Obesity robs children of the best possible start in life, hits the poorest hardest, sets them up for a lifetime of health problems and costs the NHS billions, so I can announce to the House that we are expanding the soft drinks industry levy to include bottles and cartons of milkshakes, flavoured milk and milk substitute drinks. [Interruption.] We are also reducing the threshold to 4.5 grams of sugar per 100 ml. This Government will not look away as children get unhealthier and our political opponents urge us to leave them behind.
I congratulate the Secretary of State and the Department of Health and Social Care on the launch last week of the men’s health strategy. My constituent Philip Pirie, who sadly lost his son to suicide, has been calling on the Government to launch a public health campaign to reduce the stigma of suicide. Nearly 75% of those who lose their lives to suicide have not been in contact with mental health services, and that is why we need to reach out. Will the Secretary of State meet me and my constituent to discuss such a campaign?
I am sure that my hon. Friend the Minister for Care would be delighted to meet. The men’s health strategy sets out precisely the challenge in those terms. Through the partnerships that we have already announced, such as with the Premier League, as well as the people who have been knocking on our doors to get involved in such a campaign, I am absolutely confident that together, collectively across the House and across the country, we can tackle this terrible stigma.
T2. It is great news that we are starting to see NHS dentists return to Burton upon Trent, but my constituents in Uttoxeter are still without an NHS dentist for adults. For a growing town of over 16,000 people, when can my constituents expect to put a smile on their face?
I thank my hon. Friend, who is a tireless campaigner on this issue. We want to see more dentists in Burton and Uttoxeter, and across the country, which is why we are offering dentists £20,000 to work in underserved areas. We are making it a requirement for new dentists to practice in the NHS through our tie-in policy. We are also making additional urgent appointments available across the country, including for my hon. Friend’s constituents in Burton and Uttoxeter.
I wish the shadow Health Secretary a very happy birthday—21 again! It is good to see him here.
We continue to hold the door open to the British Medical Association. If it wants to engage constructively, we are ready and willing. What we will not do is be held to ransom. What we cannot afford to do is pay more than we already have. What we are able and willing to do is go further to improve their career progression and job prospects, and to work with them to rebuild the NHS, which the Conservative party broke.
“The power to stop these strikes is in the Government’s hands.”—[Official Report, 6 February 2023; Vol. 727, c. 660.]
“They need to sit down and negotiate to end the strikes, but Ministers are too busy briefing against each other.” Those are not my words, but the Secretary of State’s words when he was standing here on the Opposition side. He said it was so simple. The Secretary of State is embroiled in a leadership battle that is taking over the need to focus on averting walkouts, and the Employment Rights Bill reduces voting thresholds on strikes and scrapping minimum service levels. Does the Secretary of State accept that things are only going to get worse as a result of the Bill? And in his words, does he agree that patients have suffered enough?
I was very clear in opposition about the Government’s responsibility to sit down and negotiate, and that is exactly what I have been doing. It takes two to tango. As for the other trivial nonsense the right hon. Gentleman mentions, I have been very clear that I am a faithful. Of course, if he were a gameshow, he would be “Pointless”.
T4. There is a higher prevalence of multiple sclerosis in Scotland than in any other part of the UK. What steps is the Department taking to ensure that people living with MS can access both a timely diagnosis and equitable specialist care, regardless of where they live in the UK?
My hon. Friend raises an important point, and I would be more than happy to meet her to discuss it, because I think the complexity of what she raises needs some detail.
Every MP will be aware of the huge value that unpaid carers add to the NHS, taking the pressure off paid carers while often under intolerable pressure themselves. We were therefore really pleased to hear the news this morning that thousands of unpaid carers will have their cases reviewed, after they had been left with huge debts as a result of a failure of Government over a long period of time. However, it has been reported that debts will continue to accrue and overpayments will continue to be pursued for as long as a year from now. Given his responsibility to unpaid carers, will the Secretary of State raise the issue with colleagues, urging them to suspend repayments until the recommendations are enforced, and ensure that those people propping up the care system are treated fairly from today, not from in a year’s time?
I am grateful to the hon. Member for that question, as this is a terrible situation and one of the many messes that this Government are now working to clean up. I will certainly ensure that the issue she raises is taken up with my right hon. Friend the Work and Pensions Secretary.
T5. The Public Accounts Committee has recently scrutinised the state of clinical negligence in the UK. At £60 billion, the Government liability for clinical negligence significantly increased under the last Government. The Government have commissioned David Lock to review the issue. Does the Secretary of State agree that reform is desperately needed in this space?