§ Mr. Raceasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what guidance he has given to district health authorities within the past six months concerning the rights of members of district health authorities to oppose, and campaign publicly against, initial proposals made by the district health authorities to vary the volume of health services to the public.
§ Mr. Geoffrey FinsbergNone. Guidance on the role of health authority members was given in circular HC(81)6, issued in May 1981 and still stands. Circular HC(81)6 indicates that members are not appointed to represent any particular sectional or personal interests and must at all times be prepared to recognise the corporate and collective responsibility of the membership for the decisions of the authority. It is for health authorities themselves to decide what arrangements they should adopt, within that guidance, to regulate the conduct of business.