§ 39. Dr. Winstanleyasked the Lord President of the Council if he will move to appoint a select committee, on the lines of those now in existence for agriculture and science and technology, to exercise similar functions with regard to the National Health Service and all matters appertaining to public health.
§ Mr. CrossmanI will bear this suggestion in mind, together with that made this afternoon by my hon. Friend the Member for Wandsworth, Central (Dr. David Kerr). This is clearly a potential field for the work of a specialist committee.
§ Dr. WinstanleyI am grateful for the righ hon. Gentleman's support. Does he agree that the subject of the National Health Service and public health involve many Ministries and are the kind of subjects in which many hon. Members of all parties could give assistance to this or any other Government?
§ Mr. CrossmanI am aware of that and as we expand the work of the Specialist Committees this is a topic which I think should get a high priority.
§ Mr. PavittDoes my right hon. Friend recall that, at the end of the last Session, the Health Group of the Parliamentary Labour Party recommended unanimously 29 that there should be a Specialist Committee for health? Will he expedite the provision of this facility?
§ Mr. CrossmanI will do what I can, hearing in mind what I have said previously about the staffing and manning of the Committee. The Select Committee on the Parliamentary Commissioner, incidentally, has power to reflect on whether that official's functions should be extended to cover the National Health Service.