Oral Answers to Questions

Vicky Foxcroft Excerpts

Tuesday 26th March 2019 Commons Chamber

[Stephen Hammond]

The Department of course takes such things seriously. My hon. Friend the Minister of State for Care met Baroness Harding last week to discuss how to ensure that there are nurses and carers to help people with learning disabilities. The money that has been promised to make that possible comes in the new financial year, which starts next week.

[Vicky Foxcroft (Lewisham, Deptford) (Lab)]

14. What progress his Department has made on the implementation of a public health approach to tackling violence.

[The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (Matt Hancock)]

We are pursuing a multi-agency approach to prevent and tackle serious violence. Healthcare is of course one of the important and relevant agencies that need to work together right across government to reduce knife crime.

[Vicky Foxcroft]

The Government are committed to a public health approach, but we heard the Secretary of State dismiss it just a few weeks ago. What assurances can he give that he is now fully signed up to the approach? What evidence is his Department collating? How is the Department working with the Home Office to ensure that we have a long-term strategy for keeping our young people safe?

[Matt Hancock]

I am a huge fan of the public health approach to tackling knife crime. In fact, I was in Croydon yesterday to talk to charities and to students at Croydon College about the role the NHS can play in tackling the scourge of knife crime. I am a big fan of this agenda, and I look forward to working with the hon. Lady and colleagues from across the House.