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Personal Care at Home Bill

I thank you for that, Sir Alan. The hon. Member for South Thanet (Dr. Ladyman) is entitled to his opinion, but Help the Aged and Age Concern are equally entitled to theirs, and I know who I would listen to first and foremost when discussing policy of this nature. Turning to the two amendments of the hon. Member for Eddisbury (Mr. O'Brien), I share the concern that there is insufficient clarification of what is meant. The right hon. Member for Charnwood (Mr. Dorrell) has put his finger on the key point: what is crucial to consider is who is excluded by the Bill. It touches only a tiny number of the people who are affected by the problems of the social care crisis, which has been getting worse for many years. In terms of the amendments, however, I have some concerns about the definition offered. Concerns have rightly been expressed about what is meant by extra care housing, but we must also consider the meaning of "sheltered accommodation" and "warden controlled accommodation", which are mentioned in the list in amendment 9. What do we mean by "sheltered accommodation"? Is there an absolute definition of that? I suggest that there probably is not—there certainly is not from a legislative point of view. Is it not possible for someone to buy and own or, indeed, to rent what is clearly their own home in which they live but for it to be subject to some oversight from an organisation and thus fall under the category of "sheltered accommodation"? We are in danger of entering a minefield here, so we must be clear on this issue. As the hon. Member for Eddisbury made clear, this is a probing amendment, so I just ask the Minister to give the Committee clarity. He must show that the Bill and the Government are clear about what is meant by people who are "at home" and need to receive this accommodation. They must make it clear that there is no possibility, in respect of sheltered accommodation, extra care housing or warden controlled accommodation, of people who are clearly living in their own home—in a way that any normal person would recognise—falling outside the remit of this Bill.