Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Bill

My admiration for Essex knows no bounds. It is at the leading edge of practically every new initiative. It is a wonderful example. The CAA will be a crucial piece of local evidence. I hear what the noble Lord said about not wanting anything heavy-handed or clumsy. The whole point of moving away from the comprehensive performance assessment is to settle on a methodology that will cover risk, to ensure that the right things are being inspected and in the right way, and not to overburden authorities. Over the next two years the Audit Commission will work with other inspectorates to develop a detailed methodology for the comprehensive area assessment. I am delighted to know that Essex will be there, with the guidance of the noble Lord. The aim is to introduce that by April 2009. As we have to trial what will be possible and effective and to ensure security and the right amount of risk, it is not the kind of thing that we can have in place in time for the new-style local area agreements. However desirable that might be, we have to bow to reality and ensure that when it is introduced, it is as good, robust and sensitive as it can be. It is a very important process. The LAA and the local improvement targets must reflect the analysis. However, they are only one of a number of plans and sources of data that local authorities and partners will wish to consider when looking at their performance. I agree with the noble Lord that we do not want to create a rigid and bureaucratic process that details all sources of evidence in primary legislation or imposes an impossible timetable. It is more appropriate that that link is outlined again in the statutory guidance that will accompany the Bill. I take the point made on the previous amendment about guidance. One of the reasons why we put out the statement of intent was so that noble Lords had some sense of the detail and direction. I hope the Committee found that useful and that the noble Lord will be able to accept that explanation on his amendment.