HC Deb 29 October 1984 vol 65 cc836-7W
Mr. Dobson

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what assumption he made when devising the consultation timetable for closures or changes of use of health service buildings set out in health circular HSC(15) 207 as to the speed with which supplementary information needed by community health councils would be provided; and if he will instruct regional health authorities to extend the consultation timetable when such information is not provided expeditiously;

(2) if he will extend the right of appeal provided by paragraph 21(2) of the National Health Service (Community Health Council) Regulations 1973 formally to include a right to appeal against a failure to provide information even though there might be no refusal to disclose information and against a failure to provide information within a reasonable time;

(3) if he will instruct regional health authorities to deal expeditiously with appeals by community health councils under paragraphs 20(2) and 21(2) of the National Health Service (Community Health Councils) Regulations 1973 and under any similar appeals procedures which he may from time to time establish.

Mr. Kenneth Clarke

The existing regulations and guidance should be sufficient to ensure that community health councils are given reasonably necessary time and information to comment on proposals. If the hon. Member is aware of problems in a particular case, he may like to raise them with the chairman of the health authority concerned in the first instance.

Mr. Dobson

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish in the Official Report a table setting out for each regional health authority the number of occasions over a convenient period on which it has sustained an appeal by a community health council against a health authority pursuant to paragraphs 20(2) and 21(2) of the National Health Service (Community Health Council) Regulations 1973.

Mr. Kenneth Clarke

We do not collect this information centrally and the hon. Member may wish to approach regional health authorities direct.