Contributions
2,124 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDIsrael: E1 Zone ExpansionThe Minister has one of the toughest jobs in Government, and he carries out his duties with diligence, courtesy, reasonableness and ability. I wish him well in whatever the future…01 Jul 2026HANSARDHealth Bill (Eighth sitting)Does the hon. Member share my concern that what often gets billed as simply streamlining or efficiencies is in fact slimming down, decoupling and weakening?30 Jun 2026HANSARDHealth Bill (Ninth sitting)I will endeavour to be relatively brief in my reflections, and I will address, particularly, clauses 35 and 38. I can see a logic to what the Minister proposes in them. On clause…30 Jun 2026HANSARDHealth Bill (Ninth sitting)I will be relatively brief, turning just to clause 40. I hope the Minister may be able to clarify something for me. I take the opportunity to thank the Minister for the letter…30 Jun 2026HANSARDHealth Bill (Eighth sitting)Can the Minister set out how she envisages health scrutiny committees having genuine teeth? Our cross-party health scrutiny committee in Leicestershire universally condemned a…30 Jun 2026HANSARDTopical QuestionsIn their 2024 manifesto, the Government made a promise to set up specialist rape courts in every Crown court location. Two years on, how many have been set up?30 Jun 2026HANSARDHealth Bill (Sixth sitting)It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Ms Lewell. My hon. Friends have addressed at some length the Government new clauses and amendments, so the Minister may get a…25 Jun 2026HANSARDHealth Bill (Sixth sitting)I am grateful for that, and the hon. Lady has that on the record. As we all know with political campaigning, the headline on the front page of the website may sometimes, although…25 Jun 2026HANSARDHealth Bill (Seventh sitting)I will not detain the Committee for long, and I will speak primarily to clause 15. I am broadly supportive of what the Minister seeks to achieve, as I understand it, with the…25 Jun 2026HANSARDHealth Bill (Seventh sitting)My hon. Friend comes to this with significant knowledge from his work on the Health and Social Care Committee. He is absolutely right, but that is a tension and a balance that I…25 Jun 2026HANSARDHealth Bill (Seventh sitting)The Minister has saved me from having to give a speech on this clause, so I will ask her a couple of questions instead. Does the Secretary of State intend to publish the list of…25 Jun 2026HANSARDHealth Bill (Seventh sitting)I take the hon. Gentleman’s point to a degree, but I would refute a chunk of it. We need within the organisation people who have those technical skills and know how to commission,…25 Jun 2026HANSARDHealth Bill (Sixth sitting)I am very grateful to the hon. Lady for giving way; she is typically generous with her time. Can I just seek a little clarification in terms of the right to a GP appointment in…25 Jun 2026HANSARDHealth Bill (Sixth sitting)I am grateful for that clarification. I am conscious that we have to finish at 1 pm, so I will bring my remarks to a conclusion. We can all see the intent behind new clause 2; we…25 Jun 2026HANSARDHealth Bill (Sixth sitting)The hon. Gentleman makes his point in a typically reasonable way. Of course, he is right to talk about the need to shift, where we can, from acute settings to either community…25 Jun 2026HANSARDHealth Bill (Seventh sitting)The hon. Member for North Shropshire makes the point very well. Back when I was a Minister, and subsequently shadow Secretary of State, she raised that point with me. The clause…25 Jun 2026HANSARDHealth Bill (Seventh sitting)I agree entirely with my hon. Friend the Member for Farnham and Bordon. At risk to my political career, such as it is, I also agree entirely with the hon. Member for Winchester,…25 Jun 2026HANSARDHealth Bill (Seventh sitting)The hon. Gentleman is absolutely right from the financial perspective. As he mentioned, there is, of course, the human perspective and the impact on someone’s recovery and their…25 Jun 2026HANSARDHealth Bill (Fourth sitting)This brings back memories of being in probably this same Committee Room a few years ago. I made this point during the previous sitting, but is the Minister able to commit that…23 Jun 2026HANSARD Spinal Muscular Atrophy: Newborn Screening TestThank you very much, Mr Mundell. It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship. I will seek to speak relatively briefly. The hon. Member for Sunderland Central (Lewis…22 Jun 2026