The second day of debate on the Government's controversial NHS reforms got under way in the House of Lords with peers preparing to take part in two crucial votes on the future of the plans.
Labour former GP Lord Rea has launched an unusual bid to prevent the Health and Social Care Bill being given a second reading - a move that would kill off the legislation.
If peers reject Lord Rea's amendment they will then be asked to vote on former SDP leader Lord Owen's plan to refer parts of the Bill to a special select committee.
Health minister Earl Howe told peers on Tuesday that Lord Owen's plan, which would require the committee to report by December 19, posed "an unacceptable" risk to the legislation and the Government's health reforms.
Ministers fear the delay threatens to make it impossible to get the legislation through Parliament before the end of the session next April.
On Tuesday Lord Owen denied his amendment was a "blocking measure" and said a select committee was the only way to ensure "the complexity" of the new relationship set out in the Bill between the Health Secretary and the NHS would be properly examined.
As debate resumed, fertility doctor and television presenter Lord Winston said: "This Bill is unnecessary and, I'm afraid to say, irresponsible."
The Labour peer said a lack of co-ordination was "common" in the health service but added: "Unfortunately I don't feel this Bill addresses this issue at all. In fact one of the concerns I have is that fragmentation may actually make it much worse."
He argued that the costs and success rates of the NHS compared favourably with the United States and countries such as Germany and France.
And he said it was tackling issues such as obesity rather than reforming the NHS that would tackle inequalities in life expectancy.
The second day of debate on the Government's controversial NHS reforms got under way in the House of Lords with peers preparing to take part in two crucial votes on the future of the plans.
Labour former GP Lord Rea has launched an unusual bid to prevent the Health and Social Care Bill being given a second reading - a move that would kill off the legislation.
If peers reject Lord Rea's amendment they will then be asked to vote on former SDP leader Lord Owen's plan to refer parts of the Bill to a special select committee.
Health minister Earl Howe told peers on Tuesday that Lord Owen's plan, which would require the committee to report by December 19, posed "an unacceptable" risk to the legislation and the Government's health reforms.
Ministers fear the delay threatens to make it impossible to get the legislation through Parliament before the end of the session next April.
On Tuesday Lord Owen denied his amendment was a "blocking measure" and said a select committee was the only way to ensure "the complexity" of the new relationship set out in the Bill between the Health Secretary and the NHS would be properly examined.
As debate resumed, fertility doctor and television presenter Lord Winston said: "This Bill is unnecessary and, I'm afraid to say, irresponsible."
The Labour peer said a lack of co-ordination was "common" in the health service but added: "Unfortunately I don't feel this Bill addresses this issue at all. In fact one of the concerns I have is that fragmentation may actually make it much worse."
He argued that the costs and success rates of the NHS compared favourably with the United States and countries such as Germany and France.
And he said it was tackling issues such as obesity rather than reforming the NHS that would tackle inequalities in life expectancy.