THE controversial sacking of a North-East health boss was criticised by North-East MPs last night.

Labour backbenchers Kevan Jones, MP for North Durham, and Gerry Steinberg, MP for Durham City, said the removal of Kevin Earley as head of North Durham NHS Trust "does nothing to help deliver the good health care we expect in Durham".

Mr Earley was removed as head of the trust, which runs the new £97m University Hospital of North Durham, last month.

The NHS Appointments Commission effectively sealed his fate when it said it was not planning to renew his contract.

His removal has sparked bitter recriminations.

During Commons questions in Parliament yesterday, Mr Jones said the success of the trust was in "no small part down to the chairmanship".

He claimed the trust, which has faced criticism over the performance of Durham's new hospital, was now "leaderless".

Mr Steinberg joined calls for the Government to criticise the decision, saying: "Mr Earley has been unceremoniously dumped after doing an excellent job helping build Durham's new university hospital."

However, Health Minister John Hutton responded, saying the decision was in the hands of the NHS Appointments Commission, which was due to announce the appointment of a new chairman in the near future.

"The trust has performed well in no least regard in getting the new hospital built to time, and I am sure the chairman of the trust has made a significant contribution to that," he said.

But, he added: "The NHS Appointments Commisson has been set up, we took that decision, it was the right thing to do.

"Its appointment procedures have been approved by the Commissioner for Public Appointments and it really is a matter for the Appointments Commission how it goes about its task."

However, Mr Jones afterwards criticised the minister for "hiding behind the so-called independence of the commission."

He said: "The fact is that the trust has been left for a week and a half without a chairman."

He said he would be pressing the minister to find out who actually took the decision to remove Mr Earley, and why.

Mr Earley recently accused the NHS of wasting money on a new hospital for Bishop Auckland, claiming the cash would have been better spent elsewhere