§ 1. Mr. K. Robinsonasked the Attorney-General how far under his regulations it will be possible for a member of a regional hospital board to be appointed to a mental health review tribunal covering the same region.
§ The Attorney-General (Sir Reginald Manningham-Buller)I am not yet in a position to say what rules my noble Friend the Lord Chancellor proposes to make.
§ Mr. RobinsonWould the Attorney-General convey to his noble Friend that, daring the consideration of the Mental Health Bill, great emphasis was placed on the necessity for having complete independence on the part of members of the tribunals, and that if tribunals include members of regional hospital boards covering their own regions, they will be thought to have some connection with the hospitals in those regions, and, therefore, will not appear to be independent? Will he take all the steps in his power to see that these tribunals, which are extremely important, are not only independent, but are seen to be independent?
§ The Attorney-GeneralI am sure that my noble Friend is fully alive to the importance of preserving and maintaining the independence of these tribunals, and letting it appear that they are wholly independent.