Health and Social Care Bill

The Ministers comments have been most helpful, so far as they have gone. Taking on board the comments made by the noble Lord, Lord Greaves, it will be helpful, when he writes in response to this evening’s debate, to stipulate how the new arrangements will differ from what is currently available to commissioning by PCTs or by other groups. The voluntary sector works very well, by and large, with the current commissioning bodies and finds that it is viewed as good quality and value for money, by and large, though not all the time. The difference in the arrangements needs to be clarified in that letter so that people can really understand if there is a difference and where it is, and also to allay the fears which are quite widespread in the voluntary sector, as was stated so clearly by the noble Baroness, Lady Armstrong.