§ Mr. Iremongerasked the Minister of Health the present composition of the Mental Nurses Standing Committee of the Staff Side of the Nurses and Midwives Whitley Council; what organisation each member represents; and which members have had service as mental nurses and which have professional connections with mental nursing.
§ Mr. Iain MacleodI am informed that the present composition is as follows:
Organisation Number of Members Confederation of Health Service Employees 4 Royal College of Nursing 3 Association of Hospital Matrons 1 Association of Hospital and Welfare Administrators 1 National and Local Government Officers Association 1 National Union of General and Municipal Workers 1 National Union of Public Employees 1 Total 12 In addition, the chairman, vice-chairman and secretary of the Staff Side are members ex officio but have no voting powers. I understand that the 12 members include:
171WFive nurses serving in mental hospitals, one being a qualified tutor, four trade union officials, and two matrons of general hospitals, one being professionally connected with mental nurse training.
§ Mr. Iremongerasked the Minister of Health whether he is prepared himself to set up, under Section 66 of the National Health Service Act, separate and new functional councils of the Whitley Councils for the Health Service, Great Britain.
§ Mr. Iain MacleodNo. This could only be done by agreement on the Whitley Councils themselves.