Hospitals
Debate between Stephen Kinnock and Judith Cummins(1 week, 5 days ago)
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Stephen Kinnock
I will just make a little more progress, if I may. We are committed to rebuilding our NHS and rebuilding trust in Government. We will never play fast and loose with the public finances, and we will never try to pull the wool over the public’s eyes. Everyone in this House remembers, or should remember, that the last Labour Government cut waiting lists to their lowest level in history, raised patient satisfaction to the highest level in its history, and brought in historic health interventions, such as the smoking ban. What is less remembered is that they also delivered the largest hospital building programme in NHS history. All that meant that when the coalition took over in 2010, it was presented with a strong national health service that was firing on all cylinders. Tragically, that coalition Government and their successor Governments set about weakening and undermining every aspect of our precious NHS, to the extent that by the time this Government took over in July, the NHS was well and truly on its knees. Today, it once again falls to a Labour Government to take the necessary and right decisions for the future.
We have now put the new hospital programme on a sustainable footing. It has a timeline that can be met, and a budget consistent with our fiscal rules. That is how we have turned the programme from empty rhetoric into reality, and in doing so, we have provided the construction industry and its supply chains with vital certainty, while also restoring confidence in public sector procurement. We are on the side of the builders, not the blockers. Our plan is credible, achievable and fully funded. It is a programme grounded in fact, not fiction. I was born in Tredegar, the very same town as Aneurin Bevan, so it is the privilege of a lifetime to be part of a Government who are carrying his torch into the 21st century, building a generation of hospitals that would do Nye proud.
Petitions
Debate between Stephen Kinnock and Judith Cummins
Stephen Kinnock (Aberavon) (Lab)
I rise to present this petition on behalf of constituents in Aberavon, on the same terms as those presented by my hon. Friends the Members for Newport East (Jessica Morden) and for Batley and Spen (Kim Leadbeater). I pay tribute to my right hon. Friend the Member for Kingston upon Hull North (Dame Diana Johnson) for her unstinting work in pursuing justice for the victims.
My constituent David Farrugia and his siblings lost their father in 1986 after he was given infected blood products. It literally tore their family apart, as the siblings were then split up in the care system. This scandal has caused decades of suffering, health issues, financial loss and stigma for those affected. They have campaigned for justice, but it has taken far too long and is long overdue. Justice must not be delayed any further.
The petition of residents of the constituency of Aberavon.
[P002986]
Judith Cummins (Bradford South) (Lab)
I join a number of hon. Members in presenting a petition in the same terms on behalf of my constituents in Bradford South, although I know that it reflects feelings that are widespread across the country. The petition reflects concerns across Bradford South that the Government have yet to implement both the final infected blood inquiry recommendations and compensation, and the will of this House of Commons, which was expressed on 4 December 2023.
The petition of residents of the constituency of Bradford South.
[P002988]
Green Energy: Ports
Debate between Stephen Kinnock and Judith Cummins(1 year, 6 months ago)
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Stephen Kinnock
Thank you, Mrs Cummins. I will try to pick up where I left off.
On the planning side, the Government need to find a solution to the national grid’s capacity issues. The National Grid says it has to develop up to five times as much energy infrastructure over the next seven years as it has developed over the past 30 years, such is the clamour for net zero projects, in terms of both energy generation and demand. How will the UK Government and, more specifically, the Minister work with the National Grid to end the gridlock, and how will they send a clear message to developers that these problems are going to be fixed?
That brings me to my next point, which is about the administrative strike price. Allocation round 5 was a shambles, with no bidders for offshore wind. We need the UK Government urgently to reshape the contracts for difference for AR6 and make them more attractive to developers if we are to realise Britain’s potential to become a world leader on FLOW.
Finally, the UK and Welsh Governments must work collaboratively. We cannot allow bureaucracy to slow us down. Planning and consenting for major infrastructure is devolved. We need the UK Government to look for ways to support the Welsh Government to ensure that current capacity and resource blockages for planning and consenting are resolved to ensure that the seabed licensing is accelerated and that port infrastructure in Wales is ready in time. We also need strong cross-Whitehall co-ordination. I worry that the large number of Government Departments involved means that the process is not as streamlined as it should be. Perhaps the Minister could say what he will do to knock heads together to unlock all of the blockages.
This is a huge, game-changing opportunity for Aberavon, Wales and the entire United Kingdom. Ports play an absolutely crucial role in this opportunity. I look forward to the Minister’s comments so that we can find a pathway towards maximising the opportunities before us.