RE: RE: The real reason why the bill was postponedRather than further speculate I thought better:
I emailed Anne Leduc and requested a reconciliation between their release and the hemo release:
Below is her response:
FROM PLI TO UK CONTACTS:
As you can see from the articles attached, the Haemophilia Society put out press releases following Friday’s postponement of the Bill to February 26th. I watched the archive video of the House of Commons session and now have the Daily Hansard minutes (page 40) that state the following:
Business without Debate
CONTAMINATED BLOOD (SUPPORT FOR
INFECTED AND BEREAVED PERSONS) BILL
[LORDS]
Motion made, That the Bill be now read a Second time.
Hon. Members: Object.
Bill to be read a Second time on Friday 26 February.
There is no other statement other than the WHIP objecting. I am trying to obtain clarification on what this means exactly.
My feeling is that the Haemophilia Society pushed forward with these press releases to ensure that this issue did not lose the public momentum it had garnered over the last while.
Can you give me your interpretation on this event?
This is the reply that came to us directly from our lobbying contacts in the UK and is their take on what happened at Friday’s House of Commons session.
RESPONSE TO PLI FROM UK CONTACTS:
Your analysis of the situation is correct and the press releases are, as you say, likely to be a way of keeping up publicity for the Bill.
As the articles in the email suggest, the Bill was unlikely to receive a second reading on Friday. The House of Commons only allocates a certain amount of time to debate Private Members Bills and this Bill was at the end of the listing so highly unlikely to have time to be debated.
It is not necessary to read anything into the objection in Hansard; this is no more than Parliamentary procedure as there was no time for the Bill to be debated, not a statement on the Bill itself.
The majority of Private Members’ Bills don’t make it into statute and this Bill has not yet received any signs of support from the Government. As such, whilst the Bill presents a good opportunity for debate on blood safety, it is unlikely that the Bill will become law.
The Bill will have a new Second Reading on 26th February.
I hope that this offers clarity on this issue.
Regards,
Anne