Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Bill

I hope that I can reassure the noble Baroness, because there is really nothing perverse or sinister about this clause. It just provides that if, before the commencement of Chapter 1 of Part 1 of the Bill—provisions that relate to structural and boundary change—the Secretary of State issues an invitation, or guidance, or receives or consults on proposals received, she can implement such proposals after commencement of this part. This clause will simply allow us to implement the proposals received in response to the invitation that we issued last October, and which we judge as meeting the criteria to proceed towards implementation. In our second debate today, I went to some pains to assure the noble Baroness that there was nothing retrospective about this clause. It in no way validates or seeks to make lawful things that, before the Bill’s enactment, were not valid or lawful. Yet it has enabled us to undertake the process of invitation and consultation in parallel with the passage of the Bill through Parliament. As I explained, we were warmly encouraged by local authorities to make this process as painless and speedy as possible, and this clause was one way of helping us to do that. It has to be done quickly to minimise the period of uncertainty in any area, or periods when there is sharp contention and debate about the best way forward. It is pragmatic in minimising the scope for potential disruption to local services and effective local leadership. Again, Clause 21 enables us to keep as short as possible the process of restructuring while getting it right. If Clause 21 were removed not only would we have failed in that aim, but I am afraid that we would also have rendered pointless all the activity and effort that councillors up and down the country have devoted to developing and seeking to take forward their unitary proposals, which they feel strongly are in the interests of their local communities. I hope that the noble Baroness is satisfied with that explanation.