debates/debates2025-01-15c conversation_10
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-15)

UK Parliament Hansard data: debates/debates2025-01-15c conversation_10

Jim Dickson:Patients in Kent are experiencing a winter crisis as a result of years of under-investment in our NHS. Many are having to be treated on trollies in corridors for cases of winter flu and other viruses, creating a significant challenge for local health services. What assurance can the Prime Minister offer residents in Dartford that the reforms and extra investment set out by the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care will make that inadequate care a thing of the past, and will he visit Darent Valley hospital in Dartford with me? \p Keir Starmer: I thank my hon. Friend for raising that matter and I am deeply sorry for those receiving inadequate care in his constituency. The previous Government left the NHS in a critical condition. We cannot deliver growth with record waiting lists and 2.8 million economically inactive people. Through our plan for change we will invest in NHS diagnostic centres. I will, of course, consider his invitation. \p Lindsay Hoyle: I call the leader of the Liberal Democrats. \p Edward Davey: May I echo the words of the Prime Minister about President Biden? I hope that his team and the team of President-elect Trump can work together to bring the peace in Gaza that we so desperately need so that the hostages can be released, we can get aid in, and the killing can stop.

As the hon. Member for Dartford (Jim Dickson) just said, patients are suffering through the worst NHS winter crisis on record. Last month alone, 54,000 people waited more than 12 hours in A&E. Over 63,000 were stuck in ambulances for over an hour before they could even get into hospital. There is no doubt that the flu season has made the winter crisis worse, but we see these winter crises year after year, following years of neglect of the NHS by the Conservatives. NHS leaders say that we will never put an end to these winter crises unless we fix the crisis in social care. I asked the Prime Minister this question last week, and I was disappointed by his reply, so I will try again. Will he scrap the three-year timetable that he has given the Casey commission so that we can fix social care this year, implementing reforms by the end of this year at the latest? \p Keir Starmer: We are encouraged by the talks towards a ceasefire. I think the whole House would urge all to come to an agreement and have the hostages released. We all understand the absolute torture that their families are going through every single minute of every single day that this continues. We hope that there can be progress there.

In relation to the NHS, the right hon. Gentleman is absolutely right: the Conservative party left it on its knees—[Interruption.] There is no point groaning. It is absolutely disgraceful that the NHS was left in the state that it was—absolutely disgraceful. We are investing to turn that around; we are reforming to turn that around. We are, within that reform, dealing with social care. I set out the timetable to him last week and he knows how it is set out. \p Edward Davey: I continue to be disappointed by the Prime Minister’s position on social care, and I am going to keep coming back to this issue, because unless we fix it, we will not fix the NHS.

Turning to the economy, though, I have an idea for the Chancellor to grow the economy. As President-elect Trump prepares to take office next week, there are reports that a number of wealthy, high-skilled Americans are looking to come to the UK for fear of what he will do to their country. However, because the Conservatives so broke the immigration system, many of them are finding that there is no visa they can apply for. I know that the Prime Minister is rightly seeking to reduce immigration from the record highs of the Conservatives, but does he agree that if people like this want to come to  our country—to bring their money and their skills, so that we can grow our economy and pay for our public services—they should be able to? \p Keir Starmer: We welcome all investment into the United Kingdom. I am very pleased to have had record investment in the time we have been in office, and continue to welcome investors and investment to this country. The right hon. Member is absolutely right that the last Government lost control of immigration, as they lost control of health, the economy, the borders and everything else. Of course, it was the Leader of the Opposition who was championing the driving up of the numbers. We will bring those numbers down, get immigration back under control and encourage investment.