Health Bill [HL]

I declare an interest as chair of the Care Quality Commission, and welcome Amendment 27 in the name of the noble Baroness, Lady Barker, at least in respect of the dreaded list. The list in the amendment replicates the list that is already in the Bill in terms of who would be consulted on the review of the constitution, and it is vital that that list is the same as the list for the review of the handbook, for the very reasons that the noble Earl, Lord Howe, outlined. In fact, the more important document is the handbook rather than the constitution, because it puts flesh on the bones of what the entitlements are. I declared my interest because the amendment would mean that the Care Quality Commission, which under the Bill is already statutorily consulted on the constitution, would also be consulted on the handbook. It would be inconsistent if we were to be a statutory consultee on the constitution but somehow evaporated in the face of the handbook. We welcome the incidental implication of the amendment of the noble Baroness, Lady Barker.