Oral Answers to Questions

Matt Vickers Excerpts

Wednesday 22nd April 2020 Commons Chamber

[Dominic Raab]

The hon. Lady is absolutely right, and I pay tribute to the councils up and down the country who, whether it is through social care or the services that they need to provide to their residents, are doing an incredible job. I can reassure her that we have already announced an additional £1.6 billion of funding just this weekend to support councils delivering those essential services on the frontline.

[Matt Vickers (Stockton South) (Con) [V]]

I welcome the Government’s commitment to write off £13 billion of debt for hospital trusts across the country, freeing up our hospitals to work through the crisis and creating a firmer foundation for the NHS when we reach the other side. Can my right hon. Friend confirm that the Government remain committed to record levels of investment in the NHS so that the world’s greatest health service can become even better? And would he be willing to look at the case for capital investment in the ageing, but amazing, award-winning North Tees Hospital?

[Dominic Raab]

My hon. Friend will know that under this Government the NHS will have record funding enshrined in law, the largest hospital building programme in a generation, 50,000 more nurses and 50 million extra GP appointments. In response to the coronavirus, the Chancellor has also launched a £14.5 billion coronavirus emergency response, of which £6.6 billion will go to the NHS. In relation specifically to North Tees, we would encourage the trust to continue to develop its plans and priorities for local new NHS infrastructure. We will be looking carefully at all of those.