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Health and Social Care Bill

My Lords, I, too, support the noble Earl, Lord Howe, in his amendment. My support relates to our previous discussion about inspection. The bodies would have to co-operate over resources for inspection. One aspect of resourcing inspection is that it is inevitable that where those resources come from will have a bearing on people’s perception of independence. If it is felt that inspection will take place depending on how many resources are put at the disposal of the inspectors by people who have to co-operate over what resources are made available, I fear that there could be problems. Therefore, I hope that before this co-operation on resources takes place, resources for inspection will be ring-fenced so that they are not subject to the negotiation which is the subject of this part of the Bill and of the noble Earl’s amendment.