Speeches by Robertson.

“I think £250 million is a drop in the ocean for the Treasury, and I think GPs, pharmacists and hospices would agree with me. Can I ask you about the Darzi report? Darzi says that to deliver hospital to community and treatment to prevention, you need to hardwire changes in the system by adjusting financial incentives. D…”

“Good morning, Secretary of State. It is good to see you. I have some questions on the national insurance contributions levied on employers in the Budget. At the beginning of this session, you said health and social care is facing the worst crisis in history. In hindsight, do you think it is probably the wrong time to t…”

“We are talking about less than £250 million to return to GPs, pharmacies and hospices. That is a drop in the ocean for the Treasury, but a huge pressure on GPs. I would suggest that they are more likely to agree with me than you.”

“I can offer the hon. Member a solution for growing the tax base: grow the economy. That is by far the best way of increasing the tax take. This Budget does not grow the economy—that is the problem.”

“rose—”

“The Government knew that if they raised national insurance contributions in the Budget, it would be devastating for health and social care. That is why they exempted the NHS; they knew that it would be put under acute pressure by the Budget. They did not exempt some of the key partners that deliver health and social ca…”

“It sounds like it is more a funding thing than a change in the way we contract and commission.”

“Professor Hawthorne, how does the GP contract need to change to better support a shift from hospitals into the community?”

“Going back to incentivisation, I am concerned, in terms of public understanding, that “healthcare” and “NHS” are used interchangeably. You mentioned nursing, where of course it depends on the setting—where you are and who employs you. There is an issue with successive Governments sticking with some very simple messagin…”

“Thank you very much. Hopefully decision makers are listening.”

“The Government’s early release scheme has an impact assessment for it to run for 10 years. For however long it does run, will the Government confirm that no prolific offenders will be released early?”

“11. What steps her Department is taking to help tackle hyper-prolific offenders.”

“The hon. Gentleman talks about the NHS. What does he have to say to pharmacies, which report that his Government’s measures will cost pharmacists £50 million, even after taking into account the employment allowance?”

“It is the job of any Government to grow the economy and grow jobs. The best way of delivering money for public services is to grow the tax base without having to increase taxes, so it is hardly surprising that the Chancellor wrapped up her bad Budget as a growth Budget. Unfortunately, when she unwrapped it at the Dispa…”

“The hon. Member opened by referring to himself as a doctor and medical practitioner. Perhaps he could help with the difficulty I have with the Bill, which I would dearly like to support. There are provisions in it that allow the Secretary of State to bring forward regulations so that the independent doctor can be an al…”

“As my right hon. Friend knows, I worked for a charity for six years—or a decade, as the Chancellor of the Exchequer likes to call it. Would he care to reflect on the damage done to charities by this Government’s Budget? They are already in a squeeze, and the Government have squeezed them further through their decisions…”

“The hon. Member talks about choice. I agree with what he has said so far, but does he agree that, when it comes to the banning of smoking for people born after 1 January 2009, there is no removal of choice in the Bill, because they cannot smoke anyway at the moment? Therefore, there is no removal of choice from those p…”

“I appreciate that it is not your decision, or mine, where the money goes, but given that your report looks into decisions made by previous Governments, I am inviting you to comment on the current Government’s funding decision made in October. I appreciate that the system may not be perfect.”

“Thank you.”

“The hon. Gentleman speaks eloquently on a wide range of healthcare challenges in Hampshire. Does he agree that our shared integrated care board for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight must do all that it can to make the best of the situation, particularly in relation to NHS dentistry and funding for hospices across Hampshi…”