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Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn clash over NHS funding at PMQs - Politics live Jeremy Hunt apologises for 'truly shocking' deaths at Gosport hospital – Politics live
(35 minutes later)
Back in the Commons Norman Lamb thanks Hunt for backing his judgment and setting up this inquiry. And he pays tribute to the bishop, James Jones, who was very good at building trust, he says.
Lamb says he is not as confident at Hunt is that the publication of the Baker report in 2003 would have made a big difference.
Does Hunt agree there must be a mechanism for ensuring patients’ concerns are not ignored?
Hunt suggests that, if the report had been published in 2003, Mid Staffs (which came later) might have been avoided.
This is from the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg.
Chief whip’s thumbs up in Commons a few minutes ago - rebellion off? pic.twitter.com/UrNkTBmC7u
Turning back to the EU withdrawal bill, my colleague Heather Stewart says that, after PMQs, Downing Street was not forthcoming about the reported compromise offer in the pipeline.
PM’s spokesman, asked about rumours of a last minute compromise on meaningful vote today: “The only amendment that the government has put down is the one it tabled on Thursday evening. That’s the one MPs will be voting on”.
And she says Labour are angry about the hardline tactics being adopted by the government whips.
Jeremy Corbyn’s spokesman confirms Tory whips refusing to “nod through” several ill Labour MPs, who are being expected to vote in person. Says it’s “unacceptable”.
Hunt is responding to Ashworth.
He says he agrees with everything Ashworth said.
He says he is constrained in what he can say about the doctor involved.
There were process issues that happened in good faith but had a terrible outcome, he says.
He says it looks as if the Baker report was left to gather dust because people thought it could not have been published while the police were investigating.
But if it had been published, transparency would have led to people acting, he says.
That shows how important transparency is.
As for whether this could happen again, he says he thinks the situation is better now. But it is not perfect, he says.
He says it is not for the government to tell the police which force should investigate.
But he says he is concerned about the police not challenging the medical staff when they closed ranks. That is something that needs to be addressed, he says.
Back in the Commons Jonathan Ashworth, the shadow health secretary, says this is a shocking report.
He also pays tribute to Norman Lamb.
He quotes from James Jones, the bishop of Liverpool who led the inquiry, saying handing over an loved one to a hospital is a matter of trust. That trust was betrayed.
He asks why families who had lost loved ones had to take on such a burden.
What will the government do to ensure that the voices of families are properly heard?
He asks for an assurance that all the relevant authorities will take this further. And, if there is another police investigation, will a different force be involved?
Does Hunt think further legislation is required?
Ashworth says the families have suffered a “terrible injustice”.
He says what happened at Gosport should not overshadow the good work the NHS does. But in this case the system let people down.
Turning back to the EU withdrawal bill, Sky’s Faisal Islam has this on the apparent government concession.
Written ministerial statement coming from Government that some in Parliament claim is a “*big* climbdown” after Tory rebels grew overnight - on amendability of meaningful vote resolution... we await the words.
John Bercow, the speaker, says some MPs whose constituents are affected by this case cannot speak because they are ministers.
Hunt says the government’s official response will be published later this year.
But he says some questions need to be answered.
For example, the Baker report into what happened from 2003 was not published for another 10 years.
And why was the practice of giving opioid drugs in this way not stopped when medical practitioners must have known it was wrong.
He asks if there was an institutional failure, based on a desire to blame events on one rogue doctor.
He says, since these events happened, there have been changes in NHS procedure that would make these events less likely.
He says families will want to know what must happen next. He says he hopes they understand the need to avoid statements that could prejudice a future case.
He says the police will consider whether criminal charges should be brought.
He says he intends to meet as many of the families as he can before the government publishes its formal response in the autumn.
He says a helpline has been set up for people who think they have a relative who has been affected. It is on the Gosport Independent Panel website.
Hunt says the report out today is “truly shocking”.
He says there was a catalogue of failings.
He apologises.
Had people listened to relatives and whistleblowers, this would not have happened, he says.
Hunt apologises to relatives for “truly shocking” deaths at Gosport hospital.
He also pays tribute to Norman Lamb. Lamb was his junior minister, and Lamb persuaded Hunt to overturn official advice and order and inquiry.
Jeremy Hunt, the health secretary, is now making a statement about the findings of the Gospital hospital inquiry.
Here is our story about the inquiry’s report.
And here is how our story starts.
More than 450 patients died and possibly 200 more had their lives shortened because of a Hampshire hospital’s practice of giving opioid drugs without medical justification, a major inquiry has found.
The independent report found that Dr Jane Barton, the GP who ran wards at Gosport War Memorial hospital, routinely overprescribed drugs for her patients in the 1990s. Consultants were aware of her actions but did not intervene.
The inquiry, led by the bishop of Liverpool, James Jones, found that 456 patients died because of the drugs. A further 200 patients may have had their lives shortened, but their records are missing.
The report says senior nurses were worried about using diamorphine – the medical name for heroin – for patients who were not in pain, administered through a syringe-driver pumping out doses that were not adjusted for the individual’s needs.
Concerns were raised as early as 1988. In 1991, a staff meeting was held that was attended by a convenor from the Royal College of Nursing.
But the nurses were warned not to take their concerns further. They had, the report says, given the hospital the opportunity to rectify the over-prescribing.
Labour’s Angela Eagle says May’s government is not increasing NHS spending as much as Labour did. Why should people be impressed by her pledge to increase spending by 3.4% a year when that is below the historic average?
May says Simon Stevens, the NHS England chief executive, has welcomed this. Unlike Labour’s money, this will go to improve patient care, she says.
Andrew Selous, a Conservative, asks May to ensure patients can always access a doctor on the NHS.Andrew Selous, a Conservative, asks May to ensure patients can always access a doctor on the NHS.
May says she wants all NHS patients to get access to the same services.May says she wants all NHS patients to get access to the same services.
Ed Miliband, the former Labour leader, says he is glad May said Trump’s immigration policy was wrong. But May should do more. Can she stand up for our values where they are under threat across the world?Ed Miliband, the former Labour leader, says he is glad May said Trump’s immigration policy was wrong. But May should do more. Can she stand up for our values where they are under threat across the world?
May says the government stands up for the fundamental values of democracy and human rights.May says the government stands up for the fundamental values of democracy and human rights.
Norman Lamb, the former Lib Dem health minister, says the conclusions of the Gosport hospital inquiry, which he set up, are shocking. Does May agree there needs to be a new police inquiry?Norman Lamb, the former Lib Dem health minister, says the conclusions of the Gosport hospital inquiry, which he set up, are shocking. Does May agree there needs to be a new police inquiry?
May says the events at the hospital were “tragic” and “deeply troubling”. She says the public sector often closes ranks. She pays tribute to Lamb for setting up the inquiry. She is sorry it took the relatives so long to get an answer. This shows why the government is right to put so much focus on patient safety.May says the events at the hospital were “tragic” and “deeply troubling”. She says the public sector often closes ranks. She pays tribute to Lamb for setting up the inquiry. She is sorry it took the relatives so long to get an answer. This shows why the government is right to put so much focus on patient safety.
More on the EU withdrawal bill latest from the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg.
1. Away from chamber sounds like govt going to publish a statement later on their understanding of a ‘neutral motion’ and whether it’s amendmable or not
2. Bear with me - we all danced right off head of the pin a long time ago but this might appease enough rebels to dilute the rebellion
Nigel Dodds, the DUP leader at Westminster, says Michel Barnier’s speech yesterday implied the EU would erect barriers after Brexit. It would be a boon for terrorists, he says.
May says the future security partnership she wants after Brexit would help both sides. She recognises the importance of the instruments involved.
Sir Mike Penning, a Conservative, welcomes yesterday’s decision to allow Alfie Dingley’s family to get cannabis oil.
May says the government has ordered a review. It wants to ensure this process does not take a long time.
A WMS to say the unamendable motion might in fact be amendable but only if the rebels don't amend the amendment today. Joy. https://t.co/7HdFzPKRQE
Turning back to the EU withdrawal bill for a moment, this is from the Times’ Sam Coates.
Source: A compromise being discussed is gvt putting down a written ministerial statement “clarifying” the gvt motion on meaningful vote might be amendable to appease Tory remain rebels.(I think this wd be a pretty meaningless sop since WMS can’t change Commons standing orders)
Labour’s Lisa Nandy says rail passengers in the north of England have had enough. She says she has seen emails from the Department for Transport saying officials were warned of chaos as long as two years ago. They describes some northern routes as meaningless, discuss how to handle MP and discuss propagating myths.
May says no government responds to leaked documents. She says the Department for Transport was reassured by an independent panel about the plans for the new timetable.
Nandy has tweeted some of the emails, in a thread starting here.
I've been handed emails showing that Ministers and DfT officials were warned about Northern rail chaos 2 years ago. They show utter contempt for Northern passengers. #PMQs
Bim Afolami, a Conservative, says he shares May’s strong commitment to the NHS. Can she assure him the money will lead to better patient outcomes?
May agrees. She does not want to see extra money going in and not being spend on patient care.
Here is May on the detention of child refugees in the US.
“This is wrong, this is not something we agree with, this is not the UK’s approach” @theresa_may on children in US detention centres#pmqs https://t.co/y3OmBWEJ5A pic.twitter.com/AHd1xBT6s3
PMQs - Snap verdict: That was by no means a classic, but it was one of those PMQs that could in retrospect turn out to be more significant than you might have thought while listening to the rather under-powered ding dong. That’s not because Corbyn won on health, a Labour issue where his emotive complaints about under-funding normally have force. In fact, this wasn’t so much a PMQs about health as about financial credibility - supposedly the Conservative party’s USP for most of its history - and Corbyn clearly had the best of the argument. His questions weren’t particularly flash, but they were were pertinent and reasonable, and May didn’t even begin to answer them. Where will all the money for the NHS come from? What taxes will go up? Will there be extra borrowing? These are proper questions (not loaded PMQs jibes, which the PM can ignore with some justification) and May’s perfectly articulate flannel could not really hide the fact that Corbyn had a point. He is outscoring May on fiscal prudence. The Tories ought to be worried ....
Corbyn says under Labour the NHS increase would be 5% this year. And what is her offer - a promise without saying where any of it would come from, apart from phantom taxes Hammond is presumably dreaming up now. But there is a human element to this. He quotes from a letter from someone saying her daughter needed a wheelchair but could not get one from the NHS. Does May think standing still is good enough for the NHS?
May says she is putting in extra money. She quotes what Simon Stevens, the NHS chief executive said. He said the settlement would provide the NHs with the money it needed. For every £1 extra the government spends on the NHS in England, the Welsh Labour government spends just 84p.
Corbyn says May announced nothing for health or social care. It is not what the NHS needs. A&E waits are their worst ever. There are 100,000 staff vacancies, she says. She says the PM is writing IOUs just to stand still. Until this government can be straight with people where the money is coming from, why should people trust them on the NHS.
May says she can tell him why; for 43 of its 70 years, it has been under the Tories. We will now see a 10-year plan to improve services. Corbyn can talk of Labour’s plans. But Labour’s plans would bankrupt the economy. Their plan does not add up. Labour would lose control of the public finances, she says.