National Health Service

Debate between Simon Burns and Lindsay Hoyle

Wednesday 21st January 2015 Commons Chamber

[Ms Diane Abbott (Hackney North and Stoke Newington) (Lab)]

I am in no turmoil whatever. I will be walking through the Lobby with pride behind my hon. Friends. We cannot know exactly how much a mansion tax, if levied, would raise towards the national health service. What we do know is that the British people who want to save the national health service from the depredations of Government Members have to vote Labour. We have to vote for my right hon. Friend the Member for Leigh (Andy Burnham) to become Secretary of State for Health—

[Mr Deputy Speaker (Mr Lindsay Hoyle)]

Order. We do not need a statement; we have got the message.

[Mr Burns]

In conclusion, it is sad that the hon. Lady has completely undermined the case and the costings of the right hon. Member for Leigh (Andy Burnham). I have no doubt that when she has swallowed her pride and gone through the Lobby today, she will battle as hard as she is renowned for battling and will hit the leader of her party over the head to try to get him to see common sense and abandon this ridiculous policy that she also thinks is ridiculous.

Christmas Adjournment

Debate between Simon Burns and Lindsay Hoyle

Thursday 18th December 2014 Commons Chamber

[Mr Burns]

I am impressed by the hon. Gentleman’s qualifications, but I will tell him, and he can check the facts later—surprisingly, his own Front-Bench team have never questioned them—that under the Labour Government there were 10 extra miles of electrification in their 13 years. Under this coalition Government there are at present 856 extra miles—not replacing existing electrified line, but over and above, new electrification of our railways. Before Christmas if he has time or in the new year, the hon. Gentleman will no doubt be able to check his facts and write back to me confirming the accuracy of my figures.

I think we have consensus now. On that happy note, I wish all the staff who work so diligently and hard on our behalf throughout the year a very happy Christmas, and Mr Deputy Speaker, I wish you a very happy Christmas.

[Mr Deputy Speaker (Mr Lindsay Hoyle)]

Thank you.

Point of Order

Debate between Simon Burns and Lindsay Hoyle

Tuesday 2nd September 2014 Commons Chamber

[Mr Deputy Speaker (Mr Lindsay Hoyle)]

I can reassure the hon. Gentleman that I was meant to take the Chair earlier and that when I took over Mr Speaker had been in the Chair for longer than expected. The hon. Gentleman has made his point, but it is not a matter for the Chair. I reassure the House that Mr Speaker does not scurry away.

[Mr Simon Burns (Chelmsford) (Con)]

Further to that point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker. As Mr Speaker cannot be here, because, as you have just explained, he has other engagements that demand his presence, would you be able to find out some information for us, which would be extremely helpful? Is the status of the letter that Mr Speaker sent to No. 10 Downing street with his recommendation that Ms Mills should be appointed—

[Mr Deputy Speaker]

Order. I can save the right hon. Gentleman any further effort. That is not a matter for the Chair. The right hon. Gentleman is a very able Member of the House and will be able to pursue it in other ways.

[Mr Burns]

rose—

[Mr Deputy Speaker]

I have given a ruling in both cases. This is not a matter for the Chair.

[Mr Burns]

May I seek a point of information, Mr Deputy Speaker?

[Mr Deputy Speaker]

You may seek a point of information, just to test my patience.

[Mr Burns]

The last thing I want to do, Mr Deputy Speaker, is to test you or your patience, but I would like some elaboration. Given that it was Mr Speaker who wrote to the Prime Minister with the recommendation of the panel or the commission as to who should be appointed to the job, how can it not come within the rules of points of order to seek information from Mr Speaker about the status of the letter and whether it can be withdrawn from No. 10 while the pause goes on? If it cannot be withdrawn, it rather suggests that the pause is not very sincere or meaningful.

[Mr Deputy Speaker]

I am sure that everything in this House is sincere and meaningful, but it is a matter for the chair of the commission. It is not a matter for me in this Chair at this moment.

Charter for Budget Responsibility

Debate between Simon Burns and Lindsay Hoyle

Wednesday 26th March 2014 Commons Chamber

[Mr Simon Burns (Chelmsford) (Con)]

Withdraw!

[Mr Deputy Speaker (Mr Lindsay Hoyle)]

Mr Burns, I think you need to relax as well. No hon. Member will mislead this House, and I am sure that is not what the shadow Chancellor intended to say and I am sure he will be happy to withdraw it.

Railways

Debate between Simon Burns and Lindsay Hoyle

Thursday 25th April 2013 Commons Chamber

[Mr Burns]

I will deal with it now. HS2 is not directly related. It is a project drawn up by the coalition Government—to be fair, building on the work of Lord Adonis when Labour was in power. We support the project because we believe it is in the national interest, which is why it is going ahead. UKIP has sought to muddy the water on a number of issues with regard to HS2 and the European Union. As I was saying at Transport questions, before I was politely interrupted, that is fascinating, because if one were to travel around Buckinghamshire, and possibly Warwickshire, Staffordshire and a few other points north, one would see opposition to that magnificent project from the party my hon. Friend mentioned. He might then be confused if he read UKIP’s 2010 general election manifesto, which calls for three—not one, but three—high-speed railway systems in this country. But I now return—

[Mr Deputy Speaker (Mr Lindsay Hoyle)]

Order. May I help the Minister a little more? He is right to suggest to the Chair that he does not want a rerun of Transport questions. I totally agree and we are not going to do that, are we?

[Mr Burns]

Of course not, Mr Deputy Speaker.

National Health Service

Debate between Simon Burns and Lindsay Hoyle

Monday 16th July 2012 Commons Chamber

[Mr Deputy Speaker (Mr Lindsay Hoyle)]

Order. Hon. Gentlemen, the Minister has given way quite a bit, and I am sure that if he wishes to give way he will let you know. You do not need to keep standing and hovering for so long.

[Mr Burns]

Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. Because I want to make progress so that other people can contribute, I will not accept any more interventions.

On the South West Pay Consortium—[Interruption]—an issue on which I hope the right hon. Member for Leigh will listen, given that during his speech he seemed keen to hear the Government’s response—the Government’s position is clear: it is for employers, not for the Government, to lead negotiations on the terms and conditions of their staff, and to do so with the agreement of staff.

This Government are committed to the principles of “Agenda for Change”, a national framework. The ongoing negotiations on “Agenda for Change” are about ensuring that patients and taxpayers get the maximum value for money from every penny spent on the NHS, and that it is spent efficiently and effectively. The negotiations are not about a pay cut, and we would not support one.

The Health Act 2006, brought in by the previous Government when the right hon. Gentleman was the Minister of State in the Department of Health, gives NHS trusts the power to set their own terms and conditions. Although they are free to opt out of the national pay framework, they cannot do so unilaterally; they must consult and seek agreement with their staff and representatives.

Almost all trusts have until now chosen to stay on national terms and conditions. I believe that most still want to, but that has to be fit for purpose and fit for the future. Only one trust—Southend—has opted out of “Agenda for Change”. [Interruption.] The hon. Member for Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland (Tom Blenkinsop) may be a Whip, but he is rather foolish to fall into the trap that I have just set. That trust opted out of “Agenda for Change” under the last Labour Government. Perhaps he would like to apologise.

Pay is the largest element of NHS costs, and pay systems must evolve. The trusts in the south-west wish to work and negotiate with the trade unions to agree changes, not to dismiss and re-engage staff.