems you face, and how can we help you overcome them?

One day, politicians may actually listen to the answers they receive, and thus try to tackle genuine problems rather than imagined ones.

One day, politicians, medics, researchers, lawyers, patient groups, charities, and the public, may work together to overcome the barriers to the development and provision of new treatments.

But it is not this day.

Read more: Not this day

Second Reading of the AMTIB

The Second Reading of Chris Heaton-Harris’s Access to Medical Treatments (Innovation) Bill (AMTIB) in the House of Commons was on Friday 16 October 2015 and lasted over four hours.

It can be watched here:

(Go to Parliament TV for other viewing options.)

The main speakers were:

09:48:30 Access to Medical Treatments (Innovation) Bill – 2nd reading

09:48:36 Chris Heaton-Harris MP (Daventry, Conservative)

10:14:27 Dr Sarah Wollaston MP (Totnes, Conservative)

10:30:55 Heidi Alexander MP (Lewisham East, Labour)

10:45:41 Philip Davies MP (Shipley, Conservative)

11:47:57 Mr David Nuttall MP (Bury North, Conservative)

12:27:24 George Freeman MP, The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health (Mid Norfolk, Conservative)

13:31:15 Chris Heaton-Harris MP (Daventry, Conservative)

13:32:24 Division

The Hansard record of the debate can be read here, continued here.

The Second Reading was passed by 32 votes to 19:

Ayes
Andrew Bingham
Nick Boles
Julian Brazier
Alun Cairns
Christopher Chope
James Cleverly
Philip Davies
Tobias Ellwood
George Eustice
George Freeman
Mark Garnier
David Gauke
Robert Goodwill
John Hayes
Chris Heaton-Harris
George Hollingbery
Philip Hollobone
Kris Hopkins
Margot James
Bernard Jenkin
Robert Jenrick
Marcus Jones
Andrea Leadsom
Wendy Morton
John Penrose
Dominic Raab
Grant Shapps
Henry Smith
Julian Smith
Hugo Swire
Edward Timpson
Edward Vaizey

Noes
Debbie Abrahams
Heidi Alexander
Graham Allen
Peter Bottomley
Lyn Brown
Karen Buck
Neil Coyle
John Cryer
Jim Fitzpatrick
Barry Gardiner
Helen Hayes
Dr Rupa Huq
Rob Marris
Teresa Pearce
Matthew Pennycook
Stephen Pound
Steve Reed
Dennis Skinner
Dr Sarah Wollaston

The Bill will now proceed to Committee Stage, where amendments will be considered.

Meanwhile, Lord Saatchi’s original Medical Innovation Bill is still in the House of Lords, awaiting its Second Reading there.