---

Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Bill

moved Amendment No. 171A: 171A: Clause 111, page 72, line 46, at end insert— ““( ) In this Chapter ““national improvement target”” means a national target for improvement designated by the Secretary of State in respect of which there shall be a maximum number of 35.”” The noble Baroness said: My Lords, this part of the Bill moves us on to the vexed question of targets. It is extremely welcome that the Government are lowering the targets, and that has been picked up by local authorities. However, they are very anxious that in reducing the number of targets, a cap is set on the number that the Government will be able to set. The number ““35”” has stuck in everyone’s mind as the maximum that should be imposed from above, though it is recognised that there will also be local targets. Rather than leave the matter of how many targets are going to be set by the Secretary of State, we are proposing that there should be an upper limit of 35 in the hope that it will eventually come down to fewer than that. This would give a clear indication that the Government fully intend to see that the number is lowered, and will go below that, rather than leave it at an unspecified level for the foreseeable future. That is the reason for the amendment and I beg to move.