Government offers NHS olive branch
The Government has offered a fresh olive branch to critics of its NHS Bill with a new pledge to re-examine a controversial plan to boost health service "autonomy", PoliticsHome has learnt.
Health minister Lord Howe has written to fellow peers to confirm that he will look again at clauses in the NHS and Social Care Bill that cover the Health Secretary's "duties" and "autonomy" of service providers.
It is understood that the Government will now avoid a vote on both key issues at Committee Stage and will return with fresh wording at Report Stage. The move may finally kill off any Lib Dem rebellion in the Lords, some insiders believe.