Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Jeremy Hunt and Nick Smith

Tuesday 15th November 2022 Commons Chamber

[Jeremy Hunt]

I assure the right hon. Gentleman that we are absolutely determined to ensure that support gets out to everyone in the United Kingdom as quickly as possible this Christmas. I am absolutely not aware of any delay of the kind that he suggests, but I will happily make inquiries to make sure of that.

[Nick Smith (Blaenau Gwent) (Lab)]

The cold weather payment is a lifeline for those on low incomes, but the current £25 rate was set in 2008. Today, it should be worth £37. Will the Chancellor collaborate with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and look into updating the figure in the light of the energy crisis?

[Jeremy Hunt]

I can reassure the hon. Gentleman that I have had extensive discussions with our excellent new Work and Pensions Secretary about how we support people on low incomes—precisely the vulnerable people that he is talking about. He will have to wait until Thursday for the details of our plan, but we have said that, in a very difficult time, protecting the most vulnerable will be our top priority.

Economic Update

Debate between Jeremy Hunt and Nick Smith

Monday 17th October 2022 Commons Chamber

[Jeremy Hunt]

On the latter point, I will write to the hon. Gentleman. On the former point, I am confident that the advisers I have will be able to speak for the whole United Kingdom.

[Nick Smith (Blaenau Gwent) (Lab)]

May I press the Chancellor? The defined benefit pensions market has been in turmoil. Schemes have nearly folded, and the Bank of England has spent £20 billion to steady the market. How will he grip that better so that pensioners can have confidence in their schemes?

[Jeremy Hunt]

I believe that the Bank of England has taken important action and I refer the hon. Gentleman to what the Governor of the Bank of England said today and his confidence that those issues have been largely resolved.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Jeremy Hunt and Nick Smith

Tuesday 26th November 2013 Commons Chamber

[Mr Hunt]

I thank my hon. Friend for highlighting this important issue. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency regularly reviews the evidence relating to anti-epileptic drug use, particularly sodium valproate products, and we check what information is available to doctors so that it can be passed on to patients. I am concerned about the issue my hon. Friend raises, so I have asked NHS England’s national director of patient safety, Dr Mike Durkin, to look into it carefully and get back to me.

[Nick Smith (Blaenau Gwent) (Lab)]

New York has raised the age for buying tobacco products to 21. As a public health care policy, has the Department considered that matter?

Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust

Debate between Jeremy Hunt and Nick Smith

Tuesday 19th November 2013 Commons Chamber

[Mr Hunt]

My hon. Friend is right that it is absolutely shocking that we spend more than £1 billion a year on litigation claims in the NHS. The only long-term way of reducing that bill is to improve the safety record of the NHS, so that we do not have the terrible incidents that lead to high claims. The only way to do that is through openness and transparency, which is why today’s measures will make a big difference.

[Nick Smith (Blaenau Gwent) (Lab)]

I welcome the proposal on legal sanctions for those found guilty of wilful neglect. In south Wales, police Operation Jasmine has looked at the alleged abuse of elders in care homes. I understand the difficulties, but will today’s announcement help us to hold to account those responsible for corporate neglect in private sector care homes?

[Mr Hunt]

Absolutely. The Minister of State, Department of Health, who has responsibility for care services, has been very focused on making sure that there is proper corporate accountability. Today, we have announced the new fit and proper persons test that will apply to all organisations delivering care to make sure that directors of companies responsible for care homes and domiciliary services in which poor care happens are properly held to account. That is vital, because there should be no hiding place for people who send signals to their staff that lead to our reading the horror stories that, sadly, we have read.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Jeremy Hunt and Nick Smith

Tuesday 15th January 2013 Commons Chamber

[Mr Hunt]

We are reducing investment in the back office so we can put more money into the front line. The result is that there are 219,000 more cancer treatments every year than there were under the last year of the Labour Government.

[Nick Smith (Blaenau Gwent) (Lab)]

8. When his Department plans to publish its proposed new sexual health policy document.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Jeremy Hunt and Nick Smith

Tuesday 23rd October 2012 Commons Chamber

[Nick Smith (Blaenau Gwent) (Lab)]

The Public Accounts Committee says that 11 of the 144 foundation trusts across England are now in serious financial difficulty. What contingency funding is in place for those trusts, to protect patients?

[Mr Jeremy Hunt]

We have a clearly set out programme for all those trusts, to make sure that they get back to the proper financial controls and proper governance structures that they need. We do not want to get into the business of bailing them out; we want them to stand on their own two feet. That is the vision of the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Act 2003, passed by the hon. Gentleman’s party when it was in government.

Leveson Inquiry

Debate between Jeremy Hunt and Nick Smith

Wednesday 25th April 2012 Commons Chamber

[Mr Hunt]

None whatsoever, and indeed Mr Michel has acknowledged that in the 54 e-mails in which he refers to conversations with me, he in fact did not have any conversations at all.

[Nick Smith (Blaenau Gwent) (Lab)]

During this process, why did the Secretary of State not manage his special adviser properly, to ensure his office acted with integrity?

[Mr Hunt]

It is a matter of great regret to me that what happened happened, but if I may say so, I think the Labour party also has some lessons to learn about managing special advisers when it was in office.