My questions relates to the establishment of hospital trusts and whether it remains the intention of Government to put them on a statutory basis. The programme for Government includes references to efficient, transparent health services but the governance and the recruitment processes of senior hospital management within the trusts has been anything but over the last number of months. Many acting CEOs have been recruited without proper governance or management practice. I am asking, as I have asked the Minister for Health, whether the recruitment process will be made transparent. According to the Minister for Health, in a reply to a parliamentary question from me, this would improve "pending the enactment of legislation". Is that going to happen or is it the Government's intention to put this on a statutory basis?

The recruitment continues. Sometimes these things can get delayed depending on the nature of the specific skills that are required. It is the intention to proceed ahead with legislation in this area with regard to the hospital trusts referred to by Deputy Chambers.