Health Bill [HL]

My Lords, this has been a useful debate, and I thank the Minister for his reply. His assurances were welcome. He may like to know that it is not only Diabetes UK that has expressed concern to me about the voluntary principle of direct payments; the RNIB is equally concerned. Its worry is that PCTs might make certain long-term healthcare services available only via a direct payments route. In other words, the patient would have no choice in the matter. Whether that is likely is a matter for debate, no doubt, but the RNIB is clearly worried about it. In those circumstances, the proposed constitutional rights that the Minister has referred to would not be easily enforceable. The RNIB would be much reassured to see the right to refuse direct payments explicitly expressed in the Bill. However, while I have sympathy with that I do not propose to press the point tonight, unless other noble Lords think differently. I beg leave to withdraw the amendment. Some noble Lords objected to the request for leave to withdraw the amendment, so it was not granted. Division on Amendment 23 Contents 46; Not-Contents 61. Amendment 23 disagreed.