---

Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Bill

The Minister did not respond to the point about the need for pilots. She just said that delaying would not be a good idea. The one reason for allowing a little more time would be to give the Government the time not just to have some more early adopters but also to set up and pilot some LINks in a particular area, really making sure that they can work in the social care and other sectors. It will be incredibly difficult to turn them into effective and efficient organisations—this is tough territory. It will be a pity if, in five years, they are being wound up as yet another failure, but I have to say that it is difficult to anticipate that they will not be in that position unless they are piloted.