Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Keir Starmer and Sam Rushworth

Wednesday 15th October 2025 Commons Chamber

[Sam Rushworth (Bishop Auckland) (Lab)]

Q11. Between 2021 and 2023, 41 mental health patients in the care of the Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust lost their lives. That led to a damning report from NHS England and calls from my constituents for a public inquiry. This is not just historic; my surgeries are still filled with harrowing stories of failure. Will the Prime Minister join my calls for that public inquiry, to get to the bottom of what went wrong and to rebuild confidence with new, more appropriately sized local NHS mental health trusts that are fit to serve our constituents?

[The Prime Minister]

My hon. Friend has been a strong advocate for his constituents on this issue. The Health Secretary has met the families affected by these failures twice, I think, this year to hear their stories, and I want to make it clear that what happened to their loved ones is unacceptable. The Health Secretary is currently considering the best way forward so that families get the answers that they deserve. It is right that they receive any update first, but I can assure my hon. Friend that we will provide that update as soon as we are able to do so.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Keir Starmer and Sam Rushworth

Wednesday 8th January 2025 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

I thank the right hon. Gentleman for his condolences.

We took some tough decisions. They led to a Budget that delivered the largest settlement to Scotland since devolution began. If he thinks we should now reverse that, he should say so. The money has been given, so now the SNP has the money, the power and no more excuses for the non-delivery that we see in Scotland. If the right hon. Gentleman wants me to reverse that, he should say so.

[Sam Rushworth (Bishop Auckland) (Lab)]

Q6. Feeling safe in our communities is among the most basic of human needs, but after 14 years of Tory cuts to Durham’s frontline police—[Interruption.] After breaking the criminal justice system, too many of my constituents are victims of violence, theft and antisocial behaviour and those crimes too often go unpunished. I know the Prime Minister has had a lifelong commitment to protecting victims. What assurances can he give my constituents that our new Government will be tough on crime and on the causes of crime?

[The Prime Minister]

My hon. Friend is right to raise that important issue. I have to say, when he said that there were cuts to police and somebody opposite said “Boring!”, that tells us everything we need to know about the last 14 years. My hon. Friend is right: we need to crack down on those committing vile acts in our communities. That is why our plan for change puts 13,000 extra police and police community support officers into neighbourhood policing, and includes a 3.5% real-terms increase and tough new respect orders. Where they lost control, we will take back control and deliver safe and secure communities.