HC Deb 11 May 1982 vol 23 cc581-2
1. Mr. Adley

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on future appointments to health authorities.

The Minister for Health (Mr. Kenneth Clarke)

The terms of office of the chairmen and half the members of the regional health authorities end later this year. We are consulting widely on future appointments and considering possible changes to the composition of the authorities. None of the chairmen or members of district health authorities come up for reappointment this year.

Mr. Adley

I thank my hon. and learned Friend for that reply. Will he do his best to ensure that in future we appoint more people with recent practical medical experience and experience of current patient care to the higher echelons of the boards?

Mr. Clarke

We endeavour always to appoint the right people. I shall bear in mind what my hon. Friend has said and also the recommendations that he has put forward for health authorities in his locality.

Mr. Ashley

Is the Minister aware that the North Staffordshire district health authority wants proper representation on the regional health board? Views are put forward only at second hand. Will the hon. and learned Gentleman arrange for all districts to be properly represented in the regions?

Mr. Clarke

We are consulting the local authority associations on the future pattern of local authority representation on the regional health authorities. We hope to make some decisions on that matter in due course to ensure not only that the regions are not too big but that there is proper local authority representation.

I shall have another look at the problems facing the North Staffordshire district health authority.

Mr. Christopher Price

Cannot the Tory Party find a Tory in Lewisham to be chairman of the Lewisham district health authority? Why does it have to go as far away as Sevenoaks to find the nearest decent Tory to be chairman of our district health authority?

Mr. Clarke

Our appointments reflect a reasonable political balance. We try to ensure that there is not an excessive number of purely political appointments. I have every confidence in the new chairman of the Lewisham district health authority. Given the history of that authority, I trust that he will have every success in sorting out and solving its problems.

Mrs. Dunwoody

Has the Minister given instructions that there should not be political appointments at district health or regional health authority level? There is a suspicion that he is changing the interpretation of the rules.

Mr. Clarke

We do not make political appointments—[Interruption.] If the hon. Lady is interested in analysing the appointments, she will find that those chairmen of district health authorities who have political allegiances come from all parties.