Health and Social Care Bill – in a Public Bill Committee at 1:15 pm on 31 March 2011.
I beg to move amendment 699, in clause 245, page 202, line 24, leave out from beginning to ‘about’ in line 26 and insert
‘The Secretary of State must, at least once in any review period, exercise the power under subsection (1)(b) by requesting the Information Centre to give the Secretary of State advice’.
With this it will be convenient to discuss Government amendment 700.
The amendments arise from evidence that the Government have heard. We have listened carefully to comments made outside the Committee and will continue to do so.
The NHS Confederation supports the amendments, and its members told us that the overlap and duplication of requirements to provide information can be a problem for NHS organisations. Its report on the burdens of bureaucracy, published in 2007, reflects that view. It told us:
“We are pleased that Ministers have listened to this concern and will create a new requirement for this to be reviewed every three years.”
It continued:
“We would also urge the Government to ensure that the Information Centre or the Department of Health has adequate powers to ensure its findings are put into practice when information is being collected.”
I am pleased to be able to reassure the confederation. Under subsection (4), all health and social care bodies given advice under the section must have regard to that advice. The amendments add a useful provision to ensure that every three years the Information Centre conducts a review of the burdens that data collections might have placed on the system, and they are welcomed outside the Committee.
Amendments made: 700, in clause 245, page 202, line 28, at end insert—
‘( ) For the purposes of subsection (3) a review period is—
(a) the period of 3 years beginning with the day on which this section comes into force, and
(b) each subsequent period of 3 years.’.
Amendment 701, in clause 245, page 202, line 32, at end insert—
‘( ) A person (other than a public body) who provides health services, or adult social care in England, pursuant to arrangements made with a public body exercising functions in connection with the provision of such services or care must, in providing those services or that care, have regard to any advice or guidance given to the person under this section.’.—(Paul Burstow.)
I have just been passed a note, but I have not had a chance to read it—[ Interruption. ] It is not from the Prime Minister, so Government Members can stand down. May I have the chance to read it, Mr Hancock because it is relevant to the clause—you might have seen it passed to me about 20 seconds ago? [Hon. Members: “Who is it from?”] It is from the NHS Confederation, and since we have just heard that an amendment has been made as a result of the confederation, I want to make sure that I know what it says before I speak to the clause.
Order. Rather than take a moment, I think it would be better if the hon. Lady read it out to everyone.
I would rather read it first.
Order. Then I am in the hand of the Committee. Is it the wish of the Committee that we adjourn for a minute or so to give the hon. Lady time to read the note? I hope that I have given her time to do so by asking that question. The answer is no, so I will not suspend the sitting.
I was at the Bar for 20 years and during that time I learned a very important lesson: one should never get to one’s feet to speak on something that one does not know about. I have lived by that rule, and when I get to my feet to argue a case, I try to ensure that I understand it. Since I have not had a chance to read my note, I am not in a position to tell the Committee whether the NHS Confederation has any comments on the Government’s amendments.
I am sure the hon. Lady has been here long enough to find a chance in the next two and a half hours to introduce whatever the confederation said.