Member

There are ways of targeting so that we exclude properties that I presume we do not want to target; perhaps some do, but we on this side certainly do not. We do not want hospitals to have an additional bill to pay when they are already struggling to make ends meet. All this will do is extend waiting lists. If hospitals are having to pay even more for their business rates, folk will wait longer for their essential hip replacements. The Minister said that this measure was going to be fair and sustainable but I bet that, if you asked a hospital trust board whether this will be fair and sustainable, it would say no. I need to hear from the Minister why this Government want to impose—albeit as an unintended consequence of this rough and ready Bill—further costs on our NHS hospitals when we know that they are already struggling financially. I beg to move.