§ 12. Lieut.-Colonel Cordeauxasked the Minister of Health if he will alter the procedure for appeals against dismissal by employees of the Health Service authorities in such a manner as to ensure that the members of the appeals committee are all drawn from regions other than that in which the employee concerned was serving at the time.
§ Mr. PowellNo, Sir.
§ Lieut.-Colonel CordeauxWhilst appreciating the financial and administrative objections to this proposal, would not my right hon. Friend agree that these 13 appeals do not take place very often, but when they do they are matters of very great moment to those appealing? Would he also agree that the more serious the case may be the more certain it is that under the present regulations those people who are the members of these appeals committees must have heard a lot of gossip, generally one-sided, about the case in question?
§ Mr. PowellI share the anxiety of my hon. and gallant Friend that in these matters justice should appear to be done as well as be done. The present rule is that no one can be on an appeals committee who has been involved in any way in the events or discussions leading to the decision which is under appeal. I think that in itself is a very big safeguard. There is the further right of representation to the regional board and to me, so I feel that there is every safeguard to the employee.