Health and Social Care Bill

My Lords, I thank all noble Lords who have taken part in the debate. I have not detected any demurring or a feeling that this was not a useful proposition to put forward; it is extremely important in the nation's health and should be pursued further. I thank the noble Lord, Lord Beecham, for his suggestion of a special health authority. I can understand why that is quite appealing but, on the other hand, I am pragmatic. He said that he wanted to take my amendment a step further; I fear that that would be a step too far. I was trying to build on the concession that we had already been given of having three non-executive members. It is a compromise but I believe that politics is about the art of the possible and I thought this suggestion might appeal to the Government. I thank the noble Lords, Lord Patel, Lord Warner and Lord Turnberg, and the noble Baronesses, Lady Masham, Lady Jolly and Lady Finlay, for staying until this late hour.