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NHS Redress Bill [HL]

My Lords, the noble Baroness will not be surprised to discover that we do not support this amendment. We think it unnecessary in the light of the existing powers that we have taken in Clauses 4 and 5. I set out many of the reasons in previous areas, and will not detain the House much longer on this issue. I am happy to set out the arguments again for her in writing, in the hope that it will reassure her. We discussed the duty of candour in Committee, and the noble Baroness has drawn our attention to it again. Just to remind the House, both the GMC and the Nursing and Midwifery Council are independent, self-regulatory bodies and, after consultation with key stakeholders, it was not considered appropriate for the Government to require either body strictly to enforce an additional duty of candour. We did not lightly cast aside the proposals in Making Amends. We consulted very carefully on that issue and what I have just described is the outcome of those consultations.