Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Sajid Javid and Anum Qaisar

Tuesday 19th April 2022 Commons Chamber

[Sajid Javid]

My hon. Friend is absolutely right to mention the importance of the workforce and medical equipment. He will be reassured to know that the NHS has more doctors and nurses working for it than ever before, with more in training than ever before. We are investing record amounts of capital for new medical equipment, including investment in some 160 new community diagnostic centres, which will all include the latest, state- of-the-art diagnostic equipment.

[Ms Anum Qaisar (Airdrie and Shotts) (SNP)]

10. What recent discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the adequacy of mental health support for veterans and military charities.

Covid-19 Update

Debate between Sajid Javid and Anum Qaisar

Monday 13th December 2021 Commons Chamber

[Sajid Javid]

My right hon. Friend is absolutely right to raise this matter. Those who are in care homes or homebound have been prioritised. For example, I can tell him that I believe that, as of the end of November, 97% of care homes had been visited by GPs or other primary care teams to deliver vaccinations. In cases where they could visit, that was because the care home itself had a lockdown. They will all be revisited again and again. My right hon. Friend asks specifically about people who are homebound. The same approach is being taken. We will absolutely ensure that every single one of those people—as he rightly says, they are more vulnerable than others—get a visit and get their booster jab.

[Ms Anum Qaisar (Airdrie and Shotts) (SNP)]

I had a busy weekend: on Saturday I got my booster jab from Margaret, a hard-working staff member from NHS Lanarkshire—I highly encourage everyone to get jabbed and boosted—and yesterday I met my hon. Friend the Member for East Dunbartonshire (Amy Callaghan), a hard-working and dedicated Member of this House. It is an utter shambles that she is unable to speak and vote, but she is doing a power of work in her constituency. She is an inspiration to us all.

Given the danger of this new variant, does the Secretary of State agree that the House should follow the lead of the Scottish Parliament and move to virtual proceedings, or at least hybrid proceedings, to protect vulnerable Members and their families and to set a positive example of working from home?

[Sajid Javid]

That is not a matter for my Department.

Covid-19 Update

Debate between Sajid Javid and Anum Qaisar

Tuesday 14th September 2021 Commons Chamber

[Sajid Javid]

Yes, I will. This is an important issue, and we are working on it with the British Medical Association, the NHS, and other important organisations. We can do a number of things, but we are trying to do so by agreement at this point. My hon. Friend is right to raise that issue and, as I said, it is high time that GPs started operating in the way they did before the pandemic, and offering face-to-face appointments to everyone who would like one.

[Anum Qaisar-Javed (Airdrie and Shotts) (SNP)]

The first issue that the Secretary of State mentioned in his statement was the importance of vaccines. We know that 40% of the world’s population has been single-vaccinated against covid, but only 1.8% of those in low-income countries have been vaccinated, and those countries are not on track to vaccinate their populations until 2023. To be frank, the Government have previously taken a dangerous route with their international policies, such as their anti-refugee Bill for an insular Britain. Will they commit to ensuring that the UK plays its part in vaccinating the poorest nations in the world, first to save lives and secondly to avoid the potential emergence of further covid variations?

[Sajid Javid]

We are more than playing our part, Mr Speaker.