Health Bill [HL]

My Lords, I remember the tremendous struggle six years ago to get the principles of foundation trusts through in the legislation. There is nothing that so warms the heart than the sinner who repents, and I think we give the noble Lord, Lord Warner, absolute absolution because so much has happened in six years. We now have Monitor, terms of authorisation, the mandatory services schedule, contract variations with PCTs, boards of governors on significant decisions, asset disposal locks and consultation. There is now a framework to ensure that the NHS acts appropriately. I can understand the feelings of the noble Lord, Lord Campbell-Savours, but, with a very strong socialist philosophy, one wants to be careful to retain the fairness, the equity and all the things that the NHS stands for. I want to persuade him that in the six years that have elapsed since foundation trusts were established, we have enabled the NHS to do that through the measures I mentioned. I find the logic of this very hard to grasp. Perhaps I am being cynical, but I remember from when I was on the Front Bench that when you are in a hole, you instigate a review. If you have a general election coming up, it is an even better thing to do if you have a policy that is unpopular with your colleagues, your Back Benchers and the trade unions. What is being proposed by the noble Baroness, Lady Meacher, is sensible, logical and fair. It is interim in that 1.5 per cent is arbitrary, but at least we are getting to a greater degree of parity, which the NHS needs. I am working with the NHS a lot at the moment, and there is real concern about the financial situation it is facing. If this brings more money into the National Health Service, we should welcome it.