Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between David Amess and Philip Dunne

Tuesday 19th December 2017 Commons Chamber

[Sir David Amess (Southend West) (Con)]

14. What his priorities are for the additional funding allocated to the NHS in autumn Budget 2017.

[The Minister of State, Department of Health (Mr Philip Dunne)]

The autumn Budget committed to backing the NHS, so that by 2019-20, it will have received an additional £2.8 billion of revenue funding for frontline services, including £337 million for winter allocated last Friday and £3.5 billion of new capital investment by 2022-23 to transform the estate.

[Mr Dunne]

My hon. Friend needs to be congratulated in this House on being a champion of the University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust. The trust has been through some difficulty, and he has stuck with it and supported it. I can confirm that the trust was allocated up to £2 million of funding last Friday; I congratulate it on that. I am sure that he would also join me in congratulating the trust on recently being awarded the title of the eighth most inclusive employer in the UK.

[Sir David Amess]

Does my hon. Friend share my delight at the £41 million capital allocation that was announced in the recent Budget? Does he agree that that huge sum will enable us not only to maintain the present excellent services at Southend hospital, but to enhance and develop them further for the benefit of all local residents?