§ Mr. Maddenasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will make a statement about the working group which he set up in 1977 to examine the National Health Service supplies service; who is the chairman of the working party; and what relevant experience he has relating to the tasks and responsibilities of the working group.
§ Mr. MoyleMy right hon. Friend has just received the report of the Supply Board Working Group, which he appointed in August 1977, under the chairmanship of Mr. Brian Salmon, to examine the arrangements for procuring NHS supplies and to make recommendations for improvements leading to the better use of resources, with particular regard to the proposals to set up a supply board.
962WWe regard the report as a valuable contribution to the improvement of NHS procurement. It makes a number of detailed recommendations about organisation, information and purchasing, and it proposes that a non-executive supply council should be established as a means whereby the NHS itself can develop and determine collective policies in these fields. We accept the general principles underlying these recommendations, and we have invited health authorities, and the professional and other bodies concerned, including the trade associations, to let me have their comments by the end of October.
I have placed a copy of the report, and of the covering circular to health authorities, in the Library. I am sending my hon. Friend a copy of the press notice setting out the chairman's relevant experience.