Health Bill [HL]

Like the noble Baroness, Lady Cumberlege, I declare an interest as chair of the Care Quality Commission, which in 36 days will become the only regulator in the world covering both health and social care. I hope that it will be able to play a role in some of the issues that the noble Baroness raised. On a technical point on the amendment proposed by the noble Baroness, Lady Barker, the list in Clause 2(2) contains two different sorts of organisations—first, providers of care on either a regional or a local basis and then, at the end, the two regulators, Monitor and the Care Quality Commission. It would be slightly strange if this requirement, which is really about local accountability and the local joining up of services, also caught up the two regulators in the process. That would probably need amendment. The regulatory bodies are established on a national basis to do their task—and it would probably be at odds with the Care Quality Commission’s role in particular in assessing the performance of local authorities on their adult and social care responsibilities. I would not contest the principles that the noble Baroness, Lady Barker, is espousing of the need for drawing up close working arrangements at a local level. I hope that the new comprehensive area assessment process will play a role in ensuring that that happens. But on the technical point, I do not think that the two regulators should be caught up with this.