Section 188 – Transitional arrangements
1157.This section is intended to assist local authorities to transfer arrangements under section 221(1) of the 2007 Act to Local Healthwatch organisations, upon commencement of the provisions amending the 2007 Act. The Secretary of State under subsection (2) may make a scheme to transfer property, rights and liabilities from the current persons with whom arrangements under section 221 have been made to the new Local Healthwatch organisations. Subsections (3) to (9) set out further details in respect of property and staff transfer schemes which may be made. A scheme may make provision for transfer of staff and may make provision which is the same or similar to the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006 (S.I. 2006/246) (subsection (3)). The scheme may transfer property, rights and liabilities, including those that could not otherwise be transferred (subsection (4)). New rights can be created, or liabilities imposed, in relation to the property or rights transferred (subsection (5)). Provision may be made in the scheme about the continuing effect of things a person ("the transferor"- the person from whom the things are being transferred) has done in respect of the things transferred. Provision may also be made about the continuation of things done in relation to the transferor in respect of the things transferred (subsection (6)). A scheme can provide for the continuation of legal proceedings (subsection (7)).
1158.Subsection (8) enables the Secretary of State’s scheme to require a local authority to pay compensation to the transferor and to require the local authority to determine the amount of the compensation or to give powers to the Secretary of State to do so. A scheme may also make supplementary, incidental and consequential provision (subsection (9)).