Official Report 62KB pdf
We have two agendas, including a supplementary agenda that we will deal with first, as it concerns the Executive's response to the national health service regulations on which we commented last week. We have had the benefit of information on those regulations. Do committee members have any comments that they would like to make? A fairly comprehensive reply has been given in response to our worries about the continued amendments to those regulations and the consideration of consolidation.
The response that we have received from the Executive is quite a full one that addresses the various points that the committee raised. I take on board the questions of cost and practicality that the Executive raises, but I note that it has given us a timetable according to which it intends to issue full consolidations of some of the regulations. In cases where no such plans are provided, we have been given reasonable explanations of why that is so; for example, because further amendments are expected in the next few months. We should note that the Executive's is a full and acceptable response.
The Executive seems to be learning.
We should express our gratitude that the Executive has taken the time to explain matters and that it appears to be working to an agenda. Its response has some basis in fact and explains why it must deal with matters as it does at the moment.