§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if she will order the chairmen of all health authorities to initiate action to recover all irregular severance payments to NHS senior managers;
(2) when she expects to be able to present to Parliament a report on investigations into irregular payments to arid by NHS senior managers.
§ Dr. MawhinneyHealth authorities are required to make payments in accordance with their statutory powers. 241W If any payments are found to be irregular we would expect health authorities to consider, in the light of legal advice, to what extent they are recoverable. We supply to the Public Accounts Committee such information as they require following reports from the Comptroller and Auditor General giving cause to do so.
§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will request the Audit Commission to make a special audit report on the regularity of severance payments to senior managers.
§ Dr. MawhinneyNo.