Commissioner for Older People (Wales) Bill [HL]

moved Amendment No. 3:"After Clause 8, insert the following new clause—" ““RESEARCH AND EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES (1)   The Commissioner may, in connection with any of his functions— (a)   undertake or commission research; (b)   give assistance to another to undertake or commission research; (c)   carry out or commission the carrying out of educational activities; (d)   give assistance to another to carry out or commission the carrying out of educational activities. (2)   In this section, ““assistance”” includes financial assistance.”” The noble Lord said: My Lords, I shall speak first to government Amendment No. 3 before turning to government Amendments Nos. 6, 14 and 17, all of which concern the commissioner’s ability to undertake or commission research and educational activities. On Report, my noble friends Lord Prys-Davies and Lord Rowlands expressed clearly their wish to see provision made in the Bill for the commissioner to undertake research and educational activities. The Government’s position was that the Bill as drafted already gave the commissioner the power to do so. However, we have listened carefully to the views put forward, and acknowledge the concern that there should be no uncertainty about the commissioner’s powers to undertake such research. I have therefore tabled a new clause, which makes express provision for the commissioner to undertake, commission or provide assistance, including financial assistance, for research or educational activities in connection with any of his functions. Naturally, in those instances where the commissioner’s functions are restricted to devolved fields, it is only appropriate that his power to undertake research and educational activities is similarly restricted. There are three areas of the Bill to which the need for such a restriction is pertinent: the examination of cases, the making of reports and the conferring of supplementary functions on the commissioner. These restrictions are dealt with by way of Amendments Nos. 6, 14 and 17 respectively. I beg to move.