On Tuesday the House will debate the report of the Select Committee on Intergovernmental Organisations dealing with controlling the spread of infectious diseases. (House of Lords paper 143-1 Session 2007-8). As I was the chairman I will initiate the debate and then it is open to all members to participate including members of the ccommittee. A government minister will reply to the debate.
The report received a lot of publicity last year in this country and overseas and will be of interest to all those concerned with contagious diseases especially TB, HIV, Malaria, Influenza. It also deals with the interaction between many of the international and intergovernmental organisations dealing with disease.
http://www.parliament.uk/parliamentary_committees/lords_press_notices/pn210708igo.cfm
I’ve read most of the report and some of the government response of 22 Oct. I usually in trying to see the influence of a Cttee for two things, what criticisms are made of or about the present policy(s) and what if any policy(s) does the government accept will change.
I’m not sure after reading it I’m much the clearer. Too much of the official response is motherhood and apple pie generalities and platitudes that it’s hard to discern policy change. I do hope the debate itself, and peers hopefully teasing straightforward language out of the minister will help to clarify what will change.