To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he has taken to satisfy himself that the procedures leading up to the recent appointment of North East Thames regional health authority's general manager followed good practice in equal opportunities employment.

Individual appointments to NHS posts are a matter for the relevant employing authorities. The NHS is committed to equal opportunities in employment. Normally, we would expect all NHS posts, including those at senior management level, to be advertised and openly competitive. However, there may be exceptional circumstances in which the adoption of other procedures is justified.