Orders of the Day — Clause 45. — (Local Health Authorities.)

Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 1 April 1963.

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Photo of Miss Patricia Hornsby-Smith Miss Patricia Hornsby-Smith , Chislehurst 12:00, 1 April 1963

Since it was one of the jobs of the then Parliamentary Secretary to deal closely with National Health executive committees I think, with great respect to the hon. Member, that having had six years in that office I have some experience of these matters. I think the hon. Member will find that he is wrong.

It is for this reason that the criticism expressed by the hon. Member for Willesden, West is ill-founded. There is no question of the functions of these members or committees or of the London Executive Committee, which is appointed by the Minister and not by the L.C.C., being broken up or fragmented into 33 areas. I am sure that I am right and that my right hon. Friend would interrupt me if I am wrong.

As to the local health authority services, certainly the large county authorities—and I am sure that this would apply in London—are divided into divisional areas for their services of maternity, child welfare clinics, dental and other services. Regarding Kent, the very area which was designated and operated with considerable local autonomy in north west Kent was in fact, exactly the area which will be Borough No. 19; Dagenham, Penge, Orpington, Bromley and the whole of Chislehurst; save that it will actually be a half of Chislehurst. On the northern side the areas grouped together will now be grouped into Borough No. 18.

Local districts or divisional committees are already operating under the Kent county authority and the officers who have worked in these services—in ambulances and various other services ranging from child welfare clinics to dental services—are divided under the authority into areas, with the exception of half of my constituency. Under the new arrangement the same officers will do that same work under what will be a division of Kent. That division, virtually in toto, will be Bromley; Borough No. 19.