NHS Redress Bill [HL]

moved Amendment No. 24:"Page 3, line 40, at end insert—" ““(   )   requiring proceedings under the scheme to be conducted within a fixed period of time”” The noble Baroness said: My Lords, speaking as a Liberal Democrat I consider the Division result a landslide. We are clearly on our way and the Minister must be duly terrified. In Grand Committee we discussed at considerable length what was meant by the scheme being a speedy and efficient means of enabling somebody who has had an adverse incident with the NHS to achieve redress. The Minister has set out in his full and helpful letters more of the Government’s thinking on the matter. However, the amendment has been tabled because one matter is still outstanding. Unless there are specified time limits under the scheme there could be a tendency for matters to drift. From our discussions in Grand Committee it is clear that none of us wishes that to happen. We wish this to be a speedy and yet satisfactory process for patients and for the trusts themselves. In Grand Committee the Minister commented that that could be achieved by acknowledging the importance of each stage of the process under the scheme being governed by time limits. He explained that provision was made for that in Clause 4(2)(c). He added that, should it become apparent after consultation with stakeholders that an overall time limit for the conclusion of proceedings under the scheme would be appropriate, the general power set out in Clause 6(1) would be sufficient to allow the Government to introduce such a time limit. However, Clause 4(2)(c) as drafted does not provide for time limits for proceedings to be concluded although it specifies that the scheme may make provision for time limits to be commenced. That implies that a specific period of time may be stipulated for people who wish to avail themselves of the scheme to start proceedings, and that failure to do so within that time may mean that they lose the right to do so. However, the Bill does not make clear that there should be a requirement for proceedings under the scheme to be not only commenced within a given time but also concluded within a time limit. If the scheme is to operate in such a way, there is a good case for making that clear in the Bill. I beg to move.