Cities and Local Government Devolution Bill [Lords]

Andrew Murrison Excerpts

Wednesday 14th October 2015 Commons Chamber

[Robert Neill (Bromley and Chislehurst) (Con)]

rose—

[Dr Andrew Murrison (South West Wiltshire) (Con)]

rose—

[Greg Clark]

I will give way to my former colleague.

[Greg Clark]

That is probably for another occasion, but of course these things need to be discussed and debated.

I will give way to my hon. Friend the Member for South West Wiltshire (Dr Murrison), then I will conclude my remarks, not immediately, but shortly.

[Dr Murrison]

I am grateful to the Secretary of State. He will know that the biggest challenge facing healthcare in the years ahead will be funding. The models for funding in local government and in the NHS are radically different. How will he reconcile that in a way that will not promote fragmentation in healthcare delivery? Notwithstanding the comments about differences in need in different areas, the big public health challenges are pretty much the same everywhere.

[Greg Clark]

My hon. Friend has great experience in matters medical. This needs to be done by agreement. There is an opportunity to align these funds, but it should be done only if we can be satisfied that it will improve services for our constituents.