Oral Answers to Questions

John Bercow Excerpts

Tuesday 5th July 2016 Commons Chamber

[Several hon. Members rose—]

[Mr Speaker]

Order. Progress has been rather slow today, but I want to accommodate one further inquiry. I call Karin Smyth.

[Karin Smyth (Bristol South) (Lab)]

14. What steps he is taking to ensure that forward budget planning in his Department is robust.

--- Later in debate ---

[George Freeman]

May I first make it clear, as the Prime Minister has done, that nothing immediately changes? We are still full voting-right members of the European Union, and nobody in the system needs to worry about any immediate changes. The Government are putting together a plan for handling the negotiations that now need to be taken forward, and for my own part I as a Minister in the Department have convened a workforce to look at the issues around medicines access. There are three things we need to do: first, to reassure people that this country has a very strong life science and healthcare research system and economy; secondly, to make sure that we negotiate our new relationship with the EU in a way that works; and thirdly, to take advantage of the regulatory freedoms that we now have to make sure that this country is the very best country in the world in which to develop those innovations.

[Mr Speaker]

We are most grateful to the Minister for his thesis.

[William Wragg (Hazel Grove) (Con)]

T1. If he will make a statement on his departmental responsibilities.

--- Later in debate ---

[Several hon. Members rose—]

[Mr Speaker]

Order. Despite the fact that we are late, I am keen to try to satisfy the inquisitorial appetite of colleagues, but can do so best if they are each now very brief.

[Emma Reynolds (Wolverhampton North East) (Lab)]

What is the Health Secretary doing to ensure that the NHS gets the £350 million a week that it was promised during the referendum campaign?

--- Later in debate ---

[Mr Jeremy Hunt]

Of course, and we will take every step necessary to protect the NHS throughout the country, because it remains our most important public service. I am sure that, economically, the period ahead will be difficult, but now that we have had the argument and the British people have made their decision, it is also important that we talk up the opportunities from the new relationships that we may have in the future, and the extra funding that those could generate for the NHS, and I certainly hope that that is what happens.

[Mr Speaker]

Last, I call Mhairi Black.