Written question asked by Gordon Prentice (Labour) on Friday, 14 November 2003, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 19 November 2003. It was answered by Lord Hutton of Furness (Labour) on Wednesday, 19 November 2003 on behalf of the Department of Health.

Dept of Health

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he expects to issue further advice to putative NHS foundation trusts on the use of existing databases of (a) patients and (b) staff names for the purposes of creating a membership register; when he expects to issue advice on the implications of the (a) Data Protection Act 1998 and (b) Freedom of Information Act 2000 on the (i) compilation and (ii) use of membership registers of NHS foundation trusts. - Includes ref to "NHS Foundation Trusts: A guide to the governance arrangements".

Answer: Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) when he expects to issue further advice to putative NHS foundation trusts on the use of existing databases of (a) patients and (b) staff names for the purposes of creating a membership register; [139715] (2) when he expects to issue advice on the implications of the (a) Data Protection Act 1998 and (b) Freedom of Information Act 2000 on the (i) compilation and (ii) use of membership registers of NHS foundation trusts. [139716] Mr. Hutton: Subject to Parliament, it is the Government's intention that national health service foundation trusts will be required to have a members register. Officials are working with the first wave of applicants and organisations with expertise in maintaining membership organisations with a view to developing practical advice to be incorporated into an updated edition of "NHS Foundation Trusts: A guide to the governance arrangements".

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 413 c1112-3W; 139715;139716
Session: 2002-03
Subjects: Disclosure of information Databases Patients Membership Staff NHS foundation trusts Registration
Legislation: Freedom of Information Act 2000; Data Protection Act 1998
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk