Member

Finally, I am aware that Mr Speaker is provisionally minded to select the official Opposition’s new clauses 142 and 143 for separate decision, so I will briefly outline my concerns about them. New clause 142 seeks to politicise a drug trial in a way that is unprecedented and inappropriate. Drug trials must be protected by objective ethical and medical safeguards, and it is vital that they are undertaken in a way that follows a rigorous, accepted and predictable scientific process that prioritises the safety of patients. Baroness Cass has outlined her concerns about the misinformation surrounding this trial in her letter to all MPs, which was sent before the summer recess—I strongly recommend that all MPs read that letter. Allowing politicians to override objective ethical and medical safeguards would be a dangerous precedent to set, particularly in a world where vaccine deniers and anti-science fantasists have a clear route to getting their hands on the levers of power. As always, we stand firm in believing in an evidence-based approach, and argue strongly against the risks of political capture when we should be led by the science.