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Health and Social Care Bill

We contend that the Bill already provides for the Care Quality Commission to be able to undertake exactly such reviews if it feels the need to do so. I was saying that we would agree to consider Amendment No. 89 and clarify how the commission is able to make recommendations. I hope that I have been clear on the importance we attach to these reviews and investigations. Of course, the commission has a whole range of important functions apart from its review functions, not least establishing and operating the registration system. The commission will have to decide how best to allocate its resources appropriately in order to fulfil all its statutory obligations across health and social care. I understand that Amendment No. 83 stems from a concern that the commission’s operating budget may reduce its capacity to undertake this kind of work, particularly in relation to social care. However, the operating envelope that we have agreed for the commission in 2009-10 supports our commitment to rationalisation and reduction in unnecessary regulatory burdens across government. This is based on the findings of the Hampton review and the work of the Better Regulation Executive. Both the Healthcare Commission and CSCI are operating within a similar budget in 2008-09 and have already achieved significant reductions in their running costs without sacrificing their programmes of reviews and studies. There is no reason why the Care Quality Commission’s budget should restrict its ability to carry out this activity as well, for either health or social care. Members of the Committee should note that, as a last resort, it would be possible under Schedule 1 for the Secretary of State to attach conditions to the funding he provides to the Care Quality Commission. However, fundamentally, it should be for the commission, as an independent body, to determine how it allocates the resources available to particular functions. I hope that these reassurances will be sufficient to allow Members of the Committee to withdraw their amendments.