Business of the House
Debate between Cat Eccles and Alan Campbell(1 week, 3 days ago)
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Sir Alan Campbell
Let me repeat my best wishes to Gemma and Lyla.
The previous Government’s ambition to deliver 40 new hospitals by 2030 was not achievable; neither was it funded properly. We have conducted a review of the programme and, alongside the record £13.6 billion of capital investment in the NHS last year, we have put the new hospital programme on a sustainable footing and a more realistic timetable. We are keeping delivery on track, responding to changes in healthcare needs, and working closely with the relevant NHS trusts to accelerate progress wherever possible, but the hon. Lady is right to remind us of the potential economic fallout from the volatile international situation.
The Chancellor updated the House earlier this week on the Government’s response to events in the middle east, because the war in Iran will come at a cost. However, the Government have had the right economic plan to keep costs down and, at the same time, to invest in public services, and we will continue to do so. I except that as the situation unfolds, the Chancellor will want to keep the House updated.
Cat Eccles (Stourbridge) (Lab)
Following the Environment Act 2021, all councils in England were required to introduce food waste collections and improved kerbside recycling by April this year. Despite the long lead time, Tory-run Dudley council waited till the 11th hour, leaving it ill prepared for the changes and without the vehicles needed to complete the collections. That has left waste uncollected and cardboard strewn over the streets, and crews have been working hard around the clock to catch up. Residents have played their part and complied with the new rules. Does the Leader of the House agree that Dudley council must meet its obligations to residents, and provide accountability and answers for its failures on basics such as waste collection?
Sir Alan Campbell
My hon. Friend is a champion for both her constituents and the wider community, and I thank her for consistently raising the issues that matter most to them. This is not the first time that the failures of Conservative-run Dudley council have been brought to my attention. I thank the residents and crews who are stepping up, but I absolutely agree with my hon. Friend that Tory-run Dudley council needs to clean up its act.
Business of the House
Debate between Cat Eccles and Alan Campbell(5 months, 2 weeks ago)
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Sir Alan Campbell
The hon. Gentleman is right: addressing Ukraine’s financial needs is vital to ensuring that the Ukrainians can continue to defend themselves against Russian aggression. I can confirm that the UK is determined to make progress on this issue at pace, but I am sure he understands that it involves working with other partners in this regard. There is no intention not to move at pace, but other people are involved in this discussion as well. Regardless of whether Russia has a plot for a new stage in the campaign or not, we continue to bolster Ukraine’s armed forces and to increase pressure on Russia to come to the negotiating table, because we all want to see an end to the conflict.
The hon. Gentleman mentions sanctions. We are pleased that the United States has joined the UK in sanctioning Lukoil and Rosneft, which is very important, but as he points out, it is important that we enforce those sanctions. He raises some interesting points about whether the regime is robust enough. If we are to have a debate before the end of the year, this is the very sort of thing that he might want to raise himself.
Cat Eccles (Stourbridge) (Lab)
Children and adults across Stourbridge and the wider Black Country are being prevented from accessing vital care and support because all new shared care agreements have been stopped since the start of September. The Black Country integrated care board has placed the blame on GP surgeries, but I have since discovered that this was at the instruction of the ICB. With some children out of school and some adults out of work without further support, does the Leader of the House agree that ICBs need to prioritise funding for these patients, not leave them waiting any longer?
Sir Alan Campbell
Yes, I do agree. We are absolutely committed to ensuring that everyone has access to the care and support they need, and we recognise that demand for such support has grown nationally, which is one of the reasons why we have invested over £1 billion in special educational needs and disabilities to create a system that supports every child. However, as the House will know, we intend to take this matter forward with a consultation and ultimately legislation. The ADHD taskforce published its final report last week, and I will ensure that the House is updated on the Government response.