Mr. Alan WilliamsTo ask the Secretary of State for Health on how many occasions the Department has met the legal costs of workers of the boards of health trusts; which trusts were assisted; what was the cost to the Department in each case; and where provision was made for these costs in his Department's estimates. [13806]
§ Mr. MaloneThe Department contributed towards the legal costs incurred by the non-executives of Cornwall Healthcare national health service trust in the libel action brought against them by Mrs. Abigail Kirby-Harris the former chairman. The contribution made by the Department towards the legal costs of all the litigants was £250,000 for which provision was taken in the winter supplementary estimates for 1995–96 presented to Parliament on 16 November 1995.
This is the only case in which such a payment has been made by the Department.
Mr. WilliamsTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what rules govern the payment by NHS trusts of legal costs incurred in actions involving members of the boards of trusts; and what sum has been incurred to date in meeting these costs. [13808]
§ Mr. MaloneNational health service trusts meet their directors' litigation costs where required to do so under the National Health Service Act 1977, or where vicariously liable at common law for the directors' actions, or where—in appropriate cases—they have indemnified the directors against such costs.
350WNo central record is kept of sums paid by NHS trusts towards legal costs.