---

Commissioner for Older People (Wales) Bill [HL]

moved Amendment No. 18:"Page 13, line 24, at end insert ““and obtain its approval””" The noble Lord said: My Lords, at Report stage, my noble friends Lord Rowlands and Lord Prys-Davies, supported by the noble Lords, Lord Thomas of Gresford and Lord Roberts of Llandudno, made some extremely interesting points about the requirement in the Bill for the commissioner to establish a complaints procedure and consult with the Assembly on it. My noble friends wish to see a provision made not only for the commissioner to consult the Assembly about his complaints procedure, but also to require him to obtain the Assembly’s approval of it. We have reflected carefully on the views expressed at Report stage. Consequently, I have tabled government Amendment No. 18 which addresses the matter. By casting the Assembly in the role of final arbiter of the commissioner’s complaints procedure, instead of the commissioner, the amendment will ensure that the procedure is sufficiently rigorous and impartial. I beg to move.