Oral Answers to Questions

Stephen Gethins Excerpts

Tuesday 11th February 2025 Commons Chamber

[Stephen Kinnock]

I am once again struck by the fact that Conservative Members seem to welcome the additional investment that the Chancellor has put into our health and care service, but do not seem to have any plan or proposals at all about how the revenue should be generated for that funding. Until we get an answer to that question, we will struggle to get much further in this House, although I note that Toby Porter, the chief executive of Hospice UK, has said that the

“funding will allow hospices to continue to reach hundreds of thousands of people every year with high-quality, compassionate care. We look forward to working with the government to make sure everyone approaching the end of life gets the care and support they need”.

[Stephen Gethins (Arbroath and Broughty Ferry) (SNP)]

First, may I pay tribute to those who work in hospices? I think we can all agree that they do an astonishing job. The Minister will agree that the national insurance hike has had an impact on those who work in hospices. Can he assure me that when it comes to the Scottish Government’s funding—I acknowledge the 14 years of Tory misrule and the funding settlements that were handed down—any Barnett consequentials will be passed on in full to the devolved Administrations?

[Stephen Kinnock]

We have seen the biggest settlement in many years for our health and care system across the country. It is now up to the SNP Government in Edinburgh to absorb and deliver that funding in a way that will actually improve services in Scotland—something that we have not seen for a very long time under the misrule of the Scottish National party.