§ Mr. MorganTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what proposals he has for ensuring the appropriate training and qualification for(a) membership and (b) chairmanship and vice-chairmanship of local research ethics committees;
(2) if he will list the names of the chairmen, vice-chairmen and members of local research ethics committees and the date on which they were appointed;
(3) what consultations he has had with the chairman of the South Glamorgan health authority concerning the application of his Department's circular (91) 75 in relation to the independence of the local research ethics committee;
(4) what recent representations he has received in relation to the chairmanship of the South Glamorgan local research ethics committee; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. RedwoodThe only representations I have received in relation to the local research ethics committee in South Glamorgan were from its two vice-chairmen. I have not had consultations on the role of the ethics committee with the chairmen of the health authority.
Guidance on the establishment, operation and guiding principles of local research ethics committees was issued by the Department in a Welsh health circular in 1991. Chairmen of all ethics committees received detailed guidance on standards and operating procedures in October 1994. Members of committees in Wales attended a series of training workshops organised by the Department of Health late in 1994.
Information on the membership of each local research ethics committee in Wales is not held centrally, but can be obtained from the health authorities concerned.