§ Mr. AshtonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what are his reasons for seeking to prohibit full-time trade union officials from sitting on health authorities.
§ Mrs. Virginia Bottomley[holding answer 6 July 1990]: The new Membership and Procedure Regulations disqualify from non-executive membership of a regional or district health authority a person who holds any paid employment or office with a trade union which represents the interests of members who are employed by a health service body. This is one of a number of grounds for disqualification from health authority membership which aim to avoid any conflict of interest on the part of health authority members. It is for the same reason that directors of NHS trusts; members of other regional and district health authorities; members of the family health services authorities (FHSAs) (except for the FHSA chairman member of RHAs) and GPs who are practice fund holders are disqualified from membership by the regulations.