ATC180327: Report of the Portfolio Committee on Health on the National Health Laboratory Service Amendment Bill [B15B – 2017] (National Assembly – section 76), dated 27 March 2018

Health

Report of the Portfolio Committee on Health on the National Health Laboratory Service Amendment Bill [B15B – 2017] (National Assembly – section 76), dated 27 March 2018.
 

The Portfolio Committee on Health having considered the National Health Laboratory Service Amendment Bill [B15B – 2017] (National Assembly – section 76), referred to it, reports as follows:

 

The National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS) Amendment Bill [B15 – 2017] was referred to the Portfolio Committee on Health on 24 May 2017. A call for public submissions was made by the Committee. The Committee considered written and oral submissions from the National Education Health and Allied Workers Union (NEHAWU). Subsequently, the Committee deliberated on the Bill on 07 and 20 March 2018.

 

Following extensive deliberations, the Committee agreed to the Bill with the following amendments:

 

CLAUSE 5

 

1. On page 3, from line 39, to omit paragraph (d).

 

1. On page 3, in line 41, to omit “(e)” and to substitute “(d)”.

 

1. On page 3, in line 47, to omit “and”.

 

1. On page 3, in line 48, after “epidemiology” to omit “.” and to substitute “; and”.

 

1. On page 3, after line 48, to add the following paragraph:

 

 

(e) one representative from organised labour.

 

 

 

CLAUSE 6

 

1. On page 4, in line 5, after “(c)” to omit “(i)” to “(iii)”

 

1. On page 4, in line 5, to omit “and (d)” and substitute “and (e)”.

 

1. On page 4, in line 9, to omit “section 7(1)(e)”and to substitute “section 7(1)(d)”.

 

 

CLAUSE 12

 

1. On page 5, in line 27, after “Service” to insert “and determine his or her remuneration”.

 

1. On page 5, from line 39, to omit subsection (6) and to substitute:

 

(6) The Board, in consultation with the Minister, may designate an employee of the Service to act as chief executive officer—

 

(a) if the chief executive officer is unable to perform his or her functions as chief executive officer; or

 

 (b) during a vacancy in the office of chief executive officer.

 

CLAUSE 13

 

Clause rejected.

 

NEW CLAUSE

 

1. That the following be a new clause:

 

Substitution of section 18 of Act 37 of 2000

 

13. The following section is hereby substituted for section 18 of the principal Act:

 

‘‘Finances of Service”

 

18. (1) The Minister, in consultation with the Minister of Finance, must prescribe a financing mechanism for the Service in order to ensure that the Service is adequately and sustainably funded and thereby enabling the Service to achieve the objects of this Act.

(2) The Service is funded through—

(a) money appropriated by Parliament on such terms and conditions as the Minister, with the concurrence of the Minister of Finance, may determine;

(b) fees collected for services rendered;

(c) income earned on surplus moneys deposited or invested;

(d) grants, donations and bequests made to it;

(e) royalties; or

(f) money received from any other source.

(3) The Service must charge such fees for services rendered that are not covered by the financing mechanism contemplated in subsection (1) as prescribed by the Minister, after consultation with the Minister of Finance”.

 

CLAUSE 14

 

Clause rejected.

 

NEW CLAUSE

 

1. That the following be a new clause:

 

Repeal of section 20 of Act 37 of 2000

 

14. Section 20 of the principal Act is hereby repealed.

 

CLAUSE 18

 

1. On page 7, in line 13, to omit “2017” and to substitute “2018”.

 

 

Report to be considered.