TUV today published its response to Health Minister Mike Nesbitt’s consultation on policy underpinning the Public Health Bill. The party also challenged the Minister on why he is consulting on mandatory vaccinations if, as today’s Belfast Telegraph reports, he is opposed to such a move.
TUV leader Jim Allister said:
“TUV is in receipt of a large volume of correspondence expressing concerns about the consultation on policy underpinning the Public Health Bill and having studied the proposals in detail we share many of the reservations.
“I was amazed to read Minister Nesbitt’s comments in today’s Belfast Telegraph in which he said, “I am not in favour of mandatory vaccination even in limited and tightly prescribed circumstances.” That is exactly what he proposes in paragraph 143 of the document – a document which carries his name on page 3! The Minister should not seek to patronise the public by telling them that he was always opposed to something which he is himself proposing.
“Consultation is a crucial part of any legislative process as it allows the public to have their say on proposals which legislators plan to bring to the Assembly. If Minister Nesbitt is now saying that he is opposed to mandatory vaccination why is he consulting on the issue? Did he read the document before he published it?”
TUV MLA Timothy Gaston added:
“In our response to Minister Nesbitt’s proposals, TUV highlight a raft of significant civil liberty concerns. In addition to the mandatory vaccination proposal from Minister Nesbitt this document suggests:
* Power to introduce domestic travel bans;
* Power to make regulations which require a person to submit to a medical examination;
* Removing the 1967 Act requirement that a resident magistrate to make an order before a person with a notifiable disease be removed to a hospital and
* A new offence if a head teacher fails to provide a list of the names, addresses and contact telephone numbers for all the pupils of that school, or such group of pupils attending that school as the Public Health Authority require.
“I have today tabled a priority question to Minister Nesbitt asking why he is consulting on mandatory vaccination while claiming in the Belfast Telegraph to oppose the practice.
“Far from being misinformed about what is being proposed by the Minister, reading the document will reveal that many members of the public have a grasp of many of the key issues. Those who don’t should take the opportunity to consider our detailed response – which is footnoted with the relevant sections from the document issued by the Department. It is online here”.