Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: HM Treasury

Oral Answers to Questions

David Jones Excerpts
Tuesday 26th January 2021

(3 years, 3 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Kemi Badenoch Portrait Kemi Badenoch
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The Government recognise the important role that the aviation sector plays in the UK economy. The sector can draw on the wide range of support measures available, including the recently announced airport and ground operations support scheme, which will provide eligible firms with support of up to £8 million per claimant. However, I reassure my hon. Friend that we remain committed to delivering the consultation, and will look to proceed once the challenging circumstances that the sector is currently facing have eased.

David Jones Portrait Mr David Jones (Clwyd West) (Con)
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What steps he has taken to help ensure adequate funding for the NHS in Wales.

Steve Barclay Portrait The Chief Secretary to the Treasury (Steve Barclay)
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As healthcare is devolved, it is for the Welsh Government to ensure that the NHS in Wales has enough funding, using the over £20 billion of funding they receive from the UK Government through the Barnett formula.

David Jones Portrait Mr Jones [V]
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The covid-19 vaccination programme in Wales is unfortunately lagging behind England, but despite that, the Welsh First Minister has announced that he intends to slow the release of vaccine to avoid, as he puts it, vaccinators

“standing around with nothing to do”.

Can my right hon. Friend confirm that there are no financial constraints that he is aware of that would justify this perverse and irrational policy decision or prevent the Welsh Government from deploying the vaccine as quickly in Wales as in any part of the country?

Steve Barclay Portrait Steve Barclay
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I am happy to confirm to my right hon. Friend that there are not financial constraints. The UK Government have guaranteed that the Welsh Government will receive at least £5.2 billion in additional resource to deliver their coronavirus response, including the vaccine deployment activities.