Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Matt Hancock and Abena Oppong-Asare

Tuesday 8th June 2021 Commons Chamber

[Matt Hancock]

Yes, absolutely, I 100% agree with my hon. Friend. We have the funding to expand that programme. She will have seen in our national genomics healthcare strategy that newborn screening is specifically highlighted. It is a personal mission of mine to make that happen. I am happy to meet her and Baroness Blackwood, the chair of Genomics England, who has been driving the project forward.

[Abena Oppong-Asare (Erith and Thamesmead) (Lab)]

Early diagnosis gives the best chance of survival, but a GP in my constituency has expressed serious concerns about delays in accessing urgent blood tests, which are critical to diagnose cancer. Will the Secretary of State ensure that local issues such as this do not worsen the already significant cancer backlog and put more people’s lives at risk?

[Matt Hancock]

Yes. The hon. Lady raises a very important issue, and if she writes to me with the full details, we will get right on it.

Covid-19 Update

Debate between Matt Hancock and Abena Oppong-Asare

Tuesday 5th May 2020 Commons Chamber

[Matt Hancock]

We have looked into this very important question. Of course, test, track and trace is a system. The app is one part of it, but the human contact traces are an important part of the system, as is the advice we give to people to contact their own significant contacts themselves. The whole system has been designed knowing that a proportion of the population does not have a smart phone. There are many older people who do have smart phones. I am sure, for instance, that the shadow Secretary of State is probably sending a message to his parents right now on the smart phone he is using instead of listening to my hon. Friend’s question. There is a serious point, which is that of course we have had to take that into account. It is another reason why the Isle of Wight is such a good place to trial it, because there are elderly residents on the Isle of Wight. We will work out and learn a lot from how effective that trial is.

[Abena Oppong-Asare (Erith and Thamesmead) (Lab) [V]]

It has become apparent that people from black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds are being disproportionately affected by covid-19. People in Erith and Thamesmead have also raised concerns about the disproportionate effects of covid-19 on disabled people, people from low social economic backgrounds, women and children. Does the Secretary of State have plans to publish a report on the effects of covid-19 on people who fall under one or more protected characteristics?

[Matt Hancock]

Yes, we have today launched a piece of work by Public Health England to look into the disparities in the impact of covid-19. However, I will just pick the hon. Lady up on a couple of points from her question. The evidence shows quite clearly that the impact of covid-19 is lesser on children and lesser on women than it is on men. There is also growing evidence that obesity has a big impact. We have to look into all those considerations. We will listen to the scientists and the medics, and learn whatever lessons we can.

Covid-19

Debate between Matt Hancock and Abena Oppong-Asare

Monday 16th March 2020 Commons Chamber

[Matt Hancock]

Yes, I will. We will make sure that we support people on all parts of these islands, including all islands that are part of these islands.

[Abena Oppong-Asare (Erith and Thamesmead) (Lab)]

I have been contacted by a constituent of mine in Erith and Thamesmead. His elderly grandparents are stranded on the Fred Olsen liner. Will the Secretary of State please tell me what action he will be taking to provide support to those stranded with coronavirus?

[Matt Hancock]

That is an important point. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary is leading on that response. We have already provided medical capability to try to support people who are on board. It is a difficult situation, as I am sure the hon. Lady will understand. We are doing the very best we can.

Coronavirus

Debate between Matt Hancock and Abena Oppong-Asare

Wednesday 11th March 2020 Commons Chamber

[Matt Hancock]

There will of course be a big voluntary effort should there be staff shortfalls right across public service. People who volunteer need to be asked to do tasks that fit their skillset. If people have medical qualifications and volunteer, that is fantastic—they can go and do that and potentially do clinical work, if that is right. Some volunteers will not have that sort of skillset, but there are still things that they can do, especially to make sure that people can get what they need if they are asked to self-isolate and not leave their homes. It is a matter of finding the right match for the skillset of the people who are going to help. In a scenario in which 20% of the public are off sick, volunteers will be able to help to alleviate some of the inevitable pressure that that brings.

[Abena Oppong-Asare (Erith and Thamesmead) (Lab)]

Following today’s Budget, I have been contacted by a local authority in my constituency of Erith and Thamesmead that is seeking clarification on the urgent need for further funding for one of the local hospitals to deal with the immediate coronavirus crisis, and specifically for the social care sector. Will the Secretary of State explain and elaborate further on what he has said so far?

[Matt Hancock]

Yes, of course. The funding needs for social care, as for the NHS, over the weeks and months to come are not yet clear, so the Chancellor set out an envelope of up to £5 billion to make sure that we can now plan according to what we need to do, with the resources constrained by what the nation has, especially in terms of people and trained people, as opposed to being limited by the funding. He also said that if we need even more than that, his door is open. I do not have a specific answer as to where all the money is going to be spent—as would be normal in a Government announcement of this kind—because we are in unprecedented circumstances. We will of course be transparent and clear about how the money has been spent. No doubt afterwards there will be a huge amount of looking into what happened to try to learn lessons, and the financial part will be one strand of that work.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Matt Hancock and Abena Oppong-Asare

Tuesday 10th March 2020 Commons Chamber

[Matt Hancock]

Yes.

[Abena Oppong-Asare (Erith and Thamesmead) (Lab)]

13. What steps he is taking to improve early diagnosis of ovarian cancer.