Speeches by Beales.

“It might be possible, then, to allow other providers to enter data?”

“This is just a follow-up question, because I do not think I heard a clear answer about dealing with failures in the programme. I use the word “failure” because the NAO report shows that in some former CCG areas, 0.1% of the eligible population took up the check, compared with 22.6% in the best areas. I cannot think why…”

“We will ignore the Isles of Scilly—no offence to them—but a large amount are below 5%, compared with 22%.”

“Are those standards mandatory or are they advisory guidance?”

“Should they be a mandatory part of the programme?”

“To finish up, because time is short: the amount of variation in the programme is not currently acceptable. It is not about localism, from what I am seeing. As my colleague Deirdre said, we are not reaching the right people. The variation in performance is unacceptable, I would say.”

“Building on Anna’s point, you have touched on the value you see in there being a variety of providers and new routes into the Health Check system to reach those who are not reached. We heard slightly different views earlier from general practice colleagues. The NAO report highlights the lack of consistent data-sharing …”

“That is not what the NAO said. At the moment, a lot of it is manual letters being sent that may or may not be entered, or there might be data error.”

“I think it is both. Sorry to labour the point, but if you are in a roadshow delivering a check in a supermarket, I imagine that you would not necessarily have access to GP-level patient data to enter that live into the system. That is certainly what I have seen in my experience; that is what I think the NAO report is i…”

“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…”

“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…”

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

“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…”

“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 …”

“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?”

“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…”

“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…”