Oral Answers to Questions

Julian Huppert Excerpts

Wednesday 28th January 2015 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

First, let me commend the hon. Lady and others across the House for the work they do on motor neurone disease. Anyone who has known someone who has suffered from that disease—as I have—realises that it is a most appalling, debilitating condition, which is very difficult for families to cope with. I will certainly look at the report the hon. Lady has produced and make sure that the proper meetings are held with the Department of Health, so we do everything we can to support these people and allow them, as she says, to communicate with their families up until the last moment.

[Dr Julian Huppert (Cambridge) (LD)]

Q9. It is now clear that the decision by the last Government to put Hinchingbrooke hospital out to tender, with the last three bids under that Government all being led by the private sector, was deeply flawed and has been a massive failure. Does the Prime Minister accept that this experiment in privatisation has failed and that the future of Hinchingbrooke hospital should be fully within a public NHS?

[The Prime Minister]

It is important that we make decisions based on what will be best for patients. My view is that there is a role for the independent sector within the NHS, but it has only gone from something like 5% of the total to 6% of the total. [Interruption.] It is no good Opposition Members shouting about privatisation: it was their decision to allow this hospital to be run by the private sector. Frankly, on a day when they are in complete confusion about their health policy, we have the shadow Health Secretary saying he opposes all of this but cannot say what percentage should be in the private sector; we have his deputy saying that they want to see more of the NHS in the private sector; we have the Leader of the Opposition refusing to confirm that his shadow Secretary of State has his full confidence—yet this is meant to be Labour’s great big election-winning idea. What a complete shambles!

Oral Answers to Questions

Julian Huppert Excerpts

Wednesday 5th June 2013 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Last but not least, Dr Julian Huppert.

[Dr Julian Huppert (Cambridge) (LD)]

Today my hon. Friend the Member for Bristol West (Stephen Williams) was awarded a World Health Organisation medal to mark World No Tobacco Day. Will the Prime Minister congratulate him on that great achievement and his work on that issue, and support his campaign for the plain packaging of cigarettes?

[The Prime Minister]

I am afraid I missed the beginning of the question, so I did not quite hear who got the medal—[Interruption.] Oh, the hon. Gentleman who gave a magnificent introduction to the Queen’s Speech, and I commend him for his medal. On the policy, we know that issue.

David Black

Julian Huppert Excerpts

Friday 2nd November 2012 Commons Chamber

[Mrs Villiers]

The hon. Gentleman makes a very good point. Visits to Northern Ireland by Members of this House who represent constituents in Great Britain would be positive and always help to enhance understanding. My hon. Friend the Minister of State is engaged in trying to arrange a number of visits and to encourage that to take place.

[Dr Julian Huppert (Cambridge) (LD)]

May I associate myself with the condolences expressed by the Secretary of State? Our thoughts are with the family of David Black. I also pay tribute to the commendable stance taken by Mrs Black. The Secretary of State will know that great progress has been made towards peace in Northern Ireland in the past few years. Can she assure the House that she will always continue to work with the vast majority of the community, to ensure that progress is not blown off course by a small group of people intent on ruining the peace process?

[Mrs Villiers]

I can give my hon. Friend that assurance. Today has provided a good opportunity for Members on both sides of the House to reiterate our support for the peace process and all the efforts that have been made to bring the community together in Northern Ireland in the face of these efforts, which will not succeed, by the terrorists. They will not succeed in driving Northern Ireland apart or driving it back to the past.