Clause 6
Health and Social Care Bill
Public Bill Committees, 15 January 2008, 6:15 pm
Stephen O'Brien (Shadow Minister, Health; Eddisbury, Conservative)
Will the Minister confirm whether CSCI and the Healthcare Commission have had to date the power set out in the clause? What examples can he give of where punishments of fines or imprisonment have been exacted under the equivalent powers for the two current regulators? On the basis of those actions, is this, in the words of Goldilocks, too much, too little, or just right? Does this make sense when applied to both health and social care, or would the courts sort that out? I hope that the Minister will take this opportunity to give a response to those questions.
Ben Bradshaw (Minister of State (Health Services; Minister for the South West), Department of Health; Exeter, Labour)
The powers already exist. The levels of the fines have been increased, as the explanatory notes explain, from £5,000 to £50,000. I cannot give the hon. Gentleman chapter and verse on how many fines have been levied and how many people have been sent to prison. He can ask the existing regulators, or I can ask them on his behalf.