§ Ms. ArmstrongTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the annual cost of running his Department's office of the central committee on distinction awards.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyThe total cost for the year ended 31 March 1989 (the latest available) was £131,188. This figure was made up as follows: Department of Health staff costs £81,684, committee members' expenses £32,954 and salaries of the chairman and vice-chairman of the advisory committee on distinction awards £16,550.
§ Ms. ArmstrongTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what criteria are used when making hospital consultants merit awards.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyThere are no formal criteria for awards. The chairman of the advisory committee on distinction awards issued general guidelines to members of the regional and higher awards committees this year and a copy has been placed in the Library. The committees look for qualities such as clinical excellence, special achievement in direct services to patients, training, teaching and research and outstanding management effort.
§ Ms. ArmstrongTo ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he will publish the number of holders of hospital consultants' merit awards in each district health authority.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyThe Department does not maintain statistics on distinction awards in each district health authority.