Camphill Scotland seeks MPs backing for Brexit health and social care concerns Bill
Type: NewsTopic: Brexit | Policy and legislation
Published on: 10th January 2019
We are delighted that over 90 organisations across the UK are supporting the European Union Withdrawal (Evaluation of Effects on Health and Social Care Sectors) Bill. This private member’s bill, which was introduced by Brendan O’Hara MP, on behalf of Camphill Scotland, the ALLIANCE (Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland), SCVO and other partners will be formally debated on 25 January 2019 in the House of Commons.
The Bill is not about whether or not Brexit is a good or a bad thing. We believe the Bill is necessary to determine the full impact of Brexit upon the health and social care sector across the 4 Nations. The Bill would help to ensure that the strategic planning and decision making of Governments and other bodies involved in planning and delivering health and social care services is fully informed and shaped by robust evidence.
When commenting on the Bill Mr O’Hara MP said:
Individuals, charities and organisations are all, understandably, extremely worried that the poorest and those least able to defend themselves, will be hardest hit by Brexit.
My Private Members Bill seeks to provide a safety-net as well as degree of reassurance whereby no later than one year after the UK has left the European Union, the Secretary of State will undertake an independent evaluation of the effect Brexit has had on the health and social care sectors across the United Kingdom.
The UK Government has nothing to fear from my bill. It simply seeks to provide transparency about how those likely to be hardest hit by Brexit are actually faring. I think it is informative and un-contentious, while providing a necessary safeguard to inform both the government and the public as to the reality of Brexit.
2 actions you can take to support the Bill
- Ask your organisation to sign up in support of the Bill, and help us to secure 100 supporters by 25 January. Contact Robert McGeachy, Policy and Engagement Manager to add your organisation’s support.
- Write to your local MP to request that they support the Bill. You may wish to adapt this letter template (in support of Camphill) or adapt this more general letter template.
Further information
The Bill is based on an Amendment to the Brexit legislation tabled by Joanna Cherry MP which was narrowly defeated in the House of Commons, and was subsequently tabled by Lord Stephen and by Baroness Jolly for further consideration in the House of Lords.
The Bill was introduced after Prime Minister’s Question Time on 14 November 2018, which you can watch here.
