THE debate on the report stage and third reading of the Human Tissue Bill took place on Monday.

I found it fascinating and I hope, perhaps too naively, that it may herald a change in Government behaviour!

The standing committee that scrutinised the Bill after the second reading was totally ineffectual. It made no changes of any importance to the Bill despite forceful letters from training and research establishments throughout the country pointing out flaws in the Bill that would have limited training and research without affecting patients' rights or wishes.

The Government with their majority on the committee were determined not to accept amendments put forward by me or opposition MPs so the Bill left the committee in unamended, unworkable form.

I expected it to appear for Monday's debate unchanged. But to my surprise it came back to the House with many sensible Government amendments, some of which virtually duplicated amendments I had tabled.

What led to this belated but welcome acknowledgement that the Government had been wrong in resisting these amendments at committee?

Was it comments by me and other MPs that it is unacceptable for the Government to send Bills to the House of Lords unamended, apparently to leave room for bargaining with the Lords over other amendments unacceptable to the Government?

This prompted me to liken the Government to a second- hand car salesman.

This drew more objections from second-hand car salesmen than from the Government!

It was wrong, I believe, that the Government did not allow a free vote on the matter of conscience, introducing "presumed consent" with safeguards for the use of organs for transplantation.

I am hopeful that the Wyre Forest Birthing Centre review will be published before the summer holidays.

The plans for the developments at the Lucy Baldwin Hospital are proceeding well and the agreed site at Lea Castle Hospital for the temporary day hospital is being improved to add a garden area for patients.

Rumours that repairs are being carried out to the existing Lucy Baldwin buildings are incorrect but workmen are there boarding up windows to prevent vandalism.

It has come as no surprise that Worcestershire's School Organisation Committee was unable to reach a unanimous decision about the proposed closure of Alexander Patterson School.

This means the school will not close at the end of August as planned and the decision will be taken by the Schools Adjudicator, a person appointed by the Secretary of State to resolve disputed issues.

I have written to find out how the school is to be maintained for the new term as I understand that some key staff members have already obtained posts elsewhere.