Health Bill [HL]

I welcome the Minister’s valuable assurances on this topic. I am glad that the noble Lord, Lord Walton, intervened to ask about the National Quality Board. Until the Minister replied, I had a feeling that there might be an in-house feel to the National Quality Board. That is clearly not the case, and I am grateful for that clarification. I proposed NICE to be the body that proposed comparator measures because it is a widely respected organisation that works independently from the department and Ministers, the essence of its role being to assess evidence and its validity. Nevertheless, there are other mechanisms to achieve the same end, and we will watch with interest to see how the noble Lord’s plans progress. As with other areas in this Bill, there is a definite feeling of work in progress. I dare say that, when the Bill reaches another place, we may be a little further forward in knowing quite what the shape of things to come will be. This has been a useful exchange. I am grateful to those who have taken part in the debate and beg leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment 39 withdrawn. Clause 6 agreed.