Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Bill

Let me bring the Minister back to the issue of inspections. With all due respect to him, he is creating a number of Aunt Sallies and then knocking them down. Does he not accept that where patient forums have been successful—for example, in putting the spotlight on cleanliness or quality of food—the power to enter and inspect premises has often been the key? The major concern of a number of patient forum members is that if we do not allow that power to inspect, LINKs will in many respects become toothless organisations, because they will not have the power to monitor services against set guidelines that should apply to patient care. As many Members have argued, if we take away the inspection powers, it makes for a meaningless organisation.