Clause 40 - Short title, interpretation,commencement and extent

Part of NHS Reform and Health Care Professions Bill – in a Public Bill Committee at 3:00 pm on 13 December 2001.

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Photo of Simon Burns Simon Burns Shadow Spokesperson (Health) 3:00, 13 December 2001

May I just correct something? We fully understand that the powers to set up PCTs are not in the Bill. We have never said that; PCTs were established under the Health Act 1999. The Minister does not seem able to grasp that. Perhaps I am not making myself clear enough. Without going into great detail, the 1999 Act provided the statutory power for PCTs to be established on a voluntary basis.

The Minister said that by October next year every area will have a PCT and a strategic health authority. That is a complete change from the current system, and 75 per cent. of the funding will go to the PCTs. That situation is a consequence of the Bill, even though it does not create it. Many PCTs are in a fragile state. That is not a criticism, because they are new bodies finding their feet and establishing themselves. Some of them have not yet even become PCTs, so they are even more fragile.

We are simply saying that instead of ensuring that every area has a PCT by October next year and that they are getting the 75 per cent. funding and carrying out the functions envisaged under the Bill, the Government should leave it for another six months to give them a breathing space to bed themselves in and to gain more experience and expertise to be able to carry out those functions.

The Minister says that we are against all this, but he is a fair man, so he should admit that we are not opposed to the concept of PCTs and never have been. We did not fight the last general election on a policy of getting rid of PCTs. It is unfair for the Minister to draw the conclusion that we are against PCTs per se, and it would be gracious of him to recognise that. We simply think that they should have a little more time to bed in and establish themselves before taking on this massive transformation in their roles once they start receiving the money to provide local health care.