HC Deb 26 July 1993 vol 229 cc548-9W
Mr. Cousins

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if she will place in the Library the corporate and business plans for the special health authority covering the Centre for Applied Microbiological Research;

(2) if she will place in the Library the accounts and corporate plans of the Centre for Applied Microbiological Research for the last three years and the current corporate plan, indicating if they are separate plans and reports or incorporated within the Public Health Laboratory Service reports;

(3) if she will list the chair and members of the special health authority covering the Centre for Applied Microbiological Research, together with their salaries, and other remuneration and their other present or previous occupations and employment;

(4) what resources are allocated to the Centre for Applied Microbiological Research in 1993–94; and what resources were allocated to it as part of the Public Health Laboratory Service in 1991–92 and 1992–93.

Mr. Sackville

The centre remains part of the Public Health Laboratory Service board (PHLSB) until its functions are transferred to a new body: it is likely that this will not be until after the end of this financial year. It obtains resources from a variety of sources, including sales of products under a distributorship and marketing agreement with Porton Products Ltd., contracts with other commercial companies and public sector bodies, and funding through the PHLSB for work undertaken for the board. It has not in the past published its own corporate plan, although it is referred to within the plans produced by the PHLSB. No chairman or members of a new authority have yet been appointed. However Mr. J. E. Everitt, at present chairman and chief executive of Vickers Medical, is acting as chairman-designate to steer the establishment of the new body.

Mr. Cousins

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many employees there are at the Centre for Applied Microbiological Research currently; and what were the figures for 1 April of each year since 1990.

Mr. Sackville

The information requested is:

Year Number
1 April 1990 461
1 April 1991 440
1 April 1992 467
1 April 1993 457
1 July 1993 459