Health and Social Care Bill

My Lords, I have a vision of meetings in the health world now starting with, instead of prayers, as we have in your Lordships’ House, a brief recitation from the outcomes framework. That seems to be the noble Baroness’s prescription for everything. However, it does not meet the case. We are not seeking to supplant the role of the Chief Medical Officer; we are seeking to augment the resources available to the Chief Medical Officer and the Government as a whole by the appointment of someone senior with the relevant experience across a range of issues mentioned by Members on both sides of the Chamber in this debate which impinge on the health of the nation, communities and individuals. It is lamentable that the Government fail to take sufficient regard to the potential that this has to reinforce the common agenda. It is not a question of in any way diminishing the role of the Chief Medical Officer. I do not know whether the noble Baroness has considered the situation in Wales; I am sure that the noble Baroness, Lady Finlay, would enlighten her and, perhaps, all of us about how effective that post has been. It looks to me as though another opportunity to work together to promote the common agenda is being ignored. Therefore, I regret that I will have to beg leave to withdraw the amendment. We will have to return to the point in future. When, in due course, we have the Secretary of State’s review of what is happening in public health, perhaps we can look particularly at the role of environmental health and how it might best be deployed within the department and across government. That may be an opportunity to do something, not necessarily within the statutory framework—I am sure that an appointment can be made outside the statutory framework—but it is an issue to which we shall have to return. Amendment 33 withdrawn. Clause 12 : Duties of clinical commissioning groups as to commissioning certain health services Amendment 34 Clause 12 : Duties of clinical commissioning groups as to commissioning certain health services Amendment 34 Moved by