I welcome the fact that the Minister has announced the development of a palliative care and end-of-life care modern service framework for England. However, hospices across the country, especially in my constituency, tell me their biggest problem is the national insurance rise. For example, a children's hospice covering my constituency tells me that the £90,000 extra it has to pay in national insurance could have funded three nurses. What discussions has the Minister had with the Chancellor ahead of tomorrow’s Budget to ensure that hospices, and indeed other health and social care organisations, are exempt from any national insurance rises, either in the past or in the future?

I welcome the Government’s commitment to a strategy for palliative care, which is as overdue as it is important, but it will mean nothing for hospices that are not able to last out until it comes into effect. Garden House Hospice in my constituency is facing a crucial funding shortfall, and although the capital funding from the Government that came through earlier this year is incredibly welcome, it is still just short of filling the cash-flow gap it needs to fill to secure its operations. Would the Minister meet me to see what further work the integrated care board may be able to do to protect this vital hospice serving my constituents?