Schedule 1 - Schedule 7A to be inserted in the National Health Service Act 1977
Health (Wales) Bill
4:30 pm
Mr Chris Grayling (Epsom and Ewell, Conservative)
The hon. Gentleman will find, if he looks across the United Kingdom—including Wales—that there have been significant numbers of appointments to key jobs of people with political links. Even if those jobs are advertised openly, as all such jobs are, that does not necessarily mean that the end appointment is free from political influence. [Interruption.] I will happily stand by that comments. Simply having a process in which a job is advertised does not remove the likelihood and risk of a political appointment.
Our proposals would at least spread out responsibility for nominations to the bodies, and would ensure a truly representative mix of people on those bodies. I do not cast aspersions on the current Administration in Wales. However, by allowing what happens at present to continue, we give current and future politicians the opportunity to shape the membership of those bodies. We should not do that.