Oral Answers to Questions

Stephen Hepburn Excerpts

Tuesday 25th January 2011 Commons Chamber

[Mr Lansley]

I know, not least from visiting that hospital, how strongly people in my hon. Friend’s area feel about their access to services locally. I am pleased to say that he will see in the Bill that one of the duties of the NHS commissioning board is to reduce inequalities in access to health services, and GPs can do precisely that.

[Mr Stephen Hepburn (Jarrow) (Lab)]

The Secretary of State knows fine well that the British public knew nothing at the general election of his plans dramatically to dismantle and privatise the NHS. Will he give them a say now and have a referendum on the issue?

[Mr Lansley]

Since we have no plan either to dismantle or to privatise the NHS, it is no surprise that people were not told of any such plan. Before the election and in the Conservative manifesto, people were told of our determination to cut bureaucracy and get money to front-line care. They were told of the determination of both parties in the coalition to get decision making close to the front line, to enhance accountability, including democratic accountability, and to give greater responsibility to clinicians to lead the development of services.