§ Mr. MealeTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will make it his policy that minutes of district and regional health authority sub-committee meetings be made available to community health councils, providing that patient, staff and commercial confidentiality is maintained;
(2) whether he has any plans to open to the public district health authority meetings or their sub-committee meetings;
(3) if he will make it his policy that minutes of district and regional health authority sub-committee meetings should be made available to the public, providing that patient, staff and commercial confidentiality is maintained.
§ Mr. Mellor[holding answer 13 December 1988]: Under the provisions of the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960 health authority meetings are open to the public and their agendas and related papers available on request, except when confidential matters are under consideration. Most regional and district health authorities conduct their business in an open manner, as is reasonable. I do not believe that any useful purpose would be served by extending these provisions to sub-committees at the present time.