NHS 10-Year Plan

Debate between Jonathan Ashworth and Louise Haigh

Tuesday 19th February 2019 Commons Chamber

[Louise Haigh (Sheffield, Heeley) (Lab)]

The long-term plan acknowledges that life expectancy continues to improve for the most affluent 10% but has either stalled or fallen for the most deprived 10%. In Sheffield, life expectancy for the most deprived women has fallen by four years over the nine years that this Government have been in power. Does the Minister have any analysis of why life expectancy has fallen for the most deprived women on his watch?

[Jonathan Ashworth (Leicester South) (Lab/Co-op)]

Very good question.

NHS Pay

Debate between Jonathan Ashworth and Louise Haigh

Wednesday 13th September 2017 Commons Chamber

[Jonathan Ashworth]

I have been very generous to Government Members, and the hon. Lady has already had a chance.

The pay cap must be scrapped, and it must be done by giving the NHS extra investment. The self-defeating nature of this policy means that we are already spending £3 billion on agency workers, and the Government have found billions for corporation tax and inheritance tax giveaways, so this new flexibility must mean more investment. We will not tolerate hospital bosses being forced to cut services to find these funds.

[Louise Haigh (Sheffield, Heeley) (Lab)]

Will my hon. Friend give way?

[Jonathan Ashworth]

I have been very generous, and I want to wrap up because a huge number of Members want to speak in the debate.

As the Government are briefing that the pay cap has gone, we expect the Health Secretary or, if he cannot do it, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury to tell us what extra investment will be made available to the national health service in the coming year to get rid of this pay cap. If they are not prepared to put the extra investment in the health service to get rid of this pay cap, we can quite rightly conclude that the consequence will be further cuts to services at the frontline.