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We are strengthening the London Assembly's role. The Assembly will be able to set its own budget, publish an annual report highlighting its work and
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Arrangements for appointing GLA employees will change so that most appointments will be made by the head of paid service. The Mayor and Assembly will jointly appoint the authority's three statutory posts.
This package devolves powers from Whitehall to London wherever feasible. In specific cases it strengthens the Mayor's powers in relation to the boroughs where we are convinced this will deliver better co-ordinated strategic services.
It provides a robust and coherent set of strategic powers for the Mayor and Assembly, fulfilling the Government's manifesto commitment. It ensures the capital has the strong leadership it needs as a successful world city to meet future challenges, including hosting the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. It builds on the success of the GLA to date, providing the authority with additional powers to make a real difference to the quality of Londoners' lives.
We plan to implement the changes as quickly as possible. We will introduce a GLA Bill as soon as parliamentary time allows to enact any changes requiring primary legislation. Other changes will be made through secondary legislation or by agreement.
Copies of the policy statement, an accompanying regulatory impact assessment, a summary of responses to consultation and the responses to the consultation exercise have been placed in the Library of the House.
National Statistics: Annual Report
Lord McKenzie of Luton: My honourable friend the Financial Secretary has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
The National Statistics annual report and the Office for National Statistics' annual report and accounts for 2005-06 are being published and laid before the House today. Copies of both documents are available in the Libraries of the House and can be accessed free on the National Statistics website.
NHS: Health Reform
The Minister of State, Department of Health (Lord Warner): Today we are publishing two publications which will take forward our commitment to place patients and the public at the heart of the way our health services are run: Health reform in England update and commissioning framework; and A Stronger Local Voice, which sets out the Government's plans for the future arrangements to support public involvement in health and social care.
The update on health reform sets out a clear vision: to develop a patient-led NHS that uses available resources as effectively and fairly as possible to promote health, reduce health inequalities and deliver the best and safest possible healthcare.
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The centrepiece of today's update publication is a framework for commissioning. It will act as a manual for new primary care trusts to achieve excellence in the way they secure healthcare for their local people.
Commissioning is the means by which we secure the best possible healthcare and outcomes, including reduced health inequalities, within the money made available by the taxpayer. Commissioning itself is not new, but stronger primary care trusts and the acceleration of practice-based commissioning—together with the powerful new set of incentives and mechanisms introduced by the health reforms—provide the opportunity for far more effective commissioning that will benefit patients and taxpayers alike.
Effective commissioning will require:
real community engagement and a stronger voice for patients achieved through increased choice, widespread involvement and greater opportunity to influence changes to services;
clinical engagement through practice-based commissioning; improved information to support commissioning; andcommissioning levers through choice, payment by results and robust contracts.The reorganisation of PCTs, the moves towards universal coverage of practice-based commissioning, and the establishment of the specialist commissioning groups will provide the basic architecture for commissioning NHS services.
The Department of Health will be seeking views from the NHS and partner organisations over the summer on the key proposals to inform final decisions. Views are sought on options for contracting in the NHS, a governance and accountability framework for practice-based commissioning and triggers for petitions.
The framework sets out the development programmes we are making available to all PCTs as they build on the good commissioning practice that already exists. We are also issuing an OJEU notice today to procure a framework agreement and call-off contract which will enable PCTs to draw on private sector expertise to support their commissioning. This does not in any way affect or relate to PCT directly provided services. PCT boards will be entirely free to choose to what extent, if any, they make use of the call-off contract. In all cases the PCT board remains accountable and responsible for all commissioning decisions.
This commissioning framework focuses on commissioning NHS services, and in particular commissioning hospital services. This is the first step
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The commissioning framework is supported by an update on the other elements of the reform programme: choice, provider reform, workforce, system management, tariffs and other financial incentives and information.
Effective commissioning will require real community engagement. The commissioning framework will therefore work alongside A Stronger Local Voice, which sets out the Government's plans for the future arrangements to support public involvement in health and social care.
These include plans to build on patient and public involvement forums through the creation of local involvement networks (LINks). The networks will provide a flexible vehicle for communities and groups to engage with health and social care organisations, and will promote public accountability in health and social care through open and transparent communication with commissioners and providers.
We also plan to simplify and strengthen the legislative requirements currently set out in Section 11 of the Health and Social Care Act 2001, to clarify the duties on all NHS bodies to involve and consult patients and the public on all services they provide or commission. There will be a new duty placed on commissioners to respond to what patients and the public have said.
We believe that the new environment being created by the reforms, using incentives and commissioning, will mean that commissioners become advocates for patients and taxpayers, driving up the quality, fairness, responsiveness and value for money of NHS services.
Copies of all today's publications have been placed in the Library.
Northern Ireland: Sentencing
Lord Rooker: My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (Peter Hain) has made the following Ministerial Statement.
I have today arranged for the annual reports ofthe Life Sentence Review Commissioners and the Sentence Review Commissioners to be laid inthe House. Copies of the reports have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
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