To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to introduce legislation to give the Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health the power to (a) commission and (b) provide independent complaints advocacy. [108995]

There are no plans to give the Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health (CPPIH) any powers to either commission or provide independent complaints advocacy (ICAS).The intention is that primary care trusts patients' forums will commission or provide ICAS when they have established their networks and capacity. As an interim measure, when Section 12 of the Health and Social Care Act 2001 is commenced, the Secretary of State has the power to arrange for the provision of ICAS and the Department shall be working with the CPPIH to put in place national coverage with specialist complaints support providers from 1 September 2003. To support this system, we intend to give the CPPIH powers to manage this interim contract.