---

Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust

And he deserves to do so, Mr. Deputy Speaker. I am grateful to him for the role that he has played in bringing his concerns to me and to the Minister of State, and for the discussions that we have had. The hon. Gentleman asked about "full justice". As the Prime Minister said earlier, individuals can make their complaints directly through a process of investigation. As for the fundamental question of whether it was right to hold a private inquiry, I have two points to make. I have to balance the need to ensure that the hon. Gentleman's local trust takes immediate steps to improve the quality of care that it provides for his constituents. I see that as my fundamental duty: above all else, I must help people today in the quality of care they receive. I accept that others may not agree, but it was my judgment that an inquiry of this nature was more likely to get to the bottom of the issues more quickly, so that the trust could focus on the job of improving patient care. I also refer the hon. Gentleman to Robert Francis's comment that he believed he received more from the public and staff because of the nature of this inquiry. The same level of privacy is clearly not justified in a national inquiry, however, which is why I say in the terms of reference that the presumption is that it should be conducted in public.