Oral Answers to Questions

Neil Hudson Excerpts

Monday 15th March 2021 Commons Chamber

[Laura Trott (Sevenoaks) (Con)]

What support his Department has provided to the NHS during the covid-19 outbreak.

[Dr Neil Hudson (Penrith and The Border) (Con)]

What support his Department has provided to the NHS during the covid-19 outbreak.

[Andrea Jenkyns (Morley and Outwood) (Con)]

What support his Department has provided to the NHS during the covid-19 outbreak.

--- Later in debate ---

[James Heappey]

I absolutely join my hon. Friend in praising the fabulous work of the 35 Engineer Regiment and the Kent resilience unit, which supported Kent County Council to deliver its community testing programme and to establish the Sevenoaks asymptomatic testing site. Armed forces personnel have been working tirelessly across the United Kingdom to help tackle this pandemic, and I know she is not alone in wanting to pass her thanks on to all those who have done such amazing work.

[Dr Hudson [V]]

In times of crisis, such as foot and mouth disease 20 years ago, flooding catastrophes and now the coronavirus pandemic, the armed forces have been deployed effectively to keep us safe by working closely with the emergency services, the NHS and local authorities. Will my hon. Friend join me in paying tribute to the thousands of UK armed forces personnel who, aside from keeping us safe, are ready to be deployed in national times of crisis and have bolstered the vaccine effort, supported hospitals, assisted with covid testing and much more?

[James Heappey]

I thank my hon. Friend for his comments, and I wholeheartedly join him in recognising the consistency and excellence of the support that the armed forces have provided to the United Kingdom both in the past and throughout the covid-19 pandemic. It is worth mentioning that, throughout times like this, they are not just working on homeland resilience but continue with the many jobs they have to do overseas to keep countries safe. It is an extraordinary effort, and it is right that they should be recognised in this way in the House.