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Commissioner for Older People (Wales) Bill [HL]

My Lords, the amendment seeks to replace the commissioner’s power to issue best practice guidance in Clause 11 with a duty to do so. That would oblige the commissioner to produce and issue best practice guidance in connection with any matter relating to the interests of older people in Wales. It would be a substantial and onerous duty with significant cost and capacity implications. Our aspirations for the commissioner’s guidance are very much in tune with those of my noble friend. It is an important function, which must be discharged effectively. But the Government consider that it is best achieved by providing the commissioner with the discretion to decide how, when and on what subjects he should issue best practice guidance. We do not want to oblige the commissioner to flood the prescribed bodies with guidance on everything and anything that he looks into; that would surely be unworkable and undesirable. Furthermore, the commissioner will have to set a budget each year, and he will need to make decisions on the most appropriate use of his resources in accordance with his priorities. I hope that what I have said will reassure my noble friend, and I invite him to withdraw his amendment.