Oral Answers to Questions

Douglas McAllister Excerpts

Wednesday 26th February 2025 Commons Chamber

[Chris Evans (Caerphilly) (Lab/Co-op)]

7. What recent discussions he has had with the Northern Ireland Executive on improving public services.

[Douglas McAllister (West Dunbartonshire) (Lab)]

10. What recent discussions he has had with the Northern Ireland Executive on improving public services.

[The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (Hilary Benn)]

I regularly meet Northern Ireland Ministers to discuss the shared challenges we face in improving public services, and the Government will do everything we can to help. Last week, I met the new Finance Minister, and we both expect to be in a position soon to announce progress on funding to help with the transformation of public services.

--- Later in debate ---

[Hilary Benn]

I have not looked specifically at the social partnership model in Wales to which he refers, but I look forward to learning more about it; it sounds very interesting. As I have indicated, we have a lot to learn from each other.

[Douglas McAllister]

The proactive approach that the Secretary of State has set out is an important step change from the approach taken by the previous Government. Does he agree that stabilising and transforming the health service in Northern Ireland is now the priority?

[Hilary Benn]

It certainly is. One has only to look at the waiting list figures in Northern Ireland: some 52% of those waiting for a first consultant’s appointment wait for more than a year; the figure in England is 4%. The First Minister recently described the state of the health service in Northern Ireland as “diabolical”. I am absolutely clear that Ministers and the Executive understand that, and I very much support the programme that the new Health Minister is seeking to put in place to deal with that.