US ambassador says NHS could be part of future trade deal with the States

As American President Donald Trump arrives in the UK for his three-day official state visit, there has been controversy over comments made by the US ambassador at the weekend suggesting NHS contracts would be part of a future UK/ US trade deal.

In an interview with the BBC Andrew Marr show yesterday, US ambassador, Woody Johnson, was asked whether the NHS would be part of any future trade negotiations with the States. He replied: "I think the entire economy, in a trade deal, all things that are traded would be on the table."

When asked if that meant healthcare too, Mr Johnson said: “I would think so.”

However, health secretary Matt Hancock has ruled this out, and fellow cabinet member Jeremy Hunt also added his voice to the debate this morning, telling the BBC’s Today programme: “Yes. Matt is absolutely right. I can’t conceive of any future prime minister, for any party, ever agreeing that we would allow NHS procurement to be part of trade talks, because the NHS as a publicly-run, publicly-owned institution is part of our DNA.”

Mr Hunt, who was Mr Hancock’s predecessor as health secretary, added: "That’s not to say that pharmaceutical products, drugs, those kind of things which are freely traded between countries could not be discussed. But the ownership of the NHS, and NHS services, I can’t imagine that ever being part of a trade deal.”

The President’s official state visit has been surrounded in controversy ever since it was first announced earlier this year.

The President who arrived at Stanstead airport earlier today will be discussing with Prime Minister May, in the last days of her premiership, what a future trade deal with the US could potentially look like and will also meet with the Queen during his three day visit.