Oral Answers to Questions

Scott Benton Excerpts

Thursday 22nd June 2023 Commons Chamber

[Richard Burgon (Leeds East) (Lab)]

1. What steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help ensure value for money in public spending.

[Scott Benton (Blackpool South) (Ind)]

10. What recent steps he has taken with Cabinet colleagues to help ensure value for money in public spending.

[Andrew Selous (South West Bedfordshire) (Con)]

14. What recent steps he has taken with Cabinet colleagues to help ensure value for money in public spending.

--- Later in debate ---

[Scott Benton]

I am sure the Minister is aware of the recent report stating that up to £7 billion of taxpayers’ money is squandered on so-called woke projects, including an Arts Council programme on unlearning whiteness. My constituents would argue that this money is far better spent on frontline services such as our NHS. I am sure the Minister agrees, so will he update the House on what steps he is taking to eliminate such appalling waste and to ensure every penny of taxpayer money is well spent?

[Alex Burghart]

The hon. Gentleman makes an excellent point about the need for us to ensure every pound of taxpayers’ money is spent appropriately, and he will have heard or read the Health Secretary’s comments in March, when he wrote to the health community saying:

“I would ask that you, as a member of the wider health family, now review whether your organisation is getting value for money from your diversity and inclusion memberships and, if not, consider any steps that you could take to address that”.

--- Later in debate ---

[The Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office (Alex Burghart)]

We all remember the cash for honours scandal that happened under the hon. Gentleman’s party’s tenure, and we all know how many union barons are barons.

[Scott Benton (Blackpool South) (Ind)]

What steps are the Government taking to improve the co-ordination and collaboration between different Departments on addressing the mental health needs of our veterans?

[Johnny Mercer]

This Prime Minister made the conscious decision to take veterans out of the MOD and set up the Office for Veterans’ Affairs in the Cabinet Office, with a Cabinet Minister responsible for this. For the first time, that aligned us with our Five Eyes allies. That has allowed us to produce things such as Op Courage, the UK’s first dedicated mental healthcare pathway for veterans. It costs £22 million a year, with that rising every year. We had 19,000 referrals in its first year and a massive unmet need in this country is now being met by government. We are very proud of that and we look to do more in the future.