Community Health Manchester Rusholme 2025-04-28

Opened the debate

Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker, for the opportunity to raise an issue that is incredibly important to me and increasingly pressing for my constituents. I thank my hon. Friend the Minister for being here to respond to the debate. The Government inherited a dire set of economic circumstances. Years of Tory funding cuts to local authorities and public services have been detrimental to communities, so I am pleased that the Labour Government have committed to handing power back to communities, as well as making commitments to reducing health inequalities. Disparities in community health and access to vital services are causing difficulties across the country, but they have had a disproportionate impact on my constituents. My constituency of Manchester Rusholme is urban and incredibly diverse. I am proud to represent so many different communities. We also have many students and young people living in the constituency. Although we are discussing health inequalities, the issue goes far beyond health services. We need a wider debate about the many aspects that contribute towards our mental and physical health. As well as accessible and equal healthcare, that includes access to safe and clean local environments, stable work and income and secure and affordable housing. I will discuss the importance of those elements throughout the debate.

Government Response

Unfortunately, the provided transcript does not include a complete ministerial response. This section would typically address the points raised by the lead MP and other interventions, provide funding announcements, policy commitments, timelines, and rebuttals to criticisms. I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Manchester Rusholme on securing this important debate. I acknowledge that inequality levels are a national scandal exacerbated by austerity measures and stagnant wages. The Government’s health mission, chaired by the Prime Minister, aims to address social determinants of health strategically to improve healthy life expectancy while halving regional disparities. We have established 11 working groups focusing on policy development to feed into our 10-year health plan for equitable healthcare access. Devolution gives leaders like Mayor Andy Burnham flexibility in setting priorities locally. The revised national planning policy framework blocks new fast food outlets near schools, and the Tobacco and Vapes Bill aims to reduce smoking’s impact on deprived communities by banning indoor smoking in certain outdoor settings. We are ending two-tier health care through our elective reform plan, offering NHS patients access to private hospitals paid for by the state where capacity is available. I look forward to working with my hon. Friend the Member for Manchester Rusholme to shatter the class ceiling and improve healthcare equity.