Health and Social Care Bill

Debate between Baroness Armstrong of Hill Top and Baroness Williams of Crosby

Monday 28th November 2011 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Armstrong of Hill Top]

My Lords, I might have more to say then too. However, we are dealing with what the Bill actually says and with what the Government said at the end of the pause. They said then that the Bill would “outlaw” Ministers arguing for an increase in the size of the three sector providers—public, private or third sector. That means that they want to preserve aspects of the third sector and of the private sector. However, it also means that it freezes in aspic what is there. I do not think that is in the interests of anyone.

I ask the Minister, so that he can perhaps come forward with replies to this in thinking about the next amendment: what is going to happen to the voluntary sector and social enterprise programme that the department currently runs? It was set up to maximise the extent to which third-sector organisations were able to achieve their full potential. There is also the social enterprise investment fund, which provides investment for social enterprises to start up, grow and develop in order to develop NHS services. There are real rumours that this is being finished and that it will not continue into the future.

[Baroness Williams of Crosby]

Might the noble Baroness consider more closely the actual wording of Clause 144? It refers to the Minister not being able to choose a variation for the purpose of choosing that variation; it does not in any way rule out the possibility of choosing that variation for the purpose of providing better provision for patients. It distinguishes between a direct political purpose and the purpose of doing what we all want, which is to provide a better service to patients. A great deal of what has been said in this short debate about the effect on the voluntary sector would therefore not stand up to very close and careful investigation.

[Baroness Armstrong of Hill Top]

My Lords, that is precisely the sort of reassurance and clarity that we are seeking from the Minister. At the moment there is real anxiety out there about this; whether we like it or not, that is the reality, and it is our job to tease out exactly what Ministers mean because they have given different messages about this.

The third area that I ask the Minister to be clear about is the future of the Health and Social Care Volunteering Fund, which is important as a means of supporting volunteering in the National Health Service. All three of those aspects are currently in the Department of Health and I want to see them continue. I would like some reassurance from the Government that they will continue. That would reassure me and, I am sure, people outside that the Government will continue to see the role of the voluntary sector grow in areas where it is most appropriate for it so to do.