Tuesday Volume 673 10 March 2020 No. 37 HOUSE OF COMMONS OFFICIAL REPORT PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) Tuesday 10 March 2020 © Parliamentary Copyright House of Commons 2020 This publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Open Parliament licence, which is published at www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright/. 135 10 MARCH 2020 136 Mrs Sharon Hodgson (Washington and Sunderland House of Commons West) (Lab): The Secretary of State keeps saying that local authorities do not need to worry about any of this, as the Government have said that they will be giving Tuesday 10 March 2020 local authorities more money. Well, I asked my local authority on Friday whether that reassured it, and, The House met at half-past Eleven o’clock surprise, surprise, it did not. That is because “more” can mean anything. Is it a penny more? Is it a pound more? Is it £100 more? Is it £1 million more? There is a bit of a PRAYERS difference. When will he let them know? He has now said that “imminently” means in a couple of days’ time. Exactly what is he waiting for? Is it the Budget? [MR SPEAKER in the Chair] Matt Hancock: As I say, the good news is that local authorities can all plan, with confidence, on the basis that these budgets are going up in real terms, and the Oral Answers to Questions exact details will be set out imminently. Dr Andrew Murrison (South West Wiltshire) (Con): Traditionally, public health was about infectious diseases HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE and sanitation. More recently, it has become about lifestyle issues. Given the epidemics of the 21st century, particularly covid-19, what measures will the Secretary The Secretary of State was asked— of State be taking, in allocating the public health grant, to refocus on infectious diseases, both current and those Public Health Grant that are likely to come? Matt Hancock: That is an incredibly important 1. Mick Whitley (Birkenhead) (Lab): When he plans question—one that we will be addressing in the run-up to publish the local authority public health grant allocations. to the spending review. The truth is that the public [901416] health grant is but one small part of the overall effort of local authorities to improve the health of the residents 8. Vicky Foxcroft (Lewisham, Deptford) (Lab): When they serve. Although it is an important part, and it is he plans to publish the local authority public health good that it is going up in real terms for every local grant allocations. [901424] authority, we have clearly got to ensure that the whole effort of a local authority is there to improve public The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care health. (Matt Hancock): The 2019 spending round announced real-terms growth in the public health grant for next Tim Farron (Westmorland and Lonsdale) (LD): All year, so local authorities can continue to invest in the evidence suggests that coronavirus is of greatest risk prevention. Every local authority will see a real-terms to those who are older in our population. The average increase in their grant allocations, which I expect to age in my constituency is 10 years above the national publish imminently. average, yet in public health allocations Cumbria gets only £36 per head, as opposed to the national average of Mick Whitley: Despite the urgency of the coronavirus £63 per head and £100 per head for many parts of situation at the moment, we could see local councils London. Does the Secretary of State agree that that is a planning to cut numbers of nurses, even though they dangerous inequality? Will he fix it in the upcoming would be very much needed, simply because the councils statement? do not know what their public health budgets are. Does the Minister think that is acceptable? Matt Hancock: The inequalities in health outcomes are what I am particularly concerned about, especially Matt Hancock: No, and that is why I have just the length of healthy life expectancy, which is of course announced that every local authority will see a real-terms affected by both communicable and non-communicable increase in their grant allocation so that that does not diseases, the public health around both of those important have to happen. considerations and the wider issues that my right hon. Friend the Member for South West Wiltshire (Dr Murrison) Vicky Foxcroft: Between 2017 and 2020, the Government just mentioned. We will take all of that into account as have cut nearly £4 million from Lewisham Council’s we look at how the public health grant is best allocated public health grant, and the public health team is facing and best used, ahead of the spending review. many challenges, not least from coronavirus. What does GP Appointments the Secretary of State mean by “imminently”? Councils need certainty. Given the pressure that local teams are 2. Sir Desmond Swayne (New Forest West) (Con): under, will he look to restore funding to 2010 levels, in What steps he is taking to reduce waiting times for GP line with population growth and inflation? appointments. [901417] Matt Hancock: As I say, every local authority will see 5. Edward Timpson (Eddisbury) (Con): What steps real-terms increases in their allocation, and by imminently his Department is taking to increase the availability of I mean in the next couple of days. appointments in GP surgeries. [901420] 137 Oral Answers 10 MARCH 2020 Oral Answers 138 The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health Jonathan Ashworth: Many of our constituents, especially and Social Care (Jo Churchill): We are creating an extra those with underlying conditions—from emphysema to 50 million appointments a year in primary care, and we chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes and are growing the workforce by some 6,000 more GPs and asthma—will look to GPs for guidance. When they see 26,000 other clinical staff on the frontline. We are what is happening today in Italy, they will be extremely encouraging everyone to “Think Pharmacy First”, so frightened. What is the Government’s advice to those that access to the right healthcare professional is there with underlying conditions? Will the Minister tell the when people need it. House, for the benefit of our constituents, what lessons the Government have learned from the Italians about Sir Desmond Swayne: When will patients notice the their handling of coronavirus to date, and why we are difference? taking a different approach? Jo Churchill: Shortly—I thank my right hon. Friend for that. First, I should like just to whip over the Jo Churchill: As we have laid out from the beginning, statistics. In December, there were nearly 400 more our approach will be science-led and about the safety of nurses, 200 more doctors and 1,000 more other staff everybody. That is why at some point in future doctors providing patient care in primary care than there were a will make decisions and clinical judgments, and those year earlier. By encouraging recruitment and retention, with existing co-morbidities or at the more serious end and minimising unnecessary bureaucracy, we will help of an illness will be triaged up into an appointment primary care to support the patients in the most appropriate first. That may mean that some people have to wait a way and ensure that everyone has faster access to little longer during this period, but it will always be appointments sooner. If you would indulge me for a done on clinical advice and with the safety of the second, Mr Speaker, I would like to thank all those in patient at the heart of things. primary care and across the NHS, who are working Martyn Day (Linlithgow and East Falkirk) (SNP): harder than ever to provide support to patients as our Last year, 85% of doctors surveyed by British Medical response to coronavirus ramps up. Everyone has a part Association Scotland said that the pension taxation to play in getting through the next few weeks and crisis would have a significant effect on NHS services, months. We are rightly proud of how our NHS has and such as through waiting times. The Government’sproposal will continue to support anyone affected, but we need to raise the taper threshold to £150,000 does not fully also to support them. solve the problem and would cost the Treasury more Edward Timpson: At a time when the Government are than it would to reverse the policy, so what is the rightly committed to increasing GP provision, my Minister doing to address the issue? constituents and I are deeply concerned that Sandiway Jo Churchill: I am sure the hon. Gentleman will surgery in the north of Eddisbury has been earmarked understand that my right hon. Friend the Chancellor for closure by its practice group. What can my hon. might be a little upset if I started to make announcements Friend, or Cheshire clinical commissioning group, do to from the Dispatch Box today. It is a work in progress. It help the practice to improve its overall standard so that has been a little trickier with general practice than it is it can continue to treat its 3,700 patients for many years in the health service, because GPs do not do specific to come? shifts, making it a little trickier to organise. Jo Churchill: The closure of any GP practice stirs up Martyn Day: Scotland’s Cabinet Secretary for Health, understandably strong emotions in the local community. Jeane Freeman, wrote to the Chancellor last month to The Care Quality Commission inspection last May call for a sustainable resolution on this matter in the highlighted safety concerns at Sandiway surgery, and Budget.