Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between David Lammy and Tom Rutland

Wednesday 5th November 2025 Commons Chamber

[The Deputy Prime Minister]

I will certainly pass it on to the Chancellor.

[Tom Rutland (East Worthing and Shoreham) (Lab)]

Q13. Seeing dentists is crucial not just for people’s dental health but for their broader health and wellbeing, but access to NHS dentistry has been a growing problem for a number of years. In my constituency, only two out of 10 dentists are taking on new adult NHS patients—the number is the same for children. Will the Deputy Prime Minister set out what the Government are doing to improve access to NHS dentistry and put healthy smiles on my constituents’ faces?

[The Deputy Prime Minister]

My hon. Friend is right to raise that issue, which is important up and down the country. We are taking action to address the appalling inheritance we received by rolling out extra urgent and emergency appointments across the country. We are also reforming the dental contract, recruiting more dentists and ensuring that they work in the national health service for a minimum of three years.

Conflict in Gaza

Debate between David Lammy and Tom Rutland

Thursday 20th March 2025 Commons Chamber

[Mr Lammy]

I thank my hon. Friend, and I recognise the strength of feeling in the House about wanting to see, alongside Israel, a home for the Palestinian people that is safe and secure. However, as I have said to her before, we keep this issue under review, and we work with close allies such as France on these issues. My own judgment is that the moment will be right when there is a process that actually leads to two states. I had hoped that, as a result of the ceasefire back in January and our getting to phases 2 and 3, we were getting close to that process, and I will do everything I can to get us back to that place in the coming days.

[Tom Rutland (East Worthing and Shoreham) (Lab)]

Like many, I was horrified to see the resumption of airstrikes in Gaza and the loss of so many innocent lives this week. Civilians in Gaza and the remaining Israeli hostages, who were abducted in the appalling Hamas terror attacks of 7 October, desperately need a ceasefire back in place, and the hostages must be released. Will the Foreign Secretary join me in condemning comments from the Israeli Defence Minister, who threatened the total destruction of Gaza? Will he also be clear that the terrorists of Hamas can have no role in the future of Gaza?

[Mr Lammy]

Yes, I will.