Speeches by George.

“Has anyone asked?”

“What kind of public health interventions are most effective? We talked about walking, running, swimming and so on. More importantly, how do you target the groups who would benefit most?”

“To take an unsentimental and heartless view—not that I am suggesting that anyone in the NHS could be characterised in that way—from what you are saying, if we work at this sufficiently, people could have a shorter period of ill health at the end of their life, whenever that end comes, whether at 60, 70, 80, 90 or 100. …”

“Slow as it was, that is welcome indeed, but will the Government go beyond suspending new trade deals and actively review existing trade deals with Israel, including both goods and services originating from the illegal settlements, to ensure that UK trade policy does not undermine the prospect of Palestinian statehood?”

“6. What steps she is taking to promote a Palestinian state.”

“The Trussell Trust recently reported that three in 10 people who were referred to food banks in 2024 were in working households and that the majority, 72%, were on universal credit. What more can the Government do to ensure that work pays and we can take low-paid workers out of poverty?”

“I congratulate the Minister on bringing forward this raft of very important changes. It is a pleasure to follow the hon. Member for Rochester and Strood (Lauren Edwards). I would ask my hon. Friend the Member for Maidenhead (Mr Reynolds) to address the points raised—I am not qualified—but I imagine that the purpose of …”

“I have discussed this issue with the Minister, and she knows about it because we have also corresponded on it. I know that my constituent would be enormously grateful to have an opportunity to meet her, and I am very grateful for her response.”

“Where and why? This goes back to Danny’s point.”

“Surely, at the local authority level, most local authorities have the strong leader model, so it is primarily just one local councillor who you need to be talking to, not the whole council. I do not understand why you cannot make significant progress without having to have a wider discussion. Is that true?”

“So does it come down to elected members making those decisions that cannot go forward simply by officer decisions in the public health service?”

“Are you satisfied that that level of integration operates throughout the country?”

“Do you think, therefore, that there should be a greater emphasis on the clinical side within the workforce plan? Or should there be a greater emphasis at the public health end of the service?”

“That draws me into the 10-year workforce plan, which is anticipated but not yet published. A moment ago, you predicted that there will be a greater range of challenging diseases that the service will have to respond to. Looking forward, what does that mean for the service, at a local authority level and at NHS secondar…”

“Now in comparison to when?”

“Is that reflected from your perspective, Matt?”

“Since you have a view across the piece, is the pressure on the workforce in this area greater than that across the NHS as a whole?”

“Sounds quite young to me!”

“The survey had a particular emphasis on retention of workforce. Is the issue primarily one of the retention of staff, rather than of having to step up recruitment in order to get numbers to levels that are sustainable?”

“Exactly. Has it improved since?”