Business of the House

Debate between Penny Mordaunt and Julian Sturdy

Thursday 13th October 2022 Commons Chamber

[Penny Mordaunt]

First, I join the hon. Gentleman in his sentiments in remembering the life of someone who was, I assume, his constituent as well as someone he greatly admired. I would, though, point out that it is people on the Government side of the House who have honoured the results of two referendums.

[Julian Sturdy (York Outer) (Con)]

Could we please have a debate in Government time on the importance of doctors’ surgeries for smaller, more rural communities? With Wheldrake surgery in my constituency having been closed now for a prolonged period and Stockton on the Forest surgery’s reducing its opening hours to just two mornings a week, there is real concern that rural communities are not getting the access to primary care that they desperately need.

[Penny Mordaunt]

I am sorry to hear about the situation in my hon. Friend’s constituency and thank him for raising it today; I will flag it with the Department of Health and Social Care. Clearly, the NHS is under great pressure because of backlogs from the pandemic. Patient education is important, and the whole local health team has a responsibility and can help people, but a large part of that is time with a general practitioner, and we need to ensure that those services are accessible by the local population.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Penny Mordaunt and Julian Sturdy

Thursday 12th November 2020 Commons Chamber

[The Paymaster General (Penny Mordaunt)]

At every stage of the pandemic, the UK Government have engaged with the devolved Administrations, metro mayors and local councils. Local resilience forums are at the frontline of providing the response to tackling covid-19, and the Government will continue to engage with local authorities to beat the virus.

[Julian Sturdy [V]]

With covid cases in York now well below the level they were when the city went into tier 2, can the Minister reassure me that the Government are listening closely to the feedback and case numbers they are receiving from the city authorities, and that York’s restrictions from 2 December will be based on the local virus situation and local judgments, not based on decisions imposed by central Government or on wider regional figures?

[Penny Mordaunt]

First of all, let me acknowledge the immense sacrifices that people in York and elsewhere around the country are making, and what people are having to endure. As the Prime Minister has made clear, the current restrictions will end on 2 December, and we will then return to a local and tiered approach. The Government will work with my hon. Friend and other local leaders in the area to determine the most appropriate response. We will be tailoring any tiers that people have to go into, as we have done previously, depending on what is needed locally.