National Health Service Act 1977

6 Central Health Services Council, and standing advisory committees

(1) The Central Health Services Council (in this Act referred to as " the Central Council") shall have the duty of advising the Secretary of State upon such general matters relating to the services provided under this Act as the Council think fit, and upon any questions relating to those services which he may refer to them.

(2) The Central Council shall be constituted in accordance with Schedule 4 to this Act, but the Secretary of State may by order vary that constitution after consultation with the Council; and the supplementary provisions of that Schedule have effect in relation to the Central Council and any standing advisory committee constituted under subsection (3) below.

(3) The Secretary of State may, after consultation with the Central Council, by order constitute standing advisory committees for the purpose of advising him and the Council on such of the services provided under this Act as may be specified in the order.

(4) Any committee so constituted shall consist partly of members of the Central Council appointed by the Secretary of State, and partly of persons (whether or not members of the Council) appointed by the Secretary of State after consultation with such representative organisations as he may recognise for the purpose.

(5) It shall be the duty of a committee so constituted to advise the Secretary of State and the Central Council—

(a) upon such matters relating to the services with which the committee are concerned as they think fit, and

(b) upon any questions referred to them by the Secretary of State or the Council relating to those services,

and, if the committee advise the Secretary of State upon any matter, they shall inform the Council, who may express their views on the matter to the Secretary of State.

(6) The Central Council shall make an annual report to the Secretary of State on their proceedings, and on the proceedings of any standing advisory committee constituted under subsection (3) above, and, subject to subsection (7) below, the Secretary of State shall lay that report before Parliament with such comments (if any) as he thinks fit.

(7) If the Secretary of State, after consultation with the Central Council, is satisfied that it would be contrary to the public interest to lay any such report, or a part of any such report before Parliament, he may refrain from so laying that report or that part.