I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman. You said that we should be brief, Madam Deputy Speaker, which is perhaps why I took out ““the top””. I did of course mean to say the top of the head. However, many hospitals are adopting that practice. The Government claim to have...

I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman. You said that we should be brief, Madam Deputy Speaker, which is perhaps why I took out ““the top””. I did of course mean to say the top of the head. However, many hospitals are adopting that practice. The Government claim to have...

I am grateful to my hon. Friend for bringing that to the House’s attention. Such treatments are available on the NHS in some parts of the country, and later in my speech I shall describe the success achieved by a practice in Nottingham that offers a free service to people...

I am grateful to my hon. Friend for bringing that to the House’s attention. Such treatments are available on the NHS in some parts of the country, and later in my speech I shall describe the success achieved by a practice in Nottingham that offers a free service to people...

This is an exciting time to be in the House for Conservative Members, and we should look at the Queen’s Speech in that context. We are ahead in the polls—by 10 per cent. Our new leader has a positive rating of 42 per cent. as against the Chancellor’s 38 per...

This is an exciting time to be in the House for Conservative Members, and we should look at the Queen’s Speech in that context. We are ahead in the polls—by 10 per cent. Our new leader has a positive rating of 42 per cent. as against the Chancellor’s 38 per...

I give way to the good doctor from the midlands. I was going call him my hon. Friend. He is a friend, although he is not my hon. Friend in political terms.

I give way to the good doctor from the midlands. I was going call him my hon. Friend. He is a friend, although he is not my hon. Friend in political terms.

With this Chancellor, one does not know whether one is at the beginning, middle or end of an argument. I shall give way to anyone who wants to intervene. There are great new opportunities to integrate complementary and alternative medicine through the so-called modernisation agenda of the NHS, especially in...

With this Chancellor, one does not know whether one is at the beginning, middle or end of an argument. I shall give way to anyone who wants to intervene. There are great new opportunities to integrate complementary and alternative medicine through the so-called modernisation agenda of the NHS, especially in...

My hon. Friend refers to the work of community first responders, who do a wonderful job in Staffordshire and many other parts of the country in helping to save the lives of thousands of people. However, the drugs to which he refers include controlled drugs. A question has arisen in...

My hon. Friend refers to the work of community first responders, who do a wonderful job in Staffordshire and many other parts of the country in helping to save the lives of thousands of people. However, the drugs to which he refers include controlled drugs. A question has arisen in...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. By the end of 2008, we will have cut waiting times from 18 months for an operation to a maximum of 18 weeks—far less for most people—from GP referral to the operating theatre, including all the tests and the out-patient appointments in between. Of course, that...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. By the end of 2008, we will have cut waiting times from 18 months for an operation to a maximum of 18 weeks—far less for most people—from GP referral to the operating theatre, including all the tests and the out-patient appointments in between. Of course, that...

Let me make a little more progress. We have been discussing waiting lists. We have cut the waiting time for elective operations, hip replacements and so on from more than 18 months under the Conservatives to a maximum of six months and, for most people, far less. By the end...

Let me make a little more progress. We have been discussing waiting lists. We have cut the waiting time for elective operations, hip replacements and so on from more than 18 months under the Conservatives to a maximum of six months and, for most people, far less. By the end...

I am not sure what point the hon. Gentleman is trying to make. The latest figures—hospital by hospital and area by area—as he knows, show that whereas thousands of people used to wait more than 18 months, then more than 12 months and then more than six months for their...

I am not sure what point the hon. Gentleman is trying to make. The latest figures—hospital by hospital and area by area—as he knows, show that whereas thousands of people used to wait more than 18 months, then more than 12 months and then more than six months for their...

My hon. Friend is right on both points. Medical technology now enables hospitals to work in completely different ways—day case surgery is an example of that. It is also possible to move many treatments and out-patient appointments into the community, which means that we need fewer beds and sometimes fewer...

My hon. Friend is right on both points. Medical technology now enables hospitals to work in completely different ways—day case surgery is an example of that. It is also possible to move many treatments and out-patient appointments into the community, which means that we need fewer beds and sometimes fewer...

I am not aware of the circumstances behind that case, but I am sure that the hon. Gentleman has taken it up with the University Hospitals of Leicester trust. I am sure, too, that he would wish to recognise that when his party was in government, people waited more than...

I am not aware of the circumstances behind that case, but I am sure that the hon. Gentleman has taken it up with the University Hospitals of Leicester trust. I am sure, too, that he would wish to recognise that when his party was in government, people waited more than...

It is a great pleasure to open today’s debate on health and education. A few weeks ago, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Skills and I visited the Sure Start children’s centre in Church street, Westminster. We met Jo White and some of her outstanding...

It is a great pleasure to open today’s debate on health and education. A few weeks ago, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Skills and I visited the Sure Start children’s centre in Church street, Westminster. We met Jo White and some of her outstanding...

That may be the case for cancer services, but is the right hon. Lady aware that since the changes to primary care trusts cuts have been made in some NHS-provided services such as acupuncture and homeopathy? Does she recognise that her Department has provided no framework for delivery, nor any...

That may be the case for cancer services, but is the right hon. Lady aware that since the changes to primary care trusts cuts have been made in some NHS-provided services such as acupuncture and homeopathy? Does she recognise that her Department has provided no framework for delivery, nor any...

I will of course ensure that the hon. Gentleman and his colleagues are seen by me or by one of my ministerial colleagues. His area has more funding than ever before, and the local NHS, in consultation with local people, needs to decide how best to spend that money. We...

I will of course ensure that the hon. Gentleman and his colleagues are seen by me or by one of my ministerial colleagues. His area has more funding than ever before, and the local NHS, in consultation with local people, needs to decide how best to spend that money. We...

No, I am going to make some more progress. As I said, I have been generous in giving way. In our debate a few weeks ago, I quoted from the Tories' campaign handbook, which complained on page 18 that ““parts of Bedfordshire”” were getting less money than ““parts of Manchester””....

No, I am going to make some more progress. As I said, I have been generous in giving way. In our debate a few weeks ago, I quoted from the Tories' campaign handbook, which complained on page 18 that ““parts of Bedfordshire”” were getting less money than ““parts of Manchester””....

Queen's speech debate (second day) on health and education.

Queen's speech debate (second day) on health and education.

I do not recognise either the hon. Gentleman’s figures or his characterisation of the services. Although I would be the first to say that there is a great deal more that we need to do to improve and expand mental health services, I wish that he would acknowledge the quite...

I do not recognise either the hon. Gentleman’s figures or his characterisation of the services. Although I would be the first to say that there is a great deal more that we need to do to improve and expand mental health services, I wish that he would acknowledge the quite...

The Secretary of State will recall that, before the 1990 embryology legislation was introduced, the then Government made it clear that at all stages it would be subjected to a free vote. I know that many hon. Members were disappointed that this Government chose to whip the regulations relating to...

The Secretary of State will recall that, before the 1990 embryology legislation was introduced, the then Government made it clear that at all stages it would be subjected to a free vote. I know that many hon. Members were disappointed that this Government chose to whip the regulations relating to...

I absolutely agree. The all-party group has taken up the issue of company transparency and has been working with some of the companies in relation to that. There has been an International Development Committee report quite recently on that subject. There has also been a parliamentary report of the old...

I absolutely agree. The all-party group has taken up the issue of company transparency and has been working with some of the companies in relation to that. There has been an International Development Committee report quite recently on that subject. There has also been a parliamentary report of the old...

The UN panel of experts described a multi-billion dollar theft of the country’s natural resources and implicated a number of western-based—including UK-based—companies and individuals as having had an involvement in that awful scandal. However, no one has been brought to justice as a result of that process. Has not the...

The UN panel of experts described a multi-billion dollar theft of the country’s natural resources and implicated a number of western-based—including UK-based—companies and individuals as having had an involvement in that awful scandal. However, no one has been brought to justice as a result of that process. Has not the...