Care Bill [Lords] – in a Public Bill Committee am 10:00 am ar 28 Ionawr 2014.
Clause 86, on appointments to the unitary board, relates to executive and non-executive members. My concern is, how will we guard against conflicts of interest of executive and non-executive members and will that be made clear in guidance at any stage? Is there a duty of candour—to coin a phrase—on executive members? Will the Government make it plain in any guidance they choose to lay before the House that conflicts of interest will be addressed and guarded against?
I thank the shadow Minister for that question. It is clearly essential that conflicts of interest are avoided. There is no formal statutory duty of candour that applies to the Care Quality Commission; the duty of candour is to apply to providers of care. I am happy to write to the hon. Gentleman to confirm the process for the appointments of executive and non-executive directors of the CQC.