That is very good. I just wondered whether my hon. Friend wanted to respond on new clause 2 before I move on to new clause 3.
New clause 3 proposes to amend section 83 of the 2008 Act, which deals with health and adult social services and with reports for each financial year. The new clause would insert proposed new subsection (2AA), which says:
“The reports under subsection 1(b), (c), and (d) must, in particular, cover the safety of health and adult social care services in England.”
To put that into ordinary language, the purpose is to require the Care Quality Commission to cover safety of care in the annual state of care report. That is hugely important, because it is the narrative to which people will be able to refer in identifying progress on these incredibly important provisions.
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The object of the exercise, as I understand it, is that the CQC’s annual report should cover safety issues. The most recent state of care report, published in October, already does, but it is not currently a statutory requirement. That would be the case if the Government were good enough to agree to the new proposals. It is difficult to conceive of circumstances in which the CQC’s annual report would not cover the safety of care provided by the organisations it regulates. Indeed, a report that did not address this area could amount to a failure by the CQC to discharge its functions. Where that is the case, section 82 of the 2008 Act gives the Secretary of State the power to direct the CQC on how to discharge its functions.
There we have it: both new clauses are a really important move to improve greatly the movement, proposed under the Bill, towards harm-free care in the health service; the direct result of the enormous progress made by the Government in relation to the outcome of the Francis report. I pay tribute to Sir Robert Francis, the chairman of the inquiry, for his very powerful help in all these matters over the years. It has been a tremendous but very difficult experience to be in the front line of the disaster and tragedy that occurred at Stafford hospital. The most important thing is that we should learn the lessons. We have done so and the Bill is an exceptionally good demonstration of that. Above all else, it will help the people—not just those in our constituencies—who have been affected. The Mid Staffordshire public inquiry and report can now be translated into national legislation through this Bill, introduced by my hon. Friend the Member for Stafford, which could not be more appropriate, relevant or significant.
I offer sincere thanks to my hon. Friend, to Ken Lownds, the Minister and all the officials who have played such an active part in ensuring the Bill’s success.
I wish it well on its way. It will make an enormous difference to health care throughout the entire national health service.