Schedule 2 - The Human Tissue Authority
Human Tissue Bill
9:10 am
Ms Rosie Winterton (Minister of State, Department of Health; Doncaster Central, Labour)
I completely understand Opposition Members' points about the need for appropriate expertise on the authority, but the amendment is unnecessary. However, I want to use this opportunity to emphasise that we support people with appropriate expertise being on the authority.
The Bill provides for the authority to have not less than half lay membership. It is intended that, as in all arm's length bodies in specialist areas, the non-lay membership will comprise people who have relevant expertise. It is clear that the Human Tissue Authority would not be able to function properly if its members did not have suitable expertise. We have provided for the authority to have a majority of lay members, because it is important that all concerned are able to improve public confidence. There will be representation from professionals with an interest in using tissue, but we need to ensure that they do not dominate the regulatory body.
It is important that there is a range of expertise among the other members, because the authority's remit is relevant to such areas as transplantation, anatomy, pathology, surgery, tissue banking, and so on. I do not want that list to sound exhaustive, because it would be unfortunate to leave out any group that felt that it should be represented. A very wide group of people could be included. One difficulty with the amendment is that it might allow for every sub-speciality to lay a claim to having a member on the authority by virtue of their expertise in one of the matters regulated. People with a variety of expertise will be needed, but they will be appointed to the authority on merit in accordance with the Nolan principles. The numbers of people who are needed and
how the relevant expertise is covered will be a matter of judgment. Members of the authority will, perhaps, be appointed through the NHS Appointments Commission, or there may be a recruitment exercise.