Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

NHS Reform

Wednesday 29 January 2025 · 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 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • There have been no plans by the Welsh Government to close hospitals.
  • Collaboration is happening between the UK and Welsh governments to improve health outcomes in Wales.
  • The proposed 600 million investment in the Welsh NHS is conditional upon the Senedd voting for the budget.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Lincoln Jopp Con Spelthorne
NHS Wales
Context

The Labour party has been governing the NHS in Wales for 25 years, with current waiting lists being significantly higher compared to those in England. The Welsh Government's First Minister suggested a plan to reduce waiting times.

Question

What recent discussions have you had with the Welsh Government on NHS reform in Wales? Given that waiting lists are extremely high in Wales and despite their 25-year tenure, does the Secretary of State agree with Mr Mark Drakeford that fewer hospitals are needed in Wales?

Answer from The Secretary of State for Wales (Jo Stevens)

There have been no plans by the Welsh Government to close hospitals. The Secretary of State dismissed criticisms from Conservatives and highlighted that their proposal to build 40 new hospitals in England was unrealistic, as neither the hospitals nor funding existed.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The question about fewer hospitals being needed in Wales was not directly answered.

Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)

Q2 Claire Hughes Lab Bangor Aberconwy
NHS Wales
Context

There is ongoing collaboration between the UK and Welsh Governments to address health issues, including cutting waiting lists.

Question

How are she and her colleagues working with the Welsh Government to improve health outcomes for people in Wales? What specific actions are being taken?

Answer from The Secretary of State for Wales (Jo Stevens)

Collaboration is happening between both governments in a constructive manner, sharing best practices. A ministerial advisory group has been established by the Welsh Government to plan NHS reforms aimed at improving performance and reducing waiting lists, drawing on expertise from both Wales and England.

Answered
Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)

Q3 Mims Davies Con East Grinstead and Uckfield
NHS Wales
Context

The Labour party has been governing Wales for a long period with waiting lists consistently at record levels. The First Minister mentioned an unspecified funding injection to reduce these wait times.

Question

Labour has run the NHS poorly in Wales since Tony Blair's time, with waiting times always high. Given that the Government cannot just devolve and forget, how proactive is the Wales Office being? People know someone suffering due to long waits. Can the Secretary of State clarify if there is a concrete plan for reducing these wait times or if it remains undefined?

Answer from The Secretary of State for Wales (Jo Stevens)

The proposed £600 million investment in the Welsh NHS is conditional upon the Senedd voting for the budget. If this vote does not occur, the funds will not materialise.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Details of a concrete plan were not provided.

How: Conditional Statements

Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)