§ Mr. MorganTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will place a copy in the Library of the independent inquiry into the departmental delay in instituting parliamentary authority for the payment of general practitioner fundholders' management allowances between 1 April 1991 and 1 April 1995; and if he will make a statement; [26843]
(2) if he will specify the nature of the independent inquiry into the departmental delay in providing suitable parliamentary authority for the payment of management allowances for general practitioner fundholders between 1991 and 1995; who carried the inquiry; how the appointment was made; how much it cost; on what dates it commenced and was completed; and what disciplinary consequences flowed from it. [26842]
§ Mr. MaloneThe internal inquiry into the events which led to the extra-statutory payment of management allowances to general practitioner fundholders between 1991–95 was established in June 1995. It was undertaken by Mr. Strachan Heppell, a former deputy secretary in the Department of Health. The terms of reference were
To establish by studying all the relevant papers and by interviewing the relevant members of staff how management allowances came to be paid to GP Fundholders from 1991–95 without legal authority; to draw out any lessons that can be learned and need to e applied across the Department of Health; and to report.The report of the inquiry, which was conducted at no additional cost to the Department, was received in January 1996. Its conclusions and recommendations have been fully accepted and are being implemented.
The report contains internal advice which it would not be appropriate to publish. I am arranging for a memorandum to be prepared setting out the findings, conclusions and recommendations of the report. I will send a copy to the hon. Member, and place a copy in the Library.