Oral Answers to Questions

John Bercow Excerpts

Tuesday 18th October 2011 Commons Chamber

[Grahame M. Morris (Easington) (Lab)]

The reorganisation of NHS procurement has been described in a National Audit Office report as fragmented and poor value for money. The report shows—

[Mr Speaker]

Order. Is the hon. Gentleman inquiring about organ donation?

[Grahame M. Morris]

Sorry. I am referring to the next question.

--- Later in debate ---

[David Tredinnick (Bosworth) (Con)]

Does my hon. Friend agree that many patients look to NHS Choices for accurate and unbiased information? Is he aware that its site on homeopathy is both biased and inaccurate? As the Department has had a long-standing review that has not reported, will he—

[Mr Speaker]

Order. I call the Minister.

[Paul Burstow]

If the hon. Gentleman would care to write to me setting out where he believes there are inaccuracies, we will examine them.

--- Later in debate ---

[Mr Lansley]

I am grateful to my hon. Friend and completely understand what he is saying. In this financial year compared to the previous one, revenue available to Berkshire East PCT increased by £16.3 million. That is just one part of the £3.8 billion increase in revenue resources available to the NHS this year compared with last year.

Although I very much welcome the shadow Secretary of State to his new position, we will miss his predecessor. We welcome the new shadow Secretary of State not least because he might begin to explain to the NHS why he thought it was irresponsible to increase resources to the NHS in real terms by about £3.8 billion—

[Mr Speaker]

Order. I am grateful to the Secretary of State, but we have a lot to get through. He will resume his seat—and I know he will do so happily.

--- Later in debate ---

[Anne Milton]

I always give my full support to midwives, but we must not forget that this is about teamwork as well. There has been an increase in the number of maternity support workers, who also play a critical role, as do the obstetricians and gynaecologists, all of whom have increased in numbers as well.

[Mr Speaker]

There is just time for Mr Andrew Rosindell.

[Andrew Rosindell (Romford) (Con)]

15. What progress he has made on reducing rates of hospital-acquired infections.

--- Later in debate ---

[Mr Lansley]

I am sorry, but I think the hon. Lady should withdraw that. I have no connection with private health care companies, and if I did, I would have entered it in the register of Members’ interests.

[Mr Speaker]

I am grateful to the Secretary of State, who has put the position very explicitly on the record.

[Gordon Henderson (Sittingbourne and Sheppey) (Con)]

T2. The coalition agreement states:“Doctors and nurses need to be able to use their professional judgement about what is right for patients and we will support this by giving front-line staff more control of their working environment.” That being the case, can my right hon. Friend explain why, despite national clinical guidelines, GPs in my constituency face financial penalties if they do not meet targets for reducing the cost of the drugs that they prescribe?

--- Later in debate ---

[Several hon. Members]

rose—

[Mr Speaker]

Order. I remind the House that there is intense interest, and therefore there is a premium on brevity from Back and Front Benchers alike.

[Jeremy Lefroy (Stafford) (Con)]

T4. Several of my constituents, including members of the Cure the NHS group, have raised concerns over the way in which “Do not attempt resuscitation” notices are used in hospitals. Will the Secretary of State tell the House what the NHS is doing to ensure that the national guidance is followed?

--- Later in debate ---

[Debbie Abrahams (Oldham East and Saddleworth) (Lab)]

T5. In the evidence session on the Health and Social Care Bill, the Secretary of State told me that he was committed to reducing health inequalities. We also heard from the Under-Secretary of State for Health, the hon. Member for Guildford (Anne Milton) on that subject a few moments ago. Will the right hon. Gentleman therefore explain why he made a political decision last December, against the advice of the Advisory Committee on Resource Allocation, to reduce the health inequalities component of primary care trusts’ target funding from 15% to 20%, in effect shifting funding from poor health areas such as my constituency to richer health areas such as his own? The Government are saying one thing—

[Mr Speaker]

Order. We have got the question.

--- Later in debate ---

[Chris Skidmore (Kingswood) (Con)]

T9. I am a long-standing supporter of independent sector treatment centres and of the need for commissioners to be able to bring in private and voluntary sector providers, as well as alternative NHS provision where existing services fail to improve—[Interruption.] I see that some Labour Members, including the hon. Member for Leicester West (Liz Kendall), disagree, but does at least the Secretary of State agree—

[Mr Speaker]

We are grateful.

[Mr Lansley]

I will not interrupt the hon. Member for Leicester West (Liz Kendall) who is replying from a sedentary position. I agree with my hon. Friend. What we heard under the Labour Government appears to be very much at odds and not at all in keeping with what we hear from the Labour Opposition now. Let me remind my hon. Friend that the South Gloucestershire primary care trust has received a cash increase of £10 million, or 3%, this year. Like every other part of England, it is receiving increases in resources this year that the shadow Health Secretary opposed.

--- Later in debate ---

[Several hon. Members]

rose—

[Mr Speaker]

Order. As usual, demand has exceeded supply, and we must now move on.