§ Ms. WalleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will give the terms of reference of each of the two inquiries into the radiation treatment at the North Staffordshire district health authority; and when he expects each of the reports to be published.
§ Mr. DorrellThe Department has assigned an inspector, appointed to enforce the Ionising Radiation (Protection of Persons Undergoing Medical Treatment) Regulations 1988, to investigate the circumstances of this incident. He will make recommendations, when he has completed his investigations, to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State on what action, if any, is needed and what wider lessons can be learned. In addition, North Staffordshire health authority has appointed two independent experts, Dr. Ash of Cookridge hospital, Leeds and Dr. Bates of St. Thomas' hospital, London, to carry out a clinical review of all cases and West Midlands regional health authority has announced an independent inquiry, chaired by Sir Peter Baldwin, into how the incident occurred. The hon. Member may wish to contact Sir James Ackers, the chairman of West Midlands regional health authority, for the terms of reference for both these inquiries.