To be considered further on Wednesday 15 March. What recent representations she has received on the criteria used for making public appointments. My right hon.
Friend occasionally receives representations on the matter.
To my knowledge, she has received no such representations in the past six months. I can confirm that appointments to NHS bodies are made solely on merit. I find the hon. Gentleman's comments absolutely astonishing. He is a representative of the Conservative party whose spokesperson said, when it was in government, that she had never knowingly appointed a Labour person to any body.