HC Deb 23 July 1946 vol 425 c2005
Mr. Willink

I beg to move, in page 44, line 39, after "defrayed," to insert: by that Committee out of sums paid to them for that purpose. I believe that the object behind this Amendment is in line with the intentions of the Minister, namely, that in Subsection (2) there should be words inserted which would create the position that the hospital management committees pay their own bills, and do not have to send all their bills to be paid by the regional hospital boards. As the Clause stands, it provides that all the expenditure of the hospital management committees—of course, the hospital management committees will be responsible bodies managing very large hospitals or groups of hospitals—shall be defrayed by the regional hospital boards. Is that really intended? I should have thought that the meaning was that cheques would have to be written out by the regional hospital boards. We should like to see these words inserted so that expenditures would be defrayed by hospital management committees out of sums paid to them for that purpose. The Minister has acceded to representations made by us that management committees should be given some independence and an autonomous life of their own. It seems to us that this is in line with the description of the proposals given in Committee.

Mr. Bevan

These words are unnecessary. The statutory position is that the regional boards are the authorities responsible to the Minister, and the management committees are the agents of the regional boards. It is, therefore, necessary to retain the language as it is here in the Bill, but, of course, regulations will be made to enable management committees in practice to do what the right hon. and learned Gentleman wants.

Mr. Willink

On that assurance, I beg to ask leave to withdraw the Amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.