§ Mr. TrimbleTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to his answer of 23 May,Official Report, column 534, if he will give details of the two licences issued to Grafton Recruitment. [26578]
§ Mr. MossUnder the provisions of the Nursing Homes and Nursing Agencies Act (Northern Ireland) 1971, anyone carrying on a nursing agency on any premises must hold a licence issued by the Department. Two such licences have been issued to Grafton Recruitment. These authorise Dr. Mary Paula Jane King Kilbane and Mr. Kenneth John Thomas Belshaw to carry on a nursing agency at premises in Belfast and Londonderry. The licences are valid up to and including 31 December 1995 and are renewable.
In issuing or renewing licences, the Department has to be satisfied that the conditions laid down in the Act and the Nursing Agencies Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1986 are being complied with.
Staff of the Northern Ireland health and personal social services are required to make a declaration of interests either on starting employment or on acquisition of the interest(s), whichever is appropriate. Dr. Kilbane's interest in Grafton Recruitment had been fully disclosed to her employer, the Eastern health and social services board, before she took up her appointment as chief executive on 1 April 1995.
Information on the use made of nursing agencies is not held centrally. However, in order to clarify Grafton Recruitment's involvement with the health and personal social services, employers have now been asked to supply details of any contracts placed with that organisation. I shall convey the results of this to the hon. Gentleman as soon as possible.