Health and Social Care Bill

My Lords, I thank the noble Earl for his lengthy response, particularly in relation to clinical psychologists and clinical perfusion scientists. I am sure that noble Lords will have noted with interest his remarks, and indeed we have had further discussions about it. The debate has shown that there is a weakness in the continuation of voluntary regulation that will not go away. Turning to social work regulation, I must say that I am disappointed by the noble Earl's response. Unless this is a Department of Health contribution to the review of public bodies and it is simply a way of getting the number it is responsible for down, I still do not understand the logic. There is no doubt—here I pay tribute to my noble friend for her sterling efforts, which have been continued by Mrs Rosie Varley—that the General Social Care Council was getting to grips with the issues identified in the review, so I cannot understand why it could not have continued. The advantages mentioned by the noble Earl in relation to the HPC could all have been developed by the GSCC. I come back to the points raised by the noble Baronesses, Lady Howarth and Lady Meacher, about the fragile confidence of the social work profession. Replacing its regulatory body with an all-singing, all-dancing essentially health body is not the best way to give it confidence. On the title, I do not think that a strap-line is good enough. I simply point out to the Minister Clauses 216, 218, 219 and 220, which refer to the health and social work professions order. All the spurious arguments that have been made as to why this body cannot have social work in its title are given the lie by the fact that in this legislation the noble Earl is relying on that order. I would have thought that if the HPC was serious about wanting to develop confidence within the social work profession, it would have agreed to have the words ““social work”” in its title. However, I will not press Amendment 241A concerning the protection of the functions of social workers. Amendment 241 withdrawn. Amendments 241A and 241B not moved. Clause 209 : Training etc. of approved mental health professionals in England Clause 209 : Training etc. of approved mental health professionals in England Amendment 241C not moved. Clause 210 : Orders regulating social care workers in England: further provision Clause 210 : Orders regulating social care workers in England: further provision Amendment 242 not moved. Clause 211 : Abolition of the General Social Care Council Amendment 243 Clause 211 : Abolition of the General Social Care Council Amendment 243 Moved by