HC Deb 30 November 1976 vol 921 cc674-5
8. Mr. Banks

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on the right of trade unionists to be appointed to community health councils.

6. Mr. Madel

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on the right of trade unionists to be appointed to community health councils.

Mr. Moyle

Regional health authorities have been asked to include a nominee of the appropriate trades council among the members they appoint to each community health council. Apart from this, trade unionists have the same right as anyone else to be appointed to a community health council.

Mr. Banks

Will the Minister undertake not to impose on community health councils a statutory right for trade unionists to be represented on those bodies? Does he understand that trade employer organisations feel strongly that they, too, should have an equal right to sit on those councils, if trade unionists are allowed to sit on them?

Mr. Moyle

My right hon. Friend has given advice to regional health authorities that trades councils should be represented on community health councils because they, of all voluntary organisations, have affiliated to them organisations representing larger numbers of the community than any other voluntary organisations one can think of. That would apply to employers' organisations, too.

Dr. Edmund Marshall

Is my right hon. Friend aware of the confusion during recent months over future hospital developments at Goole, in my constituency? In such circumstances, would it not be better for hospital staff to have trade union representation on the local community health council?

Mr. Moyle

I shall certainly bear that point in mind. My right hon. Friend has drawn to my attention the particular problem with which he is exercised at the moment, and I shall look into it.

Mr. Boscawen

Are not community health councils there to represent all the people in the area, not just the most privileged groups? Should they not be appointed on merit, and merit alone?

Mr. Moyle

Community health councils represent all sections of the population. One-third of their members are drawn from voluntary organisations with an interest in the health service and one-half from local authorities. I scarcely think that trades councils are privileged members of the community.