To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his reply of 23 April, Official Report, column 28, what is the salary of the chairman of the Advisory Committee on Distinction Awards; and if he will give a breakdown of the committee members' expenses; what are the number of consultants who hold awards,, and the number of consultant obstetricians or paediatricians who have held awards in the North West Durham health authority since the advent of medical and management audit; and how often the chairman and vice-chairman of the Advisory Committee on Distinction Awards have met those consultants who do not hold awards.

I regret that the figure given for committee members' expenses was incorrect in my reply to the hon. Member on 23 April at column 28. The correct figure for the year ended 31 March 1989 is £15,552. This is broken down as follows:

	£
Overnight subsistence, travel, miscellaneous expenses for the visits by the Chairman and Vice-Chairman to the 15 Regional Committees	4,102
Chairman's secretarial expenses	2,976
Travelling expenses of members of the Advisory Committee	164
Subsistence and travel of members of the 15 Regional C awards and higher awards Committees, and of the Dental Sub-Committee	8,310

The salary of the chairman of the Advisory Committee on Distinction Awards was £11,990 in 1988–89. Following a review of the responsibilities of the post, the salary was increased to £21,450 in 1989–90.In England and Wales 5,698 consultants currently hold a distinction award. As previously stated, statistics on awards by district health authority are not maintained centrally.About 11,000 consultants do not hold an award. It would not be practicable for the chairman and vice-chairman to meet non-award holders collectively or individually. However, it is open to any consultant to submit a case for an award to the chairman or relevant regional committee.