Speeches by Coleman.

“Sir Chris, who is leading this? It is a big change programme. Who is leading it in the DHSE? Is it you?”

“You are not intending to throw the baby out with the bathwater.”

“There was no particular straw that broke the camel’s back for you, though?”

“It is just Ben Coleman, Madam Deputy Speaker, but thank you for the honorific. I am very grateful to the Minister for his statement, and for the further measures he is taking to support the shamefully treated victims of the Horizon scandal. I also thank him for saving our beloved post office on the King’s Road in Chels…”

“May I echo the thanks to the Secretary of State and the Prime Minister for the calm and effective way that they are dealing with the United States? Unlike some of the frivolous comments we have heard from Conservative Members, does my right hon. Friend agree that the US’s 20% tariff on EU goods is to be deeply regrette…”

“What do you think would be best for people suffering from problem gambling?”

“If a company has not behaved properly, you cannot look back more than two years: is that what you are saying?”

“That is not what the deputy chief executive said. She said that it cannot consider historical complaints. She was not contextualising it; it was a straightforward statement. Why would she make that statement, when you are contextualising it?”

“I recently wrote to the Gambling Commission on behalf of a constituent. The response, which was from the deputy chief executive, said: “The commission cannot consider historical complaints—events that occurred more than two years ago.” There seems to be some dispute between what you are saying and what was said there.”

“Do you see a tension in Government between DCMS, as the representative of the industry, which contributes a great deal in taxation, and the Department of Health and Social Care, which is trying to help people with problem gambling? Is there a tension there when it comes to supporting research through, for example, the …”

“I was struck earlier by the fact that GambleAware was effectively vetoing certain questions, or not allowing them to be asked, in research that was being undertaken. Who will be ensuring that the research is wholly independent? There is a bit of tension between the industry representative and the health representative …”

“When you say “accountability”, who will be holding the commissioning services accountable? Will they be reporting regularly? What happens with the 150-odd local authorities across the country when it comes to public health interventions for gambling problems?”

“When it comes down to directors of public health in the local authorities, how can we be sure that they will be implementing measures to support problem gamblers, using money from that?”

“In terms of sharing, all that will require funding. I think we have touched on ringfencing, but how can we ensure that funding, whether it is through the public health grant or whatever the NHS does, is ringfenced to tackle problem gambling?”

“I will ask, if I may, about the third sector. Most of the support and treatment happens outside the NHS. What do you think the third sector’s role will be in the new commissioning system, Professor?”

“Directors of public health, for example.”

“My question to you is not perhaps asking for such a broad, political answer. Do you think it would be helpful for the advisory group to have clear, direct representation from public health professionals, such as your organisation or the Association of Directors of Public Health?”

“Andrew, would you also expect to see yourselves or public health directors represented directly in the gambling levy advisory group?”

“When you say “no harm”, would you actively advocate for it?”

“When you talk about the advisory board, it is very interesting. We have the gambling levy programme board, on which the Department of Health and Social Care will sit, and you will also have the advisory group to the board. Presumably, you think that the Department of Health and Social Care should sit on that, but shoul…”