Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Bill
8:55 am
Dr Evan Harris (Oxford West and Abingdon, Liberal Democrat)
I shall start with a housekeeping matter. I and other hon. Members have had difficulty hearing some of the contributions, probably because the microphones need to be reset.
As regards the programme motion, we believe that at least six sittings are required to discuss part 2 of the Bill. I am still not clear why Wednesday sittings have been proposed. My understanding is that those sittings can be used to complete our discussions on part 1 if we do not make sufficient progress, even with the two extra sittings. I understand that if debate on part 1 finishes in good time, it may not be necessary to have additional Wednesday sittings. However, if it seems that discussions on part 2—to which the Government have tabled important additional amendments—will not be completed on time, the option still remains to sit on a further Wednesday, thus ensuring that the original six sittings proposed for part 2 are retained.
On four occasions we have said that our main requirement is to ensure that there is adequate scrutiny of part 2, particularly on the Commission for Social Care Inspection provisions, which follow the Commission for Healthcare Audit and Inspection provisions and which may be squeezed out. I hope that the Minister will assure us that, come what may,
there will be at least six sittings on part 2, preferably on Tuesdays or Thursdays.