§ 48. Dame Irene Wardasked the Prime Minister whether, in view of the fact that appointments to regional hospital boards and hospital management committees in England, Scotland, and Wales, are continually changing, thus jeopardising the preservation of special hospitals as donors directed and as was implicit in the original negotiations for the take over, he will appoint a Select Committee to examine this problem and advise on a continuity of policy, thus safeguarding the interests of those whose expressed and agreed desires are now being disregarded through changing circumstances.
§ The Prime MinisterI am satisfied that my right hon. Friends the Secretary of State for Scotland and the Minister of Health who have statutory obligations in this matter, and the hospital authorities which act on their behalf, are fully aware of these considerations.
§ Dame Irene WardIs my right hon. Friend aware that the Scottish Regional Hospital Board has gone back on the undertaking originally made about the Elsie Inglis Hospital and the regional hospital board responsible for a special hospital for children in Kensington? How is the ordinary public to know what arrangements were made at the time of the establishment of the National Health Service unless there is some machinery to which people can apply? Am Ito understand that the Ministers of State 1300 responsible can override the unnecessary disregard by the present regional hospital boards of matters settled many years ago?
§ The Prime MinisterThese are complicated matters. They are governed by Statute and the Ministers concerned have statutory obligations which I am sure they will carry out. I am particularly anxious not to be drawn into discussion of the details of the statutory requirement in the matter since I am told that the interpretation of the relevant provision in the Scottish case is at present before the Court of Session.