HC Deb 25 January 1989 vol 145 cc1014-5
4. Mr. Heifer

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment on how many categories of statutory authorities local authority representatives normally are deputed to sit.

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley

Between seven and 19, under public general Acts, depending on the definitions used.

Mr. Heffer

As we have now heard, through all the leaks about the future of the NHS, that it is suggested that people from local authorities who are on district health authorities may be removed to take politics out of the NHS, would the Minister ask her right hon. Friend to resist such a suggestion—although I doubt whether he will—if it were made by the Department of Health? This is a vital matter. As local authorities have representatives on district health authorities, there is a real input from ordinary people in—[HON. MEMBERS: "Social services."' Exactly. It is vital that that should continue. Will the Minister give that assurance, or has she in mind the case of Anne Mallison, the new chair of Tower Hamlets health authority, who is also a Conservative city councillor in Westminster? We can give example after example. The Government want politics taken out only when it is Labour politics, not Conservative politics.

Mrs. Bottomley

These are matters for my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Health.

Mr. Robert G. Hughes

Does my hon. Friend agree that the supplementary question that we have just heard shows once again that the Labour party does not understand the difference between being a member of an authority and being an officer of that authority? Does she agree that that is not surprising when so many Labour councillors are also officers of other nearby authorities?

Mrs. Bottomley

My hon. Friend is quite right. In our forthcoming legislation on housing and local government we hope to clarify some of those matters, which will make life much better and raise standards both among local government officers and among members.

Mr. Blunkett

When the hon. Lady talks to her right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Health, perhaps she will draw his attention to the cost benefits of having elected members rather than appointed members running things—for example, in water authorities with chairs—[HON. MEMBERS: "Chairmen".] Yes, they are men, who are paid between £31,000 and £39,000 a year for an average three-day week, or the residuary body chairs whose salaries vary between £17,000 and £50,000 for replacing elected members, or the chairmen of health authorities who are paid £11,709 a year for an average three-day week. On the basis of those statistics, will the Minister recommend to her right hon. and learned Friend that elected members accountable to their public and paid a daily attendance allowance are damned good value for money?

Mrs. Bottomley

When I speak to my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Health I will tell him that I, like others, appreciate the 39 per cent. increase in health spending during the period of this Government and that we want effective and efficient provision of services at the lowest possible cost to the chargepayer and the taxpayer.