§ Mr. KennedyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made in the establishment of the post of chief of research and development at the Department of Health; and what role he expects the research and development division to have in the support of research into nursing care.
§ Mr. FreemanThe post of chief of research and development (CRD) has been advertised in the press, and once the closing date has passed a short list of candidates to be invited for interview will be drawn up.
The Department's present research management division, suitably strengthened and perhaps renamed, will form the basis of the support to be provided for the CRD. The CRD will be responsible for advising Ministers and the chief executive of the NHS on what relative priority should be given to research on any particular topic.