§ Mr. Simeonsasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what will be the period of office of chairmen and members of the new health authorities.
§ Sir K. JosephI propose that members of regional and area health authorities and family practitioner committees should hold office for four years, with half the members retiring every two years, unless they are reappointed. This rule will not apply to the AHA members appointed by local authorities, as local authorities will be free to determine their tenure of office. Appointments will be made to regional health authorities and area health authorities respectively in alternate years.
For the transitional period beginning with the new appointments in 1973, half the regional health authority members will be appointed to 1976 and half of them to 1978. All area health authority members will be appointed to 1977; after that a rotation will be set up by the regional health authority for its appointments at two yearly intervals; of those members appointed or reappointed after 230W 1977, half of them will serve to 1979 and half to 1981.