To ask the Prime Minister what considerations underlie the policies of Her Majesty's Government with respect to giving substantive answers to parliamentary questions seeking details of the names, occupations and remuneration of Members of (a) health boards in Scotland and (b) district health authorities in England.
Non-executive health board members in Scotland are appointed by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and information on them is therefore held centrally and given in response to parliamentary questions. Non-executive members of district health authorities in England, however, are appointed by regional health authorities and not by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health. Executive members of health boards in Scotland and district health authorities in England are appointed by their respective board or authority. Information on them, therefore, is not currently available centrally.The level of remuneration for health authority members in England, and for health board members in Scotland, is set centrally and this information is always provided in response to parliamentary questions.