Oral Answers to Questions

Maggie Throup Excerpts

Wednesday 17th April 2024 Commons Chamber

The Secretary of State was asked—

[Maggie Throup (Erewash) (Con)]

1. What recent discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on increasing the use of AI in the NHS.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology (Saqib Bhatti)]

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology closely engages with all Departments on the adoption of AI, including the Department of Health and Social Care, and we are committed to ensuring that the adoption of AI is done in an ethical, safe and responsible way. That includes using AI to improve public service outcomes and productivity in the NHS. Ahead of the AI Safety Summit last year, we announced a new AI in healthcare fund, backed by £100 million, to target areas where the rapid deployment of AI could create transformational breakthroughs.

[Maggie Throup]

I thank my hon. Friend for his answer. Without doubt, AI offers an opportunity to innovate regarding medical diagnostics. What discussions is he having with colleagues from the Department of Health and Social Care to ensure that the next generation of clinical scientists, including radiologists and pathologists, gain the right skills to make full use of AI?

[Saqib Bhatti]

I thank my hon. Friend for that important question. Ensuring that the UK’s life sciences sector can grow and access the variety of skills it needs to support innovation, including the adoption of AI, is a key commitment of the life sciences vision. To deliver that we are working cross-Government, including with the Department for Education and DHSC, industry and academia, to ensure that our ecosystem can deliver and attract interdisciplinary talent. The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care and her Department are also working to ensure that the NHS can take advantage of the opportunity that AI represents for healthcare. In addition, DSIT is actively represented on NHS England’s radiology and pathology boards, where AI and skills are regularly discussed.

Oral Answers to Questions

Maggie Throup Excerpts

Wednesday 20th March 2024 Commons Chamber

[Peter Gibson (Darlington) (Con)]

2. What recent steps the Government have taken to implement the HIV action plan.

[Maggie Throup (Erewash) (Con)]

11. What recent steps the Government have taken to implement the HIV action plan.

[The Minister for Equalities (Stuart Andrew)]

Our 2021 HIV action plan sets out actions to achieve no new HIV transmissions by 2030 in England. To deliver that, the Department of Health and Social Care is investing more than £4.5 million between 2021 and 2025 to deliver the HIV prevention programme.

--- Later in debate ---

[Stuart Andrew]

My hon. Friend’s suggestions are right. Through opt-out testing, we have identified 1,000 cases of undiagnosed and untreated HIV. We have expanded that testing to a further 47 emergency rooms, so that we can find even more people. On the availability of PrEP, we are gathering evidence to understand why some population groups who would benefit from it are not accessing it; this is still an important area of work for us as a Government.

[Maggie Throup]

Since the funding has been secured for opt-out HIV testing in very high prevalence areas as part of the HIV action plan that I published when I was Minister for public health in 2021, the scheme has far exceeded expectations; over 4,000 people were newly diagnosed with HIV, hepatitis B or hepatitis C in just four cities in 21 months. The scheme also disproportionately identified women, people of black African ethnicity and older people with those blood-borne diseases. Will my right hon. Friend update the House on progress in expanding the programme to an additional 47 hospitals across England, including in Derby and Nottingham, and confirm that work is under way to ensure that opt-out testing will continue beyond April 2025?

[Stuart Andrew]

I put on record my thanks to my hon. Friend for the amazing work she did in the Department; the initiative has been a great success story. It is amazing that we have been able to find more cases, which is precisely why an extra £20 million has been allocated to increase the testing. I will write to colleagues in the Department of Health and Social Care about what will happen post 2025, but we are doing lots of other work with partners, such as the Terrence Higgins Trust, to ensure that we do everything we can to make this important goal a reality.

Defending the UK and Allies

Maggie Throup Excerpts

Monday 15th January 2024 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

As I have said previously, we are supportive of the Saudi-Houthi negotiations and of the deal announced in December by the UN special envoy. We have been in dialogue specifically with the Saudis on this issue, and we continue to want to see a lasting peace in Yemen brought through an inclusive political settlement.

[Maggie Throup (Erewash) (Con)]

I commend my right hon. Friend for his decisive action. The threat posed by Houthi rebels to global trade demonstrates the importance of maintaining well-resourced armed forces on land, at sea and in the air. Given the current challenges in recruitment and retention of service personnel, will my right hon. Friend consider further support for cadet units, such as the excellent ones at Ilkeston and Long Eaton in my constituency, to ensure that we have a trained supply of recruits who are ready and willing to serve?

[The Prime Minister]

May I say to hon. Friend that that is an excellent idea, and I pay tribute to all her local cadets for the incredible job they do? I am sure the whole House will have experience of that in their own constituencies. I can say that we are introducing a number of ways to improve recruitment in the armed forces and look at more innovative ways to attract people into it, and I know the Defence Secretary will have heard what she said with interest.

Oral Answers to Questions

Maggie Throup Excerpts

Wednesday 25th October 2023 Commons Chamber

[David Duguid (Banff and Buchan) (Con)]

3. What steps the Government are taking to help support women in STEM roles.

[Maggie Throup (Erewash) (Con)]

11. What steps the Government are taking to help support women in STEM roles.

[The Minister for Women (Maria Caulfield)]

We have made great progress in increasing the number of girls studying STEM—science, technology, engineering and maths—subjects. Our challenge now is to do more to get them into STEM jobs. To support that, we launched a scheme called STEM returners, as one of our programmes to grow the skills of people who have taken a career break. We have so far had 42 women in our first cohort and 54 have signed up for our second cohort, getting women with experience and skills back into STEM jobs.

[Maria Caulfield]

I thank my hon. Friend for his work, particularly around promoting the energy sector across the United Kingdom. We are making progress on trying to get women and girls into that vital sector. One of our Build Back Better campaigns is seeking to inspire women from all walks of life to work in the green energy economy and raise awareness of green education, training and careers. My colleague the Minister with responsibility for employment and I regularly meet devolved colleagues to discuss how we can have a United Kingdom approach to this issue.

[Maggie Throup]

Last week I met a group of life science apprentices, young women and young men, who have taken up some great opportunities with STEM employers. One issue they raised with me was the lack of information about non-trade apprenticeships when they were considering their career options. What more can my hon. Friend do to promote STEM apprenticeships for the 16 to 18-year-olds who may not want to pursue the university route?

[Maria Caulfield]

My hon. Friend is a shining example of how women can lead in the STEM sector, with her own experience in clinical care before she came to this place. We are trying to drive forward apprenticeships, particularly in STEM subjects. Since May 2010, over 5 million apprenticeship starts have happened and our apprenticeship diversity champions are helping those aged 16 and over to get into apprenticeships, particularly in STEM subjects. Organisations such as UCAS and Young Women’s Trust are also doing that specific work.

Oral Answers to Questions

Maggie Throup Excerpts

Wednesday 5th July 2023 Commons Chamber

[The Deputy Prime Minister]

I am happy to give the right hon. Gentleman that assurance. As he knows, the Department of Health in Northern Ireland has been allocated £7.3 billion—an increase of £20 million above 2022-23—but of course the absence of a Northern Ireland Executive is exacerbating the severe challenges that the healthcare service in Northern Ireland is already facing. A fully functioning devolved Government is the right way to deliver the reforms needed for the Northern Ireland health service.

[Maggie Throup (Erewash) (Con)]

Q13. Of the 16,700 cases of melanoma diagnosed in the UK every year, sadly over 2,000 will prove fatal. Regularly applying sunscreen is our most effective weapon against this deadly disease, yet the Treasury remains stubbornly opposed to exempting these lifesaving products from VAT. With a further heatwave expected later this month, will my right hon. Friend assure me, as a melanoma survivor, that he will do everything in his power to remove VAT from high-factor sunscreen to save lives and support the NHS as it celebrates its 75th anniversary?

[The Deputy Prime Minister]

My hon. Friend is absolutely right to raise the dangers of melanoma. As a fair-headed person with a fair-headed family, I am acutely conscious of the need to wear sun cream. I will not trespass on Treasury decisions in this setting, but I know that my right hon. Friend the Chancellor will have heard her representations.

Oral Answers to Questions

Maggie Throup Excerpts

Tuesday 10th January 2023 Commons Chamber

[Mike Freer]

What I can do is confirm that the Government have of course implemented many of the recommendations of the Lammy review. I understand how passionately the hon. Member feels about this, so I would like to sit down with her and go through some of the specific issues she wants discussed in more depth, rather than talk across the Dispatch Box; I think that would be more fruitful and practical and I hope the hon. Member will accept my invitation.

[Maggie Throup (Erewash) (Con)]

12. What discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on reducing waiting times for cases in immigration courts.

[Dean Russell (Watford) (Con)]

22. What discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on reducing waiting times for immigration cases.

[The Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice (Dominic Raab)]

We are committed to ensuring faster throughput in immigration and asylum tribunals to support the Government’s priority to combat dangerous small boats crossing the channel.

[Maggie Throup]

Does my right hon. Friend agree that the quickest way to end the use of hotels such as those in my constituency as temporary accommodation centres is to speed up the processing of immigration cases and, when cases are rejected by the courts, for the Government to act swiftly to remove failed claimants from the UK?

[Dominic Raab]

My hon. Friend is absolutely right. That is part of the solution, and I am working closely with the Home Secretary on that. Our aim, working together, is to eliminate the backlog of people who claimed asylum before June 2022 by the end of this year. We will support the Home Office in delivering that so that we can end the use of hotels by 2024. Part of that is about the throughput, so we are doubling the number of decision makers in tribunals from 1,270 to 2,500. Digital can also play a role. Overall, we are driving forward that process to the ends that she describes.

Health and Social Care Update

Maggie Throup Excerpts

Thursday 22nd September 2022 Commons Chamber

[Dr Coffey]

Of course, the statement and the plan published today build on many of the other activities already under way. For me, it is about setting up priorities on how I think we can best help the majority of people in this country. I am very conscious of the challenges on mental health and provision. I have seen them myself locally as a constituency MP. The Minister responsible for mental health and public health, my hon. Friend the Member for Sleaford and North Hykeham (Dr Johnson), will be focusing on this important aspect. On the hon. Lady’s local situation, I think it is a case of trying to sort a meeting with the integrated care board to address how it will be delivered locally.

[Maggie Throup (Erewash) (Con)]

I know that my right hon. Friend is committed to reducing the NHS backlog—the B in her plan. Does she agree that it is far better for patients and productivity to prevent ill health, and that robust policy to tackle obesity, a condition that is proven to increase the chance of suffering from diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer, has an important role to play in addressing the B of her ABCD? Will she commit to focusing on prevention as a key part of her strategy as we move forward?

[Dr Coffey]

Indeed. I pay tribute to my hon. Friend, who was successful in being a Health Minister. I am conscious that ABCD has caught the attention of many people because it has aspects of real focus, but prevention is of course at the heart of what we do so that people do not need to turn to the health service at all for treatment. That is why we will continue with aspects of the strategy to make sure that people have better care and that it is both strong and resilient for their physical and mental health.

Tributes to Her Late Majesty The Queen

Maggie Throup Excerpts

Friday 9th September 2022 Commons Chamber

[Maggie Throup (Erewash) (Con)]

It is with the deepest sadness that I rise to speak on behalf of the people of Erewash to pay tribute to our late sovereign, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

In an era of unprecedented change, Her Majesty has been a constant beacon of strength and stability whose sense of duty and public service remained until the very last moment of her life.

While, today, Britain mourns the passing of our Head of State, we must first and foremost remember that the King and his family have lost their beloved mother, grandmother and great-grandmother—a sense of grief and sorrow that will be familiar to all of us who have lost loved ones. I wish to extend my sincere and heartfelt condolences to the King and the whole royal family at this sad time.

It is estimated that around one third of the country has either met or seen the Queen during her reign. It is fair to say that she will have touched each and every one of us in some way or another. For me personally, I am immensely proud to have achieved the Queen’s Guide award. I know that the values I learned en route to that award have helped me to serve as a Member of Parliament today.

As a woman born in the first decade of the Queen’s reign, I, like so many others, view Her Majesty as an icon and a role model. She was not only a beautiful lady in mind and spirit, but someone who approached the heavy burden of the Crown with grace and good humour in order to serve us—her people—perhaps aided by one or two marmalade sandwiches at times.

Although not originally destined to ascend to the throne, in 1952 our new Queen stood out as one of the few married working mothers, and certainly the only female Head of State of any major western power. Seven decades later, and following Her Majesty’s example, women have firmly cemented their position in the workplace. They are represented in every sector, from construction to Government—perhaps the most poignant reminder of which was the appointment, just four days ago, of my right hon. Friend the Member for South West Norfolk (Elizabeth Truss) as the Queen’s third female Prime Minister.

Now, as the second Elizabethan age draws to a close and our new Carolean era begins, our country, the Commonwealth and its people stand ready for whatever challenges may lie ahead, better prepared for having been led by Her Majesty for more than 70 years, and united behind our new sovereign, King Charles III. God save the King.

G7 Summit

Maggie Throup Excerpts

Tuesday 3rd September 2019 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

I will tell you why, Mr Speaker. It is because the alternative is more delay, more chaos, more confusion and uncertainty for British business, and the infinite protraction of UK membership of the EU at the behest of the EU itself. That is what the Leader of the Opposition is proposing.

[Maggie Throup (Erewash) (Con)]

Does my right hon. Friend agree that if the leaders of Europe are willing to give the Government time to bring forward new proposals for leaving the EU with a deal, ahead of the crucial summit on 17 October, so should this House?

[The Prime Minister]

My hon. Friend is completely right. We need time to get this deal over the line. The crucial summit will be on 17 October—that is when the deal is generally expected to be done—and I would kindly ask the House not to fetter the ability of our negotiators to do that deal.

Priorities for Government

Maggie Throup Excerpts

Thursday 25th July 2019 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

Not only that, but under the freedoms that we will obtain we will be able, where necessary, to enhance workers’ rights in this country.

[Maggie Throup (Erewash) (Con)]

Will my right hon. Friend look at helping to make the work of the 20,000 more police officers more effective by implementing preventive measures such as restricting the number of properties being converted to houses in multiple occupation, which are undoubtedly a magnet for antisocial behaviour?

[The Prime Minister]

Of course it is vital that we look at prevention measures of all kinds. I am familiar with the problem that my hon. Friend raises and I will take it up with my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary.