Demolition of Khan al-Ahmar

Debate between Alistair Burt and Lilian Greenwood

Wednesday 4th July 2018 Commons Chamber

[Alistair Burt]

I understand, particularly the hon. Gentleman’s last point. I have indicated that the British ambassador is taking part in a démarche this afternoon in relation to the Israeli Government. We are in consultation with European partners and colleagues on what actions might be taken. I cannot say anything further than that.

[Lilian Greenwood (Nottingham South) (Lab)]

Some 181 people live in Khan al-Ahmar, and more than half of them are children. The Minister has acknowledged that the actions of the Israeli Government are contrary to international law, but those actions are also simply cruel. As we have heard, people are being injured by this demolition process. It is a grievous situation. What plans do the Government have to contribute towards humanitarian assistance efforts for the people who are being forcibly displaced?

[Alistair Burt]

We are very active in all areas of the west bank in supporting humanitarian needs through the United Nations Relief and Works Agency and the like. Plainly, we did not wish to see this demolition and, in company with others, we must now consider what we can do to support those who have been displaced. This is obviously very immediate, and I will report back to the House as soon as we have a clear answer to the hon. Lady’s concerns.

Hearing Loss: Action Plan and Commissioning Framework

Debate between Alistair Burt and Lilian Greenwood

Thursday 30th June 2016 Westminster Hall

[Alistair Burt]

I must confess that I do not have an answer. He makes a perfectly fair point. Whether or not that is what people raise at the time they are in the surgery or whether they recognise it themselves or minimise it by saying, “I’m just getting old” or whatever, I do not know. I will make an inquiry and see what research we have at present. Family practitioner care and GP services are under constant review, and we have a number of different pilots and vanguards looking at the provision of primary care services.

I will see what emphasis is being given to this particular aspect. Certainly we recognise that the demographics indicate that all issues associated with getting older, which can include hearing loss, are rising up the scale and the agenda. I will make specific inquiry about whatever reasons we have at present in relation to this matter and write to each of the hon. Members present to give that information. I am very happy to do that.

[Lilian Greenwood]

I wonder whether the Minister thinks there is a role for raising public awareness to empower patients not just so that we improve GPs’ understanding—that might be the issue—but so that people are a bit more demanding and recognise that hearing loss is not an inevitable consequence of growing old that has to be put up with but something that can be addressed.

[Alistair Burt]

Absolutely. Again, there may be more to be done through charities, the third sector, the Royal College of General Practitioners and perhaps the British Medical Association, certainly about the thing that people have in the back of their mind and do not always raise. Clearly, if there has been a sudden change, people may mention it. I suspect that part of it may be that people’s hearing loss is gradual. Perhaps there is an earlier stage.

All colleagues mentioned early intervention and perhaps there is a point at which it should be stated that hearing loss is not necessarily a natural thing that people should accept; it is something that they could and should do something about. My father is a GP and he always said that the most important part of any consultation was when the patient had taken their coat from the chair and put it on and was just leaving the room and said, “Oh, there’s one more thing, Doctor.” At that point, he always brought them back. I wonder whether, for a number of patients, that one more thing that they think they might not bother the doctor with is actually that: “I’ve just been getting a little bit hard of hearing. Maybe it is something and nothing” and so on. Perhaps that is something we could promote and say, “If that is your circumstance, do let someone know, because there is support available.”

Let me develop the discussion. We spoke about rationing services. I am aware that NHS England supported a recent decision from North Staffordshire CCG because it was able to demonstrate that its commissioning policy was evidence-based and had followed extensive public engagement. The hon. Member for Nottingham South was right to say that I am extremely wary of rationing early intervention and hearing aids at the very early stage. I fully accept all the evidence that says that it is doing something at that early stage that prevents something else later on. As colleagues have said, no one else has yet followed that. There has been a lot of challenge. It remains possible for NHS England to intervene if it thinks that commissioning has gone badly askew, but for now that has not been followed.

I will make a general—if slightly light-hearted—remark about resources in the national health service. Due to the decision taken by the nation last week, those who promoted a decision to leave the EU have promised, I think, £350 million a week—or maybe it is £100 million a week—to come to the NHS. My understanding is that that will not happen immediately, but perhaps in two or three years’ time we might see that money written into the health service’s baseline. It would be nice if that were to be. That remains to be seen. Certainly if that comes to pass, it would be one silver lining in the clouds of last week, but I suspect that that will not be a decision for me to take.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Alistair Burt and Lilian Greenwood

Tuesday 28th February 2012 Commons Chamber

[Alistair Burt]

The hon. Lady rightly gives expression to the complexity of the situation in Israel and the difficulty surrounding the settlement issue, where one side sees it as an obstruction to progress but the other remembers what happened in relation to Gaza. The United Kingdom is firmly of the view that continued settlement expansion is an obstacle to peace, but that the confidence and security needed to create an overall settlement is essential between the two sides, which is why we welcome the continuing conversations in Oman between the Palestinian Authority and Israeli leaders.

[Lilian Greenwood (Nottingham South) (Lab)]

16. What discussions he has had with his counterparts in Pakistan and other countries bordering Afghanistan on the effect on security of the draw-down of allied forces.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Alistair Burt)]

In the bilateral conversations with Pakistan and at the Istanbul conference in November last year, there was a focus on regional security in the full light of combat troop withdrawals. The long-term commitment of the international community to the security of Afghanistan will be confirmed at the NATO summit in Chicago in May.

[Lilian Greenwood]

The Minister will be aware of the humanitarian cost of previous fighting in the border regions between Afghanistan and Pakistan, including over 1 million displaced people. What assessment has he made of the impact on children and communities of the draw-down of allied forces, and what steps has he put in place to mitigate it?

[Alistair Burt]

The Department for International Development has a substantial programme to assist those in Afghanistan. We are acutely conscious of the issues affecting withdrawal. There will be a further conference in Tokyo this year where the long-term commitment on development will be considered. This conference can be seen in conjunction with those in Bonn and Chicago, as I mentioned, that will look comprehensively at the international community’s support for Afghanistan post-2014. Development issues and the protection of women and children are a key feature of that.