Professor Allyson Pollock:

I cannot see the members and unfortunately can only see myself but I will continue.

The decision to have a universal public health care system always is political and that of course is what the committee is doing.

Many countries have decided that universal health care, by which I mean access to services on the basis of need and free at the point of delivery, is the hallmark of a civilised society and that it is necessary and affordable for governments to legislate for their citizens to that end. The question of how much any country should spend on public health care is inextricably linked to the chosen model of funding and provision, the degree of marketisation and how much risk selection and denial of care a government is prepared to tolerate in its health system.