Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Simon Burns and Graeme Morrice

Tuesday 22nd November 2011 Commons Chamber

[Graeme Morrice (Livingston) (Lab)]

1. What recent assessment he has made of front-line staffing levels in the NHS.

[The Minister of State, Department of Health (Mr Simon Burns)]

We fully recognise how important front-line staff are to the provision of high-quality care. Local organisations are best placed to plan the work force who are required to deliver safe and high-quality services to patients.

[Graeme Morrice]

The Prime Minister promised to cut the deficit and not the national health service. Can the Minister tell us what has changed?

[Mr Burns]

Nothing has changed. As the hon. Gentleman will know, the NHS budget is a protected budget, and during the lifetime of the present Parliament it will receive real-terms increases. What the hon. Gentleman may not know is that the number of full-time equivalent clinical staff working in the NHS today is higher than it was in May 2010 and September 2009.