§ Mr. HinchliffeTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services when, pursuant to his answer of 7 March,Official Report, column 51, he expects to reach a conclusion on the request of Wakefield district health authority for an investigation into the introduction of the cook-chill system of catering.
§ Mrs. CurrieWakefield health authority's request was for a public inquiry
into the lengthy decision making process prior to the implementation of the cook-chill system of catering in Wakefield".After careful thought I decided I could not agree to the authority's request and wrote to the chairman to that effect on 8 March, copying my letter to the regional chairman.The authority in effect sought an inquiry into its own management of business. This seemed neither necessary nor appropriate, particularly when events were at all times fully within the authority's control. Yorkshire regional health authority at its annual review meeting with the district raised a number of concerns. These are being pursued through the normal accountability and review process between RHA and DHA and it seems entirely appropriate that the handling of the implementation of cook-chill should be considered in the same way.