§ Mr. WigleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales on how many occasions in the past 12 months the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State with responsibility for health has visited either the headquarters or one of the hospitals of Gwynedd health authority, on what duties and for what purpose.
§ Mr. GristI have not made any such visits during the past 12 months, though I have met the chairman of the authority on three occasions during that period in London and south Wales.
§ Mr. WigleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether any items of expenditure of Gwynedd health authority during 1989–90 were met by his Department from funds other than those identified as provision for the revenue or capital expenditure of that authority.
§ Mr. GristDetailed information relating to the expenditure of the Gwynedd health authority in 1989–90 will not be available until after 30 June, which is the due date for the submission of the authority's annual accounts.
In 1988–89, £315,266 of the expenditure recorded in the authority's accounts was incurred on an agency basis on behalf of the Department and funded as such rather than as part of the authority's revenue and capital provision. This comprised the following items:
58W
£ Health and personal social services research and development 21,512 Cost of free issue of dried baby milk and vitamins; the sale of baby milk at reduced prices, and the purchase of welfare vitamins 82,488 Patients travelling expenses 20,427 Payments for expenditure incurred for the mental handicap strategy 190,839 315,266 Source: Gwynedd health authority accounts for 1988–89.
§ Mr. WigleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many members there will be of the Gwynedd health authority after the reorganisation planned for later this year and who will appoint these members.
§ Mr. GristThe exact composition of the membership is dependent on Royal Assent being obtained to the National Health Service and Community Care Bill and the consequent laying of new membership regulations. It is proposed that the membership will include: a chairman and five members all appointed by the Secretary of State, one of whom will be drawn from the University of Wales; the chief officer of the authority; the director of finance, the chief administrative medical officer/director of public health medicine; and the chief administrative nursing officer. It is further proposed that the chairman, the chief officer and the five members appointed by the Secretary of State may appoint one additional officer of the authority if they wish.