Clause 45 - Care Trusts where voluntarypartnership arrangements
Health and Social Care Bill
11:30 am
Mr John Hutton (Minister of State, Department of Health; Barrow and Furness, Labour)
Let me correct the right hon. Gentleman. If he has read clause 45 carefully, as I know that he has, he will know that we are not talking just about primary care trusts. There is also the possibility of NHS trusts becoming the foundation from which the new care trusts will be constructed. The details of the Government's arrangements are still subject to consultation between the LGA and other interested parties. I know that the right hon. Gentleman wants me to announce today the exact proportion of local government representation and NHS representation on the board of each trust. I am not in a position to do that, as he well knows. I repeat, for his benefit and that of the Committee, that we want those arrangements to represent a fair and sensible balance between the interests that local government naturally have in these issues and the provision of NHS services by the care trusts. That will be the subject of ongoing discussions. I am sure that we will come to a sensible conclusion and that those arrangements will be reflected in the regulations and guidance.