Speeches by Beales.

“I welcome the spirit of openness and transparency that the new leadership of the programme has demonstrated. Previously, and frustratingly, residents in Hillingdon were—to be frank—led up the garden path. We were left with all but an IOU note for £750 million for a new hospital. The revenue funding for the new hospital…”

“It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Dr Huq. I thank the hon. Member for Chelmsford (Marie Goldman) for securing this important debate today. To be frank, SEND support in Hillingdon is poor and getting worse. In Hillingdon, there has been a 40% drop in the number of families getting their determination for a…”

“Today’s announcement is welcome for my constituents. It confirms that we are keeping the promises we made in 2023 to deliver Hillingdon hospital in the first term of a Labour Government. I thank my right hon. Friend for that commitment. We also know that, shamefully, my predecessor and his predecessor misled my constit…”

“Sorry to interrupt but time is brief, and this is supplementary to someone else’s question. I appreciate that it sounds like you lack in-house resource. I want to return to a specific point about recourse for the contract. You have been clear that you were given something that was not asked for and that did not perform…”

“That is an ambitious agenda. I hope you succeed. Were the Committee to have contact with you—written, or perhaps back before us—in six months, what practical indications will we see on movement and direction? How can we judge whether the organisation has moved forward towards those goals?”

“Thank you. Perhaps you will share that survey and the four metrics with the Committee in the follow-up.”

“You told quite a damning story about this technological solution not meeting in any way what it was required to do. That seems a major failing by the contractor who was asked to create this technological platform and solution. What contractual management is there of the contractor involved? What contractual mechanisms …”

“Perhaps you could write to the Committee with the specifics.”

“This is the final question, which I am sure you are pleased to hear—a bit of a marathon, so thank you for bearing with us. We have heard in depth about what has gone wrong, the lessons that have been learned, the unfortunate impacts on the system of those failures and what your priorities are—Sir Julian, your four prio…”

“The aid agencies I have spoken to are particularly concerned about access to medical facilities and critical shortages of medical supplies in Gaza, particularly northern Gaza. In the light of that, what steps are the Government taking to get additional medical supplies to Gaza for both Palestinians and Israeli hostages…”

“8. What steps he is taking to help improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza.”

“A recent London Councils report highlighted major issues in the capital with special educational needs provision, workforce capacity and inclusion. In the light of that, I welcome the new Government’s significant financial commitment to SEND. However, this year, Conservative Hillingdon council is proposing a £7 million…”

“I do not know whether Simon or Kathryn would like to add anything.”

“I hear that as there not being a consensus, but you are looking for decision making. I respect that. My reading of the situation is that there has been a request for Louise Casey to come up with the groundwork to take those decisions. One of the things that struck me early in your presentation was that you talked about…”

“May I challenge that? In what I have heard from all three of you so far, I have not heard a consensus on how a national care service should be funded. I have heard a number of options. You have presented challenges in terms of media and public opinion, as well as the political division that has arisen, so there does no…”

“I have one follow-up question about what has been discussed so far, and then I will get to my substantive question. It seems from our discussion today that, after 25 years of discussion about reform—you talked about the Sutherland review of 1999—there still is not consensus on the core question of how to fund the chang…”

“I welcome the Government’s commitment to a new armed forces covenant. Will the provisions apply to local councils, so that we see Conservative Hillingdon council end its unfair parking charges on military personnel and their families in service accommodation—an issue that was raised with me recently when the Secretary …”

“8. What steps he is taking to improve support for veterans.”

“Recent investigations have shown that a lack of investment in drainage infrastructure has contributed to significant flooding in Uxbridge and South Ruislip. How will water companies including Thames Water be held to account where their lack of investment blights communities through repeated flooding?”

“T1. If he will make a statement on his departmental responsibilities.”