I don't support the amendments, as I believe they're unnecessary. The existing legislation requires the standards to be kept under review. That means they are already subject to regular review, and updated standards are published. There is clear evidence to demonstrate that that has happened. The first set of standards, under the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Act 2003, were published in 2005. They were updated in 2010 and 2015, and of course a review of the current framework is already under way in 2020. So, as you can see, the standards are already reviewed and updated each five years. The NHS does not stand still, so it stands to reason the standards must be kept under review and updated as necessary.

With regard to amendment 37, there is already a duty to consult before publishing or revising the standards. Wide stakeholder engagement and consultation has therefore been, and will remain, a fundamental part of future reviews of the standards, as is required by the Act. Part of consulting is to take the views of consultees into account. A consultation cannot be effective without doing so. The proposed change adds nothing to what is already required by legislation and a well-established process, and I ask Members not to support the amendments.