§ Lord Clement-Jonesasked Her Majesty's Government:
What measures they plan to take to prevent loss of key staff from the Public Health Laboratory Service media services given the uncertainty about its future. (HL1990]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Lord Hunt of Kings Heath)The service will continue to be managed by the Public Health Laboratory Service, to minimise risk and to allow time to put suitable alternative long-term arrangements in place. Staff will be consulted about such proposals. To address the possible loss of key staff, media production staff benefit from the same arrangements under the agreed Change Management Protocol as other PHLS staff, under which they have a guarantee of employment until 31 March 2004.