Speeches by Olney.

“I thank the hon. Members for Thurrock (Jen Craft) and for Dudley (Sonia Kumar) for bringing this important debate to the House. I echo the sentiments of other Members who have underlined the important work that allied health professionals undertake and recognised the role that these clinicians play in saving lives, pro…”

“It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Pritchard. I thank the hon. Member for Keighley and Ilkley (Robbie Moore) for opening the debate so well, and for acknowledging my campaign on this issue. I also thank the hon. Member for Warrington North (Charlotte Nichols), who is no longer in her place. I know th…”

“You think.”

“Mr Bowler, can you give us examples of where the various measures that Mr Cartner outlined have been successful in bringing accounts to a more timely conclusion?”

“Can you give us a bit more detail about what the Treasury and the Government Finance Function are doing to support those bodies that are routinely late, or late several years in a row?”

“What are the reasons for the delays? I am thinking of some of those that have been delayed recently. What specifically is holding those up? Is it lack of resource, or is it something else?”

“Presumably that activity is taking place now for the accounts that you will produce next year. You are still doing some of the activity that relates to last year. Are you not finding that there is a—”

“Mr MacMillan, can you just say how developed the plans for the phase 1 work are? And just to clarify things, is the extra £196 million—as set out in paragraph 211—the cost of running phase 1, which would support either of the two options, as opposed to running phase 1 when one option has already been decided?”

“Yes.”

“I understand that. Andrew Cartner I was just trying to demonstrate that we have other processes in place. Last July, the Treasury set all Departments’ and all bodies’ multi-year spending review up to ’28/29. For three years, Departments have those budgets set, and then have their own internal planning rounds, budget-se…”

“Can you give some examples of the improvement you have seen?”

“Charlotte, I want to ask quickly about the revised governance arrangements. The Sponsor Body has been abolished, and now you have the Programme Board and the Client Board. Has that been effective in improving decision making?”

“And you are confident that your cost and schedule estimates are robust, even without that further detail required?”

“There is a bigger impact.”

“Can I ask a sub-question related to Anna Dixon’s question? Do you find that the decision making in the R&R programme is better aligned to decision making in some of the other programmes that are ongoing alongside it as a result?”

“Can I ask you a bit about that? Wouldn’t the completed accounts flag up areas for concern that need particular action in various areas?”

“We’ve got you on the record.”

“On the table as you embark on phase 1—thank you. Mr MacMillan, back to my question: how well developed are the plans for phase 1?”

“Finally, Mr Bowler, will the target of 70% of accounts being laid before the summer recess be met this year?”

“Hopeful?”