[Part II]
Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Bill
6:30 pm
Mr Chris Grayling (Epsom and Ewell, Conservative)
The last few minutes have served to confirm the impression I had from the first moment I read the Bill: much of it is a complete mess. If the problems that I have highlighted today are not to arise, it can only be because the debate that we had previously was well founded: the regulator will not usually intervene to decide one way or the other, and the word of the Secretary of State will be final. If the regulator does have the final say, this potential mess will be made real. I shall not push the matter to a vote, but I place on record that that the Government are creating a problem for themselves. It is no doubt an issue to which we shall return, but I am deeply surprised that Minister cannot recognise the pitfalls. I beg to ask leave to withdraw the amendment.
Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.