To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether civil servants can be appointed to the Mental Welfare Commission.

Section 2(6) of the Mental Health (Scotland) Act 1984 debars serving civil servants from appointment to the Mental Welfare Commission.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the organisations involved in mental illness and mental handicap that he consulted prior to recommending appointments to the Mental Welfare Commission; and if he will give the dates when they were consulted.

Before my right hon. and learned Friend makes recommendations to the Mental Welfare Commission he must, in accordance with section 2(5) of the Mental Health (Scotland) Act 1984, consult such bodies as appear to him to be concerned. Most recently, the following bodies were consulted, on 19 June 1989:

• Scottish Association for Mental Health
• Scottish Society for the Mentally Handicapped
• Royal College of Psychiatrists (Scottish Division)
• Psychiatric Nurses Association of Scotland
• National Schizophrenia Fellowship
• British Medical Association
• Royal College of General Practitioners
• Standing Conference of Royal Colleges and Faculties in Scotland
• The Faculty of Advocates
• The Law Society of Scotland
• British Association of Social Workers
• Association of Directors of Social Work
• Royal College of Nursing
• Edinburgh Association for Mental Health
• British Psychological Society
• The Church of Scotland Board of Social Responsibility

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what payment is made to Mrs. Iris Isbister as a member of the Mental Welfare Commission.

As a part-time member of the Mental Welfare Commission, Mrs. Isbister is paid an annual fee, currently amounting to £1,420, together with travelling and subsistence expenses.