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Health and Social Care Bill

I was tempted to intervene a little earlier, when the noble Earl, Lord Howe, was challenging the linguistic quality of a provision. I have often been accused of being a pedant in relation to my defence of the purity of the English language. I feel uncomfortable when I read a split infinitive, and even more uncomfortable when someone says, ““This data is””, not recognising that ““data”” is plural and that it should be, ““These data are””. I am uncomfortable, I have to say, with this ugly phrase, ““NHS provider””, which might be construed as meaning that the provider is providing the National Health Service. I appreciate that it may be that in other parts of this and comparable legislation the term is used and has become hallowed by usage. Having said that, I feel just a trifle uncomfortable with the amendment proposed by the noble Earl and the noble Baroness, Lady Cumberlege, because to replace ““NHS provider”” with ““provider of NHS care”” suggests that all that the NHS provides is care. As we were reminded just a few moments ago by the noble Baroness, Lady Tonge, the NHS is supposed to provide preventive medicine as well as care. I would feel more comfortable if the amendment suggested inserting ““provider of NHS care and services””, which would clarify the matter much more satisfactorily.