It was announced today that the newly elected MP for Hemel Hempstead, Mike Penning, has been appointed to sit on the Health Select Committee.

The role of the Health Committee, which is appointed by the House of Commons, is to examine the expenditure, administration and policy of the Department of Health and its associated bodies. Select committees are appointed for the duration of a parliament and Mike’s appointment follows the recent General Election.

Mike commented as follows: “I am delighted and honoured to have been selected to join this high profile committee. In view of the serious issues concerning health services in my constituency I look forward to working on this committee where I hope to take an active role in examining government health policies, expenditure and administration. As we have already learned in Hemel Hempstead, it is often difficult to obtain the complete facts and details from our health bureaucracies. The committee has the right to question ministers, civil servants, interested bodies and individuals on health issues. I have many questions to ask them.”