This entry was posted on
Wednesday, February 20th, 2008 at
10:47 am and is filed
under Anne Milton.

Dr Graham Henderson, husband of Anne Milton MP, was Director of Public Health for the East Surrey PCT until late 2006 (i.e. until the formation of the Surrey mega-PCT, a move his wife opposed, BTW).

While in that position, Dr Graham Henderson was subject to the NHS Code of Conduct. I draw your attention to the following extract from that code:

NHS Code of Conduct – Declaration of Interests
It is a requirement that chairs and all board directors should declare any conflict of interest that arises in the course of conducting NHS business. All NHS organisations maintain a register of member’s interests to avoid any danger of board directors being influenced, or appearing to be influenced, by their private interests in the exercise of their public duties. All board members are therefore expected to declare any personal or business interest which may influence, or may be perceived to influence, their judgement. This should include, as a minimum, personal direct and indirect financial interests, and should normally also include such interests of close family members. Indirect financial interests arise from connections with bodies which have a direct financial interest, or from being a business partner of, or being employed by, a person with such an interest.

So if Dr Graham Henderson was employed in any way that would influence, or may be perceived to influence, his judgement, he should have declared it.

I now draw your attention to this entry from the East Surrey PCT Register of Members’ Interests from July 2006:

East Surrey PCT Register of Members’ Interests (July 2006):

Graham Henderson, Director of Public Health:
Wife is Member of Parliament for Guildford

And now, finally, I draw your attention to this extract from an article about Anne Milton’s expenses:

The Tory shadow minister for health has hired spouse Graham Henderson in each of her first two years in Westminster. Between 2005 and 2006, he earned £6,500 from Ms Milton’s expenses as a researcher while the former nurse was setting up her office. – (Surrey Ad – February 8, 2008)

Oh dear.

Correct me if I’m wrong, but Dr Graham Henderson should have declared that period of employment, yes?

Dr Henderson may not be in a position where he can be held accountable for this oversight, but (as David Cameron and Anne Milton have made clear) the Conway matter and its fallout is an issue of public trust… and this does not look good.

[Tch. When people keep me waiting or jerk me around, I get bored and start to poke around. They only have themselves to blame.]