Health and Social Care

Debate between Paul Waugh and Laura Kyrke-Smith

Monday 26th January 2026 Written Corrections

[Paul Waugh (Rochdale) (Lab/Co-op)]

What steps his Department is taking to improve maternity care.

[Laura Kyrke-Smith (Aylesbury) (Lab)]

What steps his Department is taking to improve maternity and neonatal care.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Paul Waugh and Laura Kyrke-Smith

Tuesday 13th January 2026 Commons Chamber

[Paul Waugh (Rochdale) (Lab/Co-op)]

6. What steps his Department is taking to improve maternity care.

[Laura Kyrke-Smith (Aylesbury) (Lab)]

9. What steps his Department is taking to improve maternity and neonatal care.

[The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (Wes Streeting)]

As the House knows, I am deeply concerned by the state of maternity care in the NHS that we inherited. While the majority of births go well, I know from the courage of families who have spoken up and the concern of staff that devastating impacts are arising from failures in care. That is why I asked Baroness Amos to chair an independent investigation into maternity and neonatal services to drive urgent action, but that has not stopped us from taking action in the meantime. We have invested more than £131 million to improve neonatal care facilities, brought in a new maternity care bundle, implemented a programme to reduce the two leading causes of avoidable brain injury during labour, and increased maternal mental health services. There is so much more to do, however, to guarantee safety now and into the future, and also to ensure truth, justice and accountability for past failures.