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Older People's Rights (Health Care)

I deal with the issue of complaints in my remarks. We had an extensive discussion on that matter in the Committee that considered the Health and Social Care Bill, despite the difficulty in getting the amendments in order and selected. Does the hon. Gentleman recognise that since the axing of community health councils and their immediate successors—local involvement networks are about to replace forums—there has been concern about the lack of independence for patient advocacy bodies, particularly in relation to NHS care? Those who are vulnerable and need help require an assurance about independence so they can trust the process, rather than thinking it will be an in-house fix. Such independence is still absent from the Government's plans.