Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Baroness Burt of Solihull and Anne Milton

Tuesday 18th October 2011 Commons Chamber

[Anne Milton]

I draw the hon. Lady’s attention to the fact that the Health and Social Care Bill proposes for the first time a duty on the Secretary of State to have regard to health inequalities, which, I repeat, widened under the previous Government. I also point out to her that the letter to peers signed by Professor Marmot and others welcomed the emphasis on establishing a closer working relationship between public health and local government. I suggest that the hon. Lady gets out more, because she would hear from public health doctors and local authorities on the ground who welcome these changes.

[Lorely Burt (Solihull) (LD)]

5. What steps he is taking to reduce the burden on NHS hospitals of (a) PFI repayments and (b) debt.