---

Health and Social Care Bill

My hon. Friend raises an important point, although it would be straying outside the scope of the amendments to address the detail of that, and I am conscious that a Member who might well be able to provide an expert answer and who introduced a private Member's Bill is present—the hon. Member for Hendon (Mr. Dismore). I think he would agree with me if I were simply to reassure my hon. Friend that what is best for those who both need the rights and may be in a vulnerable position—particularly in the absence of an independent and trusted body such as the community health councils, which used to be great hand-holders for those charting their way through the labyrinth of the NHS while still vulnerable and in need of it—is best summed up by the term ““an advocate””. What they need is somebody who can on their behalf prosecute the chance for them to exercise the rights and entitlements that come from the broad ambit of a human rights approach to these matters. Given the wider issues, it is a great shame that we have not had the opportunity to explore this issue, or the legislation addressing it, in depth in a Commons Committee stage. I dare say that that sentiment will be expressed by a number of people who have spent a lot of their time seeking to raise the issue in its broader sense. The Solicitor-General, herself a human rights lawyer, talked out the private Member's Bill introduced by the hon. Member for Hendon on 15 June 2007. She could have allowed it the detailed scrutiny and consideration of a Committee stage—I supported that approach, as I know my colleagues were keen to do. As the Government waited until the Lords stages to table these amendments, we have been denied the opportunity of that detailed scrutiny. In discussing this final group of amendments, as the programming constraints that were approved in the earlier motion still give us the time to do, I hope that a couple of hon. Members who have been steadfast in seeking to champion this matter may have the opportunity to catch your eye, Mr. Deputy Speaker. This particular area may thus be linked with so many of the debates that took place on the private Member's Bill.