Health Authorities: Appointments (Hansard, 17 March 1986)

§ Lord Dean of Beswick
My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question standing in my name on the Order Paper.

§ Baroness Hooper
My Lords, I assume that the noble Lord is referring to the appointment of district health authority chairmen which is to date from 1st 794 April 1986. In some ways the noble Lord's timing is perfect in that my honourable friend the Minister for Health will be making an announcement of the names later this afternoon. I cannot therefore comment in detail, but I can assure the noble Lord that in making such appointments we take into account a wide variety of factors. The most important are the candidates' personal qualities, their interest in and commitment to the National Health Service, their management or other relevant experience and the need for fresh ideas.

§ Lord Dean of Beswick
My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Baroness for that Answer and for the fact that the information will be made available today. But is she aware that there is great concern in West Leeds because of the removal of Mr. Robin Wood, the chairman of the health authority in whose area I reside? I understand that Mr. Wood is a supporter of the Government. The only quality he does not seem to have is to be a "yes man" for the chairman of the regional authority. Is the Minister aware that a delegation of all the consultants in West Leeds based on the Leeds General Infirmary, which is one of the largest teaching hospitals we have, saw the chairman of the regional health authority to seek support for the reappointment of Mr. Wood? The chairman made an explicit statement in which he said, I understand, that he would not be prepared to support that. Can the Minister tell us whether we are now in the ball game of people like the chairman of the Yorkshire Regional Health Authority being able to pick his own team?

§ Baroness Hooper
My Lords, the noble Lord will appreciate that it would not be proper for me to comment on individual appointments in view of the Statement to be made in another place shortly. However, in view of press comments and the general concern which has arisen in Mr. Wood's case, I should say that it is unfair to imply that an individual has been sacked when the statutory term of his appointment has come to an end.
The noble Lord will appreciate that in making appointments we find it important to bring in new people to provide fresh insights into the service, as well as to reappoint existing chairmen. The decision taken not to reappoint some chairmen in no way reflects on them personally or on the genuine and valuable service that they have given over the past four years.

§ Lord Ennals
My Lords, will the noble Baroness accept that we shall study very carefully the list when it is published? Is she aware that there is a widespread view throughout the country that membership of the Government party is a very important consideration when choosing authority chairmen? Is it not wrong that authority chairmen who have criticised government policy or regional policy should in any way be excluded from reappointment? As the noble Baroness herself rightly said, is it not the commitment of the persons concerned to the National Health Service, their competence and their skill, regardless of any political considerations, which should govern who should be appointed?

§ Baroness Hooper
My Lords, indeed, chairmen of health authorities are appointed for their personal qualities and not to represent any sectional or particu 795 lar interest. While we may be aware of political affiliations in some cases, we do not seek that information and neither is it the basis on which we select chairmen.

§ Lord Cledwyn of Penrhos
My Lords, will the noble Baroness deal with the point that my noble friend has made about the additional political qualification which is not on the list that she read out to the House? To what extent is it true that nominations of this kind are vetted by the Conservative Party Central Office, as was reported in one newspaper? Is there any truth in that? Is she aware that the House would take it very amiss, as would the country, if party political qualifications should be in any sense a qualification for this important post?

§ Baroness Hooper
My Lords, I am sure that the noble Lord, like many of your Lordships, does not believe everything that he reads in the press. In fact, in the case of these appointments the Secretary of State is not required to consult anyone. He did, however, take account of nominations and views from various sources, including those from Members of Parliament of all parties, national and local organisations and various individuals.

§ Baroness Fisher of Rednal
My Lords, will the noble Baroness inform us whether any women have been included among the list of chairmen who have been appointed?

§ Baroness Hooper
My Lords, I am afraid the noble Baroness will have to wait until the announcement is made in another place very soon.

§ Lord Cledwyn of Penrhos
My Lords, may I therefore assume that the noble Baroness is now giving a categorical denial that these party political qualifications are taken into account?

§ Baroness Hooper
My Lords, yes. Political qualifications do not count in these appointments.

§ Lord Dean of Beswick
My Lords, is the Minister aware that I am grateful for the remarks that she made when she said that those who have been removed have not been sacked but have been stood down, even though some of them have done only one term? Some of us find it strange that certain people have been reappointed. It is not the regional chairman's turn for appointment, but he has obviously had an influence on the three who have been removed in West Yorkshire. He and the chairman of a neighbouring authority, who were bitterly criticised in the report on the deaths at Stanley Royd of 17 or 19 old people through salmonella poisoning, appear to have been reappointed. What really is the standard that the Government apply?

§ Baroness Hooper
My Lords, I cannot comment on individual cases but I can say that the views of regional health authority chairmen are clearly important in this context.