I absolutely concur with my right hon. Friend. For the record in this House, I pay tribute to our colleagues in the Lords for their achievements and their efforts in securing some of the protections for the NHS that we are debating today. There was absolutely no mention of education...

I absolutely concur with my right hon. Friend. For the record in this House, I pay tribute to our colleagues in the Lords for their achievements and their efforts in securing some of the protections for the NHS that we are debating today. There was absolutely no mention of education...

I will finish this point. However, under the Bill, clinical commissioning groups—the newest bodies in the NHS, and with the least experience—will have the weakest corporate governance of any public body in the country. They are required to have only two lay members. However, there has been no reassurance in...

I will finish this point. However, under the Bill, clinical commissioning groups—the newest bodies in the NHS, and with the least experience—will have the weakest corporate governance of any public body in the country. They are required to have only two lay members. However, there has been no reassurance in...

There have been 1,000 Government amendments to this disastrous Health and Social Care Bill—374 in the other place alone—and it is unacceptable that elected Members in this House have been given so little time to debate amendments that will affect patients and the public in every constituency in England. It...

There have been 1,000 Government amendments to this disastrous Health and Social Care Bill—374 in the other place alone—and it is unacceptable that elected Members in this House have been given so little time to debate amendments that will affect patients and the public in every constituency in England. It...

I am going to finish this point. The Minister of State, the hon. Member for Sutton and Cheam (Paul Burstow), said that all and any changes to those provisions were ““unnecessary””, and denied that there was any lack of effective governance. I would remind Liberal Democrat Members that the Minister...

I am going to finish this point. The Minister of State, the hon. Member for Sutton and Cheam (Paul Burstow), said that all and any changes to those provisions were ““unnecessary””, and denied that there was any lack of effective governance. I would remind Liberal Democrat Members that the Minister...

I am simply arguing in amendment (a) that the same robust mechanisms that exist in local government should apply in this case. The hon. Gentleman will have to have a conversation with his own Ministers about what they have said in response. The potential for conflicts of interest under the...

I am simply arguing in amendment (a) that the same robust mechanisms that exist in local government should apply in this case. The hon. Gentleman will have to have a conversation with his own Ministers about what they have said in response. The potential for conflicts of interest under the...

I start by sharing with hon. Members a letter to the Prime Minister on 13 March from Malcolm Alexander, who is the chair of the National Association of LINks Members, the national body representing 150 statutory independent local involvement networks that promote the public and patient voice in health and...

I start by sharing with hon. Members a letter to the Prime Minister on 13 March from Malcolm Alexander, who is the chair of the National Association of LINks Members, the national body representing 150 statutory independent local involvement networks that promote the public and patient voice in health and...

I would encourage the hon. Gentleman to read the Opposition Front Bench amendment tabled in the House of Lords which set out how we could have a separate independent body with clear lines of accountability to local healthwatch organisations. That is the policy of the Opposition. Unfortunately, however, that amendment...

I would encourage the hon. Gentleman to read the Opposition Front Bench amendment tabled in the House of Lords which set out how we could have a separate independent body with clear lines of accountability to local healthwatch organisations. That is the policy of the Opposition. Unfortunately, however, that amendment...

I thank my hon. Friend for her, as always, powerful and eloquent description of the realities of the Bill.

I thank my hon. Friend for her, as always, powerful and eloquent description of the realities of the Bill.

No, I am not giving way to the Minister. Although I have said that a number of amendments in the group make minor improvements regarding NICE and the functioning of the information centre, they are overwhelmingly—

No, I am not giving way to the Minister. Although I have said that a number of amendments in the group make minor improvements regarding NICE and the functioning of the information centre, they are overwhelmingly—

On a point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker. Is it in order for the Minister who moved these particularly important amendments, which will abolish a statutory organisation, HealthWatch, to be absent from the debate? If it is in order, is it not a huge discourtesy to Members on both sides...

On a point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker. Is it in order for the Minister who moved these particularly important amendments, which will abolish a statutory organisation, HealthWatch, to be absent from the debate? If it is in order, is it not a huge discourtesy to Members on both sides...

I have told the Minister that I am not giving way to him. These amendments are overwhelmingly outweighed by the huge change put forward by the Government in abolishing an effective statutory model for healthwatch bodies locally, which was supposed to give patients and the public a strong and independent...

I have told the Minister that I am not giving way to him. These amendments are overwhelmingly outweighed by the huge change put forward by the Government in abolishing an effective statutory model for healthwatch bodies locally, which was supposed to give patients and the public a strong and independent...

The right hon. Gentleman says that there is more to do and that that can be done in regulations, but that is not the case on the amendment that we are being asked to agree, which will abolish local healthwatch organisations as statutory bodies. That cannot be changed in regulations....

The right hon. Gentleman says that there is more to do and that that can be done in regulations, but that is not the case on the amendment that we are being asked to agree, which will abolish local healthwatch organisations as statutory bodies. That cannot be changed in regulations....

The right hon. Gentleman might think that that on its own will protect the system, but as he well knows, I am pointing out what public health professionals are saying. [Interruption.] What I am saying is that the Secretary of State's interpretation of the legislation is not shared by those...

The right hon. Gentleman might think that that on its own will protect the system, but as he well knows, I am pointing out what public health professionals are saying. [Interruption.] What I am saying is that the Secretary of State's interpretation of the legislation is not shared by those...

The point is that the rest of the Bill absolutely trumps that. That is the concern of others—[Interruption.] Conservative Members groan, but people who work in the system say that the Bill—[Interruption.] The hon. Member for Winchester (Steve Brine)has not stumped me. He said that one phrase in a Bill...

The point is that the rest of the Bill absolutely trumps that. That is the concern of others—[Interruption.] Conservative Members groan, but people who work in the system say that the Bill—[Interruption.] The hon. Member for Winchester (Steve Brine)has not stumped me. He said that one phrase in a Bill...

No, I am going to proceed. Let me remind hon. Members that the Bill started out without any requirement for GP consortia—as they were then called—even to have a board to govern their work, let alone any measures to deal with potential conflicts of interest. On 3 March last year,...

No, I am going to proceed. Let me remind hon. Members that the Bill started out without any requirement for GP consortia—as they were then called—even to have a board to govern their work, let alone any measures to deal with potential conflicts of interest. On 3 March last year,...

The fundamental difference is that under the Bill only two lay people will be appointed as members of clinical commissioning groups, and no independence will be involved. Under the old system, lay members of primary care trusts were independently appointed. The degree of independence that provided checks and balances has...

The fundamental difference is that under the Bill only two lay people will be appointed as members of clinical commissioning groups, and no independence will be involved. Under the old system, lay members of primary care trusts were independently appointed. The degree of independence that provided checks and balances has...

Health and Social Care Bill. Programme motion (no. 4) on consideration of Lords amendments and subsequent stages agreed to on division (316 to 246). Lords amendments considered and agreed to.

Health and Social Care Bill. Programme motion (no. 4) on consideration of Lords amendments and subsequent stages agreed to on division (316 to 246). Lords amendments considered and agreed to.

On 26 October 2006, when the Secretary of State was the shadow Secretary of State, he set out his policies on HealthWatch. He said:"““I envisage it as an independent body with a separate funding stream and the right to decide its own agenda of work.””" Does the hon. Gentleman agree...

On 26 October 2006, when the Secretary of State was the shadow Secretary of State, he set out his policies on HealthWatch. He said:"““I envisage it as an independent body with a separate funding stream and the right to decide its own agenda of work.””" Does the hon. Gentleman agree...

Committee stage sixth sitting (afternoon). Clauses 19 to 21, as amended, agreed to. Schedule 2, as amended, agreed to. Clauses 22 to 24, 28 and 29 agreed to, some with amendments. Schedule 3, as amended, agreed to. Committee adjourned.

Committee stage sixth sitting (afternoon). Clauses 19 to 21, as amended, agreed to. Schedule 2, as amended, agreed to. Clauses 22 to 24, 28 and 29 agreed to, some with amendments. Schedule 3, as amended, agreed to. Committee adjourned.

Committee stage first sitting (morning). Programme motion agreed to. Written evidence reported to the House. Motion to sit in private agreed to. Examination of witnesses.

Committee stage first sitting (morning). Programme motion agreed to. Written evidence reported to the House. Motion to sit in private agreed to. Examination of witnesses.