Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Bill
5:00 pm
Mr David Lammy (Parliamentary Secretary, Department of Health; Tottenham, Labour)
I thought that I had done that. I said that we were changing our direction of travel, very much because of what was said yesterday. The simple answer to the hon. Gentleman's question is yes. The debate that we had yesterday about the new beefed-up inspectorate and the services that it will provide pertains to his point.
To the final accusation that Ministers are losing faith in the independent regulator I reply, not at all. CHAI is an independent inspectorate. It should review health care in the same way for all NHS organisations. The regulator remains responsible for setting and monitoring the terms of authorisation and ensuring compliance with them and with statute. CHAI is just one source of advice and information, which includes the overview and scrutiny committees and the views of the Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health, commissioners and patients, as well as the NHS foundation trusts. The independent regulator will be able to draw on that breadth of opinion, as the Secretary of State does, in respect of NHS foundation hospitals. We have had a lengthy debate on the amendments.
Amendment agreed to.
Further consideration adjourned.—[Jim Fitzpatrick.]
Adjourned accordingly at seven minutes past Five o'clock till Tuesday 10 June at five minutes to Nine o'clock.