Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Huw Merriman and Matt Hancock

Tuesday 7th May 2019 Commons Chamber

[Matt Hancock]

I do not recognise the number that the hon. Gentleman talks about, but we are changing the way in which the GP contract works to ensure that this new technology can be most effectively harnessed to deliver patient need in a way that also works for the NHS. I am slightly surprised that he has not yet got up to say thank you for our announcement on primary care services in his part of London, which we are going to be expanding while stopping the closure of A&E. A little bit of gratitude for that would also go down well.

[Huw Merriman (Bexhill and Battle) (Con)]

8. What steps he is taking to improve care for people with autism.

Social Media and Health

Debate between Huw Merriman and Matt Hancock

Tuesday 30th April 2019 Commons Chamber

[Huw Merriman (Bexhill and Battle) (Con)]

My generation growing up might have feared bullying in the playground, but largely home was a refuge and place of safety. The problem for the current generation is that they can find themselves being bullied 24/7 because of social media. It is little wonder that when I contacted Twitter after seeing some rather libellous material it told me that in its view it was not abusive, even though it was against the law in this country. Does the Secretary of State agree that until social media companies understand that they have to operate under the norms and laws of this country, and not just abide by Californian norms, they will never reform?

[Matt Hancock]

My hon. Friend puts it exactly right. That is what the duty of care is all about. The argument—we hear it less and less, to be honest—that these are international companies and so will abide by somebody else’s laws, thanks very much, is wrong and out of date, as the online harms White Paper makes clear. We must establish a proper enforcement mechanism to ensure that it is the rules that this House sets—occasionally amended by the other place—that define the law of the land and that we do not have a wild west. This action to protect people’s health is just one part of the response needed to make the internet safe, especially for children.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Huw Merriman and Matt Hancock

Tuesday 23rd October 2018 Commons Chamber

[Huw Merriman (Bexhill and Battle) (Con)]

T1. If he will make a statement on his departmental responsibilities.

[The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (Matt Hancock)]

The Department is working with the NHS to ensure that the £20 billion of extra taxpayers’ money is well spent: supporting social care, backing the workforce, using the best modern technology and strengthening prevention. On that note, I can tell the House that we now have a record number of GPs in training: 3,473—10% up on last year.

[Huw Merriman]

I thank the Secretary of State for so promptly accepting our invitation to visit us in East Sussex in January. He will be warmly welcomed. With that season in mind, what assessment has he made of the NHS’s resilience with winter approaching?

[Matt Hancock]

Of course winter always challenges the NHS, and this year will be no different. We have put in extra funding, including more capital funding, to ensure that we get the best possible flow through A&E and to ensure there is further funding for social care so that people who do not need to be in hospital can leave hospital.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Huw Merriman and Matt Hancock

Tuesday 24th July 2018 Commons Chamber

[Huw Merriman (Bexhill and Battle) (Con)]

Will the Secretary of State come down to East Sussex to view the Better Together partnership, which puts health and social care together?

[Matt Hancock]

How could I say no? The integration of health and social care is vital and long awaited, and there is so much to do.

BBC Pay

Debate between Huw Merriman and Matt Hancock

Tuesday 9th January 2018 Commons Chamber

[Matt Hancock]

I agree that it is about equal pay for equal jobs, as I said right from the outset, and of course that underpins equal opportunity. On what we are going to do, the first thing we have done is brought in transparency. We are going to see what the BBC says in the next few weeks, when it will publish more on on-air presenters, and we do not rule anything out.

[Huw Merriman (Bexhill and Battle) (Con)]

With some trepidation, I declare my interest as chair of the all-party parliamentary group on the BBC. The BBC promised to publish pay gap data and an independent audit on pay. This it has done, and the independent legal and accountancy firm doing the auditing found no systematic gender discrimination. The final review of presenters, editors and correspondents will be published shortly. Given that the BBC is required to deal in facts, does my right hon. Friend agree on the need to wait for that review before this House rushes to judgment?

[Matt Hancock]

Of course the BBC has to deal with this objectively, but some very serious allegations have been raised. The BBC has said that it is going to get to the bottom of it. It must get to the bottom of it, and we will hold it to that.