HC Deb 23 July 1953 vol 518 cc573-5
23. Mr. Snow

asked the Minister of Health if he will make a statement on the recent resignation of the chairman of the Walsall Health Executive Council.

30. Mr. W. Wells

asked the Minister of Health whether he is acquainted with the circumstances of the resignation of Alderman John Whiston from the Walsall Health Executive Council; and whether he will order an inquiry.

Miss Hornsby-Smith

The resignation was the personal decision of the chairman. The matter is primarily one for the Executive Council and it is hardly for my right hon. Friend to make any statement on it, neither does he think an inquiry is called for.

Mr. Snow

Is the hon. Lady aware that that can only be considered as a most unsatisfactory answer? On this Executive Council the medical profession had voting power at this time and the doctor personally concerned voted in his own defence. How can the hon. Lady defend those sort of "goings-on"—if I may use that term—in a committee for which she is responsible?

Miss Hornsby-Smith

I am not defending anything in my reply. The former chairman resigned before this election. The remedy as to who the Executive Council wish as their chairman lies entirely in the hands of the Executive Council. Under the 1949 Act they choose their own chairman. I am sure the House would regard it as a retrograde step if my right hon. Friend interfered with that free selection. If there is any criticism, it lies with the eight local authority members who were not there on this occasion to vote. They had ample notice of the meeting and if they felt that the matter was of sufficient importance they could have had an alternative date in order that they might be there.

Mr. Wells

Does not the hon. Lady consider that this matter raises a question of general principle? Is she aware that members of local authorities may have overriding obligations which prevent their attendance on a particular day? Does not she think it wrong that the professional members of this body should be in a position to override the nonprofessional members in a matter of this sort?

Miss Hornsby-Smith

It is not a case of overriding the non-professional members. The Act which, after all, was instigated by hon. Gentlemen opposite when they were in power, lays down a membership of 25. Of that 25 members, 12 are professional, five are appointed by the Minister and eight by the local health authority. If the local health authority members thought it important that they should be present to choose their chairman they could have asked for an alternative date.

31. Mr. W. Wells

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that at a meeting of the Walsall Health Executive Council, held on 21st April last, one of the professional members of the Council voted on a question arising out of a complaint against himself; and what action he proposes to take.

Miss Hornsby-Smith

The matter is one for consideration by the Executive Council.

Mr. Wells

Is not the hon. Lady aware that this Question refers to the same meeting as that referred to in Questions Nos. 23 and 30? Does she not consider it grossly unethical that a professional member of the Council should vote on a matter in which he was personally interested? Does not she agree that such a vote vitiates the whole decision reached by the meeting, and is not it the duty of the Minister of Health in these circumstances to ask the Council to reconsider the subject matter of that meeting without any interested parties voting?

Miss Hornsby-Smith

I have great sympathy with the point of view of the hon. Member, on which he has exchanged correspondence with me, but he will be aware that there are some matters governed strictly by regulation and others which are matters of practice. For instance, in this House a Member declares his interest. He is not bound to do it, but he does it in accordance with the tradition of the House. A similar point arises here. Subject to any points covered by regulation, the procedure—including the voting procedure—of executive councils is for them to decide for themselves and to determine by their standing orders or otherwise. So far as appears from the reports of this meeting it did not conflict with their regulations.