Clause 15
Health and Social Care Bill
6:30 pm
Stephen O'Brien (Shadow Minister, Health; Eddisbury, Conservative)
I beg to move amendment No. 12, in clause 15, page 7, line 6, at end insert—
‘(1A) Except in case A or B, a person taking action under subsection (1) is entitled to financial compensation.
(1B) the Secretary of State shall by regulations establish the amount of compensation to be granted under subsection (1A).’.
We are now dealing with applications by registered persons. The amendment would enable the registered person to claim back part of the registration fee if he or she were not remaining registered for the duration of the registration period. As drafted, the registered person forfeits any such money if he is advised to cancel his registration. If that is the aim of the Bill, it seems a little unfair. It could be, perhaps at the outside edge, a perverse incentive and if we, as legislators, are to make sure that we keep our eye always on the principle of fairness, it could be something of an asymmetric approach. I hope that the Minister will either give me a satisfactory reassurance or be willing to reconsider the possibility of being able to claim back at least part of the registration fee, when the registered person does not remain registered for the duration of the registered period.