Area Health Boards (Appointments)

HC Deb 27 June 1973 vol 858 cc1511-4

9. Mr. Adam Hunter

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if, in view of the dissatisfaction in the West of Fife concerning the inadequacy of the area's representation on the proposed new area health board, he will review the composition of the board.

Mr. Monro

I am not aware of the dissatisfaction to which the hon. Gentleman refers. The membership of the Fife Health Board is settled except for the additional members my right hon. Friend will be appointing towards the end of the year. When he does so, he will be taking account of any specific suggestions which may be made to him. I would stress, however, that members are being appointed for their individual contribution and not as representatives of any particular area or group.

Mr. Hunter

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that, if membership of this health board were on the basis of the parliamentary constituencies, Kirkcaldy would have five members, Fife three and Dunfermline three? If it were on the basis of the new district authority, Kirkcaldy would have seven and Dunfermline four. Is he further aware that there is no member of the present West Fife Hospital Board on this area health board? Does he realise that some people who are bitterly opposed to the creation of such a board have found themselves appointed to it?

Mr. Monro

The hon. Member can prove anything by statistics. I believe that the majority of hon. Members would agree that the West Fife area from Kirkcaldy to Dunfermline is doing well with 11 out of the 15 members of the board, including the chairman, who lives in Dunfermline.

Mr. William Hamilton

Has the hon. Gentleman taken account of the political affiliations of the appointments? Is he aware that I understand that neither the trade union nor the co-operative nominees have been accepted? Whether they were considered I do not know. Since the Minister talks about appointment on merit, will he have a good look at those who have been appointed from Dunfermline?

Mr. Monro

I could not accept what the hon. Gentleman says about anyone appointed to the board. Every board has a nomination from the Scottish TUC. Otherwise I have not taken political affiliation into account at all. Perhaps the hon. Gentleman will look at some of the chairmen of the board. If he has any suggestions to make, he can let us have them.

11. Mr. Ewing

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to announce the remainder of the appointments to area health boards in Scotland.

Mr. Monro

My right hon. Friend expects to appoint the balance of the membership of health boards towards the end of this year.

Mr. Ewing

Is the hon. Gentleman aware there is great disquiet in Scotland about the serious imbalance being shown up by the earlier appointments to the area health boards? Is he further aware that his earlier announcement that appointments are made on the basis of what people have to offer the boards seems to mean in my constituency that the local authorities in Stirling, Falkirk and Grangemouth have absolutely nothing whatever to offer the Forth area health board? Is he prepared to substantiate this? Will his further appointments reflect the interest of the local authorities?

Mr. Monro

I explained that appointments are on merit and are not meant to be representative of any particular organisation. The hon. Member knows there are five appointments to the board from the Falkirk and Grangemouth area. My right hon. Friend is willing to receive suggestions from hon. Members.

Dr. Dickson Mabon

The hon. Gentleman said that he was not concerned about the political balance. Is it not the case that it has been the tradition of Governments in the past to appoint members of the STUC, the CBI and the Cooperative Union? Before he finishes making these appointments, will he take into account the fact that not one appointment has been made from the 42 names submitted by the Scottish section of the Co-operative Union?

Mr. Monro

We asked a great many organisations for nominations and around 2,000 were received. Every health board has a nomination from the STUC. If the hon. Gentleman wishes to put forward suggestions, I am willing to receive them.

Mr. MacArthur

Is my hon. Friend aware that the comments of Labour Members do not reflect the general welcome there has been for these appointments? Can he explain why Labour Members are so concerned yet apparently have not written to him to express their concern? Is this not another example of the mischief which hon. Gentlemen opposite try to stir up in public life?

Mr. Monro

I am grateful to my hon. Friend. Those Labour Members who have written expressing their point of view have met with a modest degree of success.

Mr. Robert Hughes

Is not the hon. Gentleman aware that there is serious disquiet about inadequate representation? Why is it that general practitioners, dentists and pharmacologists make up one-third of the appointments on the new boards while hospital porters and nurses are refused appointments? Will he rectify this? If the medical profession is to be so heavily represented, should not the general public and the trade unions be equally represented?

Mr. Monro

The hon. Gentleman will recall from the debates we had during the passage of the Bill that the whole object was to have comparatively small area health boards, of a manageable size. If everyone was represented, the committees would be quite unmanageable.