Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Bill

The tenor of the debate is interesting. The noble Baroness, Lady Sharp, more than once used ““insult””, but it was an insulting speech that she made. Her inference was that the Government, by ignorance or malice, are producing legislation that not only fails to take into account the need of the people but is inhibiting good people from doing good work at a local level. I do not subscribe to that view at all. I do not have as much experience in local government as many of those who have spoken, but I have some. After many years, I have come to the conclusion that a rosy picture is painted of what is wanted by the people—the ratepayer, the foot-soldier or those who are led. In many instances, it is the leaders who are irritated; they want more power, in the belief that that is populist. I do not think that that is necessarily so. In practice, I have sadly come to the conclusion that I have misled myself, and others have misled themselves, into believing that the people are full of ideas and they are simply waiting to be stimulated by an invitation from those who are in charge. This Government have recognised faults from the past, some of which were their own, and are making a genuine attempt to improve the situation. I would be interested to hear from the Minister whether the ideas in the amendment are practical and realistic. If they are not, we have to take account of that. If they are, I very much hope that she will give a nod in the right direction. Sadly, we should not delude ourselves too much that the people of any local community in this country are being stifled from putting forward their ideas. In any community there are good people—politically, socially and environmentally—who take an interest in how their community is governed, managed and financed, but the vast majority are, if I can use the word kindly, apathetic. They are simply willing to be led by those who are elected. We all know about the decline in the number of people who vote in elections. I very much hope that the Minister can be helpful to the House, but the tenor of the speech of the noble Baroness, Lady Sharp, was an insult to the Government and I resent it.