Oral Answers to Questions

Tom Rutland Excerpts

Wednesday 15th October 2025 Commons Chamber

The Prime Minister was asked—

[Tom Rutland (East Worthing and Shoreham) (Lab)]

Q1. If he will list his official engagements for Wednesday 15 October.

[The Prime Minister (Keir Starmer)]

As you have just said, Mr Speaker, today marks four years since the horrific murder of Sir David Amess. Sir David was much loved across the House, kind and generous, and I know it was a huge loss to many Members opposite. May he rest in peace.

As we remember Sir David and our friend Jo Cox, of course, I want to take this opportunity to condemn unequivocally the death threats made against the hon. Member for Clacton (Nigel Farage). I know the whole House will welcome the justice that has been done. Whatever our disagreements, we are all parliamentarians, and I will not stand for violence or threats against our democracy.

Mr Speaker, on that point, may I update the House on the China spy case? I am deeply disappointed by the outcome. We wanted to see prosecutions. Mr Speaker, I know just how seriously, rightly, that you take these matters. National security will always be the first priority of this Government, and we will always defend against espionage. In recent weeks, baseless accusations have been put about by the party opposite. Let me set out the facts. The relevant period was when these offences took place. That was under the Conservative Government between the years of 2021 and 2023. That period was bookended by the integrated review of 2021—the beginning of the period—and the refresh of that review in 2023, setting out their policy. These statements of Government policy were very carefully worded to not describe China as an enemy. Instead—[Interruption.]

--- Later in debate ---

[Tom Rutland (East Worthing and Shoreham) (Lab)]

Q1. Last week I visited Rayner, a world-leading provider of cataract solutions based in Worthing, a winner of this year’s King’s Award for Enterprise for innovation, and a fantastic employer of local apprentices. I welcome the Government’s ambition to get two thirds of our young people into an apprenticeship, further education or university. What will the Prime Minister do to ensure that every young person in East Worthing and Shoreham has the skills they need to thrive?

[The Prime Minister]

We want a country where young people are supported, where the quality of teaching is raised and where every skilled apprentice is valued and respected. We have set a new target of two thirds of young people to be in an apprenticeship or university. That will smash the glass ceiling and renew our country. We have supported this with a record £3 billion budget for more apprenticeships, more technical colleges and guaranteed training, apprenticeships or work for all 18 to 21-year-olds.

Oral Answers to Questions

Tom Rutland Excerpts

Wednesday 10th September 2025 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

Our deputy leader contest started this week and ends on 25 October. The Conservatives’ leadership contest has been going on for months, and will continue for a very long time. [Interruption.] All this noise from the arsonists while we are putting out the fires that they left behind! Interest rates and waiting lists are down. Wages, investment and deportations are up. Now we are stepping up defence spending, creating new jobs, driving up standards in our NHS and rebuilding our crumbling schools and hospitals. This is a Government of patriots fighting for working people.

[Tom Rutland (East Worthing and Shoreham) (Lab)]

Q5. This Labour Government are getting our NHS back on its feet; there are 20,000 fewer patients on waiting lists at my local trust since the election, but there is still more to do, including making it easier to see a GP. Will the Prime Minister set out how the Government will give my constituents in East Worthing and Shoreham access to the healthcare that they deserve?

[The Prime Minister]

I am pleased that we have made progress on the NHS. We promised 2 million extra appointments in the first year of a Labour Government, and we have delivered not 2 million, not 3 million, but over 4 million extra appointments, with 2,000 extra GPs. We are clearing up the dangerous reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete in our hospitals. The national league tables that we published this week will ensure that investment goes where it is needed most, and our 10-year health plan will see neighbourhood health centres in every community, treating patients closer to home. There is more to do, but we have made a lot of progress.

Oral Answers to Questions

Tom Rutland Excerpts

Thursday 6th March 2025 Commons Chamber

[Pat McFadden]

The hon. Member is absolutely right: the people who are attacking us are trying constantly to probe our defences, and as I have said a few times in the past hour, this is therefore a constant challenge. It is a combination of hardware, software and good practice, and that applies to central Government, local government, public bodies and�crucially�businesses. It is a national effort to protect the business that we do and the processes that we take for granted every day.

[Tom Rutland (East Worthing and Shoreham) (Lab)]

T8. I refer to my entry in the Register of Members� Financial Interests. Food wholesale and distribution company Bidfood, which has been awarded public sector contracts and has a site in my constituency, recently unilaterally tore up union recognition agreements that have been in place for more than 30 years. What steps are Ministers taking to ensure that trade union recognition and access is valued and considered as part of the process of awarding public sector contracts?

[Georgia Gould]

I thank my hon. Friend for raising this critical issue. The Employment Rights Bill will introduce new measures that will give staff and their chosen trade union a meaningful shot at gaining statutory recognition. I hope those provisions will ensure that GMB Union members across the country can have their voices heard in their workplaces.

Oral Answers to Questions

Tom Rutland Excerpts

Thursday 25th July 2024 Commons Chamber

The Minister for the Cabinet Office was asked—

[Tom Rutland (East Worthing and Shoreham) (Lab)]

1. What recent estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of fraud and error in Government departments and agencies.

[Chris Vince (Harlow) (Lab/Co-op)]

5. What recent estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of fraud and error in Government departments and agencies.

[The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (Pat McFadden)]

Government estimates of the amount of money lost to fraud and error vary hugely, in truth: the latest estimate has a range of between £40 billion and almost £60 billion, which is a huge range. The public rightly expect us to do all we can to minimise fraud in the use of public funds, which is one reason why my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer has announced the establishment of a covid corruption commissioner, whose job it will be to track down as much as possible of the money lost to fraud during the pandemic. The Cabinet Office will work closely with the Chancellor on this to try to ensure best value for money for the public and, of course, crack down on fraud right across Government Departments and agencies.

[Tom Rutland]

Covid contract fraud has cost the public purse an estimated £7.6 billion, with the previous Government assigning contracts worth billions for useless personal protective equipment to those with close personal connections to Ministers through their so-called VIP lane. With the Chancellor announcing a new covid fraud commissioner this week, can the Minister please outline how his Department will work with the Treasury to support that commissioner, in order to ensure that this egregious waste of public money is rectified and the British taxpayer gets back what they are owed?

[Pat McFadden]

My hon. Friend is absolutely right to draw attention to what happened during covid, when VIP lanes and dodgy contracts ended up burning through billions of pounds, sometimes for unusable equipment. We will do everything we can to recover money that has been lost, and my Department will work closely with the office of the covid corruption commissioner to oversee that work and try to ensure the best value possible for the taxpayer.