Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Healthcare

Wednesday 21 June 2023 · 3 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 1 Partly answered 1 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Christie Jardine raised concerns about waiting times for healthcare in Northern Ireland and asked about steps being taken to address the issue.
  • Simon Baynes questioned whether a functioning Executive is necessary to help alleviate the problem of long waiting lists in Northern Ireland.
  • Christie Jardine suggested that the Prime Minister could meet with leaders of the NHS and devolved nations to discuss learning from each other's experiences.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Christine Jardine Lib Dem Edinburgh West
NHS Northern Ireland
Context

The Liberal Democrat MP is concerned about long healthcare waiting lists in Northern Ireland, noting that the issue is impacting one in four of the population.

Question

Whether he is taking steps with Cabinet colleagues to help reduce waiting times for healthcare in Northern Ireland. I share concerns about the lack of an Executive and support for the NHS, which is struggling.

Answer from Steven Baker

We are acutely aware of the challenges facing the health service in Northern Ireland. Tackling waiting lists is one of the Prime Minister's top priorities, but it is the responsibility of the devolved Government to deliver reforms.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific steps being taken by Cabinet colleagues to help reduce waiting times for healthcare in Northern Ireland were not addressed.

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Q2 Simon Baynes
NHS Northern Ireland
Context

The MP notes that over 500,000 people in Northern Ireland are waiting to see a clinician or have treatment, representing one in four of the population.

Question

Over 500,000 people in Northern Ireland are waiting either to see a clinician or to have treatment. Does my hon. Friend agree that health services desperately need a working Executive to help address these problems?

Answer from Steven Baker

Yes, without an Executive, local leaders are not able to deliver reforms and people in Northern Ireland are feeling the impact of long waiting lists.

Answered
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Q3 Christine Jardine Lib Dem Edinburgh West
NHS Scotland Wales
Context

The MP acknowledges similar problems in healthcare across the United Kingdom and asks about a meeting with NHS leaders.

Question

If it is one of the Prime Minister's priorities, could he not meet the leaders of the NHS in each of the devolved nations, and the leaders of those devolved nations, to discuss how they can learn from each other?

Answer from Steven Baker

The British-Irish Council did not discuss health this time, but it would be a good forum for that discussion.

Not addressed: The specific meeting with NHS leaders to address healthcare challenges was avoided.

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