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Health and Social Care Bill

I am most reassured by the Minister’s words. I am especially grateful to the noble Baroness, Lady Golding, for her strong support and for having brought such specific examples to the attention of the Committee, because they are very important. I put on record that she has done great service to the probity of investigation of doctors by her investigative inquiries into the matters that she has brought before us. As the noble Baroness, Lady Jones, said, I recognise that the fitness-to-practise panel members have to be independent at the moment; but it was so that we did not revert to the previous situation that I wanted to write that into the Bill. I hope that the Minister's words mean that it will be in the guidance to the panel that they must be independent.