go from budget given the decision to go from 0.7 budget given the decision to go from 07 to— budget given the decision to go from 07 to 05% — budget given the decision to go from 0.7 to 0.5% and particularly how we can make _ 0.7 to 0.5% and particularly how we can make sure the support for ukraine — can make sure the support for ukraine is_ can make sure the support for ukraine is additional and not instead _ ukraine is additional and not instead of existing aid plans. again, he has an opportunity tomorrow to raise these issues directly with tomorrow to raise these issues directly with the tomorrow to raise these issues directly with the chancellor. tomorrow to raise these issues directly with the chancellor. we have had fairly recent debates around the aid budget, but i am sure that when the announcement, which is imminent, is made there will be further opportunities to question ministers about that. the further opportunities to question ministers about that.— further opportunities to question ministers about that. the unit in my constituency — ministers about that. the unit in my constituency is _ ministers about that. the unit in my constituency is due _ ministers about that. the unit in my constituency is due to _ ministers about that. the unit in my constituency is due to be _ ministers about that. the unit in my constituency is due to be subject - ministers about that. the unit in my constituency is due to be subject to | constituency is due to be subject to a police investigation following the panorama investigation due to mistreatment of patients, following these devastating announcements, with the leader of the house be able to arrange either a statement or arrange a meeting with me sol

to arrange either a statement or arrange a meeting with me so i can discuss these concerns moving forward? he discuss these concerns moving forward? ., , , ., discuss these concerns moving forward? . , , discuss these concerns moving forward? , ., forward? he raises a very important oint, i forward? he raises a very important point. i know— forward? he raises a very important point, i know that _ forward? he raises a very important point, i know that the _ forward? he raises a very important point, i know that the department l forward? he raises a very important| point, i know that the department of health and social care has done a lot of work in recent weeks with regards to making sure that care settings for individuals are appropriate for them and clearly this is an immediate case for the honourable gentleman and i would urge him to raise this directly with the secretary of state and i shall make sure she is wary of her concerns. make sure she is wary of her concerns-— make sure she is wary of her concerns. ,, , , , . ., ., concerns. september is childhood cancer awareness _ concerns. september is childhood cancer awareness month. - concerns. september is childhood cancer awareness month. it - concerns. september is childhood cancer awareness month. it is - cancer awareness month. it is unsurprising many ministers have signed this, because this issue affects every constituency in scotland and the uk. while there have been improvements, these have not been significant enough and some treatments have not advanced in ia years. can i ask the leader of the house if we can have a debate in government time and how the uk can

support increasing levels of research and if members across the house will support support child awareness month? i house will support support child awareness month?— house will support support child awareness month? i am sure all members _ awareness month? i am sure all members of _ awareness month? i am sure all members of this _ awareness month? i am sure all members of this house - awareness month? i am sure all members of this house want - awareness month? i am sure all members of this house want to | members of this house want to support the aims which she sets out, the government have done a huge amount in terms of advancing partnerships in life sciences between academic institutes, but also the charitable sector as well, reforms and intellectual shed intellectual property for example. we will continue to do that as part of our growth plan. i we will continue to do that as part of our growth plan.— of our growth plan. i welcome the honourable _ of our growth plan. i welcome the honourable lady _ of our growth plan. i welcome the honourable lady to _ of our growth plan. i welcome the honourable lady to her _ of our growth plan. i welcome the honourable lady to her new- of our growth plan. i welcome the l honourable lady to her new position and hope for the last few months of the inertia will finally be behind us. among the important issues in the government 2090 manifesto which we have seen a scant sign of any progress on, is the long promise employment bill, can lead at the

house therefore outline when we can expect to see this important legislation timetabled so we can end the race to the bottom in employment rights in this country exacerbated by our current economic crisis? i by our current economic crisis? i would challenge what she said about this country record on employment rights. we have tended to lead the world and certainly lead europe with regards to that. i would challenge her description of a summer of inertia. the very fact that on the first occasion possible we have brought forward measures on cost of living and tackling the cost of energy. she will shortly get a statement from the new secretary of state for health on our plans to assist health and social care and also the plan for growth which is being unveiled by the new chancellor tomorrow. that has notjust been pulled out of a hat. a huge amount of work has been done across the summer, including by the former

chancellor. i summer, including by the former chancellor-— chancellor. i would like to thank the leader _ chancellor. i would like to thank the leader of _ chancellor. i would like to thank the leader of the _ chancellor. i would like to thank the leader of the house - chancellor. i would like to thank the leader of the house and - chancellor. i would like to thank i the leader of the house and making time today to debate the situation in ukraine. but in the last few weeks we have seen escalation of military violence between armenia and azerbaijan and also on the border between kosovo and serbia. we know that there has been some russian involvement, although not directly in these conflicts. we'll be leader of the house make time to do them activate wide of the conflict zones through europe and central asia? i conflict zones through europe and central asia ?_ central asia? i am sure all honourable _ central asia? i am sure all honourable members - central asia? i am sure all honourable members will| central asia? i am sure all - honourable members will have been disturbed by reports of violence and violations of dead bodies, very, very horrific things. i will certainly make sure the s e cda are aware of member because my concerns and i would encourage him to put these questions directly to the new foreign secretary.—

foreign secretary. human rights videos by human _ foreign secretary. human rights videos by human rights - foreign secretary. human rights videos by human rights watch i foreign secretary. human rights i videos by human rights watch verify brutal nose of azerbaijan attack on armenia. an individual decapitated but and a mutilated corpse of a mutilated armenian soldier. it should be noted that azerbaijan is also backed by nate member turkey with one a turkish political leader stating last week, i quote, i remind you once again that the turkish nation has the power to erase armenia from reality. can we have a debate on the democracy of armenia and a statement from the uk government in condemning these actions. i government in condemning these actions. . ., , government in condemning these actions. . . , , actions. i will certainly take this u . actions. i will certainly take this u- with actions. i will certainly take this up with the _ actions. i will certainly take this up with the new _ actions. i will certainly take this up with the new foreign - actions. i will certainly take this i up with the new foreign secretary. today the national education union

and capping the mirror have relaunched their no child left behind a campaign which calls on urgent action for child poverty. an elite of the house: the secretary of state for education to roll out universal school meals, to prevent children from going hungry. i uriiiii children from going hungry. i will certainly raise _ children from going hungry. i will certainly raise what _ children from going hungry. i will certainly raise what the _ children from going hungry. in ii certainly raise what the honourable lady says within the new secretary of state. i will also encourage her to put those questions directly to him at the next round of question. in light of the bank of england but in light of the bank of england but i statement this morning that interest rates are to go up again and in light of a food inflation going through the roof, and the burgeoning government debt which is dragging us all down, will the leader of the house make it a priority faster debate, in government time, how we are going to pay pay this debt back. will it be our grandchildren or will it be the grandchildren of our grandchildren who will be able to pay back the enormous debts which this government

is accruing this week in its decisions?— is accruing this week in its decisions? ., ., . , decisions? the honourable lady will know the chancellor _ decisions? the honourable lady will know the chancellor will _ decisions? the honourable lady will know the chancellor will be - decisions? the honourable lady will know the chancellor will be here i know the chancellor will be here tomorrow to take questions from all members of this house. in addition to the very considerable support packages that have been put in place for both households and businesses, the answer to the questions she raised is about getting growth back into our economy are less about this government will be focused on and what she will hear from chancellor tomorrow. i know the leader of the house shares may gratitude for the life of her late majesty the queen, she was a lady of great faith and respected other people of other faiths. with the leader of the house give a statement on what our house plan to do in the rights for freedom statement on what our house plan to do in the rights forfreedom of religion or belief and the interconnectedness of freedom of religion to all human rights and its

relevance to thwart policy and trade. i relevance to thwart policy and trade. ~' ., ., . , trade. i think the honourable gentleman — trade. i think the honourable gentleman for— trade. i think the honourable gentleman for raising - trade. i think the honourable gentleman for raising this i trade. i think the honourable - gentleman for raising this important matter, yes, she was notjust a beacon for that within the united kingdom but also throughout the commonwealth and the wider world. i shall certainly encourage the foreign secretary to get in touch with the honourable gentleman about how we can continue the work of our envoy that we have appointed on religious freedom and the other programmes that we have seen doing. backin programmes that we have seen doing. back injune the leaders predecessor join me in congratulating a boxer from my constituency, well the new boxerjoined me in congratulating young jake again after his historic win on the a6th kilo championship in turkey, making him the youngest competitor to ever do so. can we have a debate on government time of the importance of local sporting

groups in our communities across the uk? ., ., , . , ., uk? i am delighted to be able to 'oin the uk? i am delighted to be able to join the honourable _ uk? i am delighted to be able to join the honourable lady - uk? i am delighted to be able to join the honourable lady in i join the honourable lady in congratulating jacob in his achievements in one of the toughest sports going and i know that the new secretary of states is very passionate about the sporting agenda, particularforyoung passionate about the sporting agenda, particularfor young people agenda, particular for young people and agenda, particularfor young people and children, and will want to ensure that we are building and bringing forward schemes to encourage physical activity and excellence in sport.— encourage physical activity and excellence in sport. thank you for answerin: excellence in sport. thank you for answering the _ excellence in sport. thank you for answering the business _ excellence in sport. thank you for| answering the business questions, therese coffey. thank you. i'm pleased today to set out to parliament our plan for patients. as the prime minister said on the of downing street, she has three clear priorities. growing the

economy, tackling energy security and support to households and businesses and the nhs. with patients being able to get appointments. patients are my top priority, and i will be the champion, focusing on the issues that most affect them or their loved ones. most of the time patients have a great experience. but we must not paper over the problems we face. a great experience. but we must not paper over the pro rise s we face. a great experience. but we must not pa| diagnosis e pro rise s we face. for diagnosis and treatment after the the shows, sadly, the pandemic. the data shows, sadly, that there is too much variation in the access and care people receive across the country. the scale of the challenge necessitates a national endeavour. as we work together to tackle these immense challenges i will be proactive, not prescriptive in our approach as we apply a relentless focus on measures that affect most people's experiences of

the nhs. today we're taking the first step in this journey by publishing our planet for patients which i will lay in the libraries of both houses. it sets out a range of measure to help the nhs perform at their best for patients. the plan will empower and inform patients to live healthier lives, place an intensive focus on the primary care, the gateway to the nhs most people, who use prevention to strength and resilience in the health of the nation. and improve formance and productivity. to succeed we will need is a true national endeavour, supported it by making it easier for clinical professionals to return it to help the nhs, as well as drawing on the energy enthusiasm of the millions of people who volunteer to help during the pandemic, by opening up help during the pandemic, by opening up opportunities for them to help in different ways. that could be but by becoming a community first responder or by strengthening good neighbour

schemes across the country. and we will also be exploring the creation of an ambulance auxiliary service. the plan sets out our works on the a cd of priorities that affect most people's experiences of the nhs and social care. first ambulances, people's experiences of the nhs and social care. firstambulances, i want to reduce the social care. first ambulances, i want to reduce the waiting time to patients and imply a laser—like focus on delays. so ambulances are getting back on the road, getting back to patients whether it needed most. ouranalysis back to patients whether it needed most. our analysis shows that a5% of the delays are occurring in just 15 hospital trusts. that is why the local nhs will be doing intensive work with those trusts to create more capacity in hospitals, the equivalent of 7000 more beds by this winter through a combination of freeing up beds with a focus on discharge and people also staying at home and being monitored remotely through the sort of technology that played such an important role during the pandemic. in addition, when

patients call 999, speed of answering is critical, so we will be increasing the number of call handlers for both 999 and iii increasing the number of call handlers for both 999 and 111 calls. next, the backlog. the waiting list for plan care currently stands at about 7 million, exacerbated by the pandemic, this summer we announce we had virtually eliminated weights of over two years and we remain on track to reach the next milestones in our plan. to boost capacity we are accelerating our plans to roll out community diagnostic centres as well as new hospitals and we will maximise the use of the independent sector to provide even more treatment for patients. as well as capacity we are also getting people on the front line, making it easier for people to work and help the nhs, we know people are leaving the workforce for a variety of reasons.

we have listened and we are responding. we are addressing a number of these reasons. for example, currently pension rules can be a disincentive for clinicians who want to stay in the profession or return from retirement and help our national endeavour. but we will correct those pension rules relating to inflation, we will expect nhs trusts to offer pension recycling and we will extend until 202a measures that will allow people to stay or return to the nhs. today i can announce we will be extending the operation of the emergency registers for health professionals to more years. this is of course on top of boosting the workforce as our manifesto pledge to recruit 50 a000 more nurses by 202a and that will sit alongside the design and delivery of a workforce plan. ——

5a,000. we need to free up beds and help improve and build response times. to tackle this i can announce today we are launching a £500 million adult social care discharge fund for this winter. the local nhs will be working with councils with targeted plans on specific care packages to support people being either in their own home or in the wider community. this £500 million acts as the down payment in the rebalancing of funding across health and social care as we develop our longer term plans. and social care as we develop our longerterm plans. i and social care as we develop our longer term plans. i know there is also a shortage of carers along the country, we will continue to work with dwp on a national recruitment campaign and in addition since last winter we have opened up international recruitment groups for carers, we will support the sector with £50 million this year to help

more employee care workers from abroad. we are also accelerating the roll—out of technologies like digitised social care records which can save care workers about 20 minutes per shift, freeing up time for carers to care. finally, d for doctors and dentists. i am determined to address one of the most frustrating problems faced by many patients. getting an appointment to see the doctor or getting to see a dentist at all. starting with doctors, there are five steps we are taking to help make that happen. first, setting expectation that everyone who needs a gp appointment can get one within two weeks. second, opening up times for more thani two weeks. second, opening up times for more than i million extra appointments so patients with urgent needs can be seen on the same day. third, making it easier to book an appointment, fourth publishing performance practices to help inform patients. fifth, requiring the local nhs to hold practices to account,

providing support to those practices with the most acute access challenges to improve performance. clearly clinicians are best placed to prioritise according to helical leads of their patients. in —— clinical needs. to help free up appointments we will ease pressure is on a gp practices by expanding the role of community pharmacies and i'm pleased to announce that today we have agreed a dealfor an expanded offer over the next 18 months. pharmacists will be able to prescribe certain medications rather than requiring a gp prescription. as well as other measures involving community pharmacists, we estimate this will free up 2 million appointments. we are also changing funding rules to give freedom to gps to boost the number of staff to support the practice. we estimate that this measure could free up 1

million gp appointments. the patients we will make it easier for them to contact the practice, both on the phone where we are making an extra of 31,000 phone lines available this winter, followed by further deployment of telephone services and online in particular on the nhs app. as i set out to the house earlier, we will also grow pension rules so our most experienced gps can stay in practice. by extending the emergency register, we are creating an opportunity for people other than gps to undertake tasks like vaccinations. in dentists, there are too many dental deserts. that is why we are setting out an ambition that everyone seeking nhs dental care can receive it when they wanted. we have already started changing dental contracts and incentivising dentists to do more nhs work and take on more difficult to take cases. i would like to pay tribute to my predecessors in this role for their success in beginning to tackle this long—standing issue. we will also be

streamlining routes into nhs dentistry for those trained overseas so they can start treating patients more quickly. we will make it a contractual requirement for dentist to publish online whether they are taking on new nhs patients. these measures come across a number of important areas, other start, measures come across a number of importantareas, otherstart, not the end, of our ambitions for health and care. they will help us manage the pressure that health and care will face this winter and next and improve these vital services for the long term. my priorities are patients priorities and i will endeavour, through a powerful partnership with the nhs and the authorities, to level out the care and match the expectations that the public rightly have, whether you live in a city or a town, in the countryside, or on the coast, this government will be on your side when

you need to care the most. madam deputy speaker, i commend this statement to the house. i welcome the secretary _ statement to the house. i welcome the secretary of _ statement to the house. i welcome the secretary of state _ statement to the house. i welcome the secretary of state and - statement to the house. i welcome the secretary of state and her i statement to the house. i welcome i the secretary of state and her team to their post and thank her for advance sight of a statement. but if there were any evidence needed that this is a government and a party thatis this is a government and a party that is out of ideas, out of time and out of a clue as to the scale of the challenge facing our country, it is this statement. the nhs is facing the worst crisis it has ever seen. patients waiting longer than ever before in a&e, stroke and heart attack victims waiting one hour for an ambulance. 378,000 patients waiting more than one year for an operation. and that was the summer. we have gone from an nhs that treated patients well and on time when labour were in office 12 years ago to an annual winter crisis and now a year—round crisis under the

conservatives. but don't worry, the health secretary has her grip on the key issues, she has not got an answer on the workforce but she has sorted out the oxford collar, i am sure the whole country is breathing a sigh of relief about that. she promised a digital revolution in the nhs, while conservative health secretaries have promised the digital revolution of 17 times since 2010. she didn't say that, she's not promising a digital revolution, but that's good news because i don't think the staff is slogging their guts out in the most difficult conditions in history. i don't think they will particularly be introduced by the most cutting—edge modern technology, the telephone. the nhs can finally axe the carrier pigeon and step into the 21st—century, i'm sure they are absolutely delighted. madam deputy speaker, these measures will not come close to ensuring patients who need to be seen can be seen within the timescale set out. they will have minimal impact on fixing the current problems that general practices are faces over the

winter. my woes, but the verdict from the nhs confederation on the secretary of state was my plans, isn't that the truth? she says patients will be able to get a gp appointment within two weeks, her party scrapped the guarantee of an appointment within two days, that labour introduced that when dues were in government. she medically this morning that this isn't a guarantee at all, merely an expectation. what is the consequence if gps don't meet her expectations? as we heard on the radio this morning, a message to patients is get on your bike and find a new gp. i patients are mostly grateful for this? and he will deliver these appointments she is promising because? b 6000 gps a party promise at the last election? or the a000 gps a party has cut over the last decade? where will these are gp appointments take place? it certainly won't be in the 330 practices that have closed since the last general election alone. the

conservatives are promising to fix the crisis in the nhs is like the arsonist promising to put out the fire they started. if that were not bad enough, the supermassive black hole at the heart of her plan is the lack of a workforce strategy. she has no plan to provide the doctors that are nhs so desperately needs and despite her in sesame street approach to politics with her a, b, c, d plan, there last i checked, says swiss social care, she has missed the n the nurses. i say to the secretary of state, you don't have a plan for the nhs. so what is she going to do about the 132,000 staff shortages in the nhs today? she talks about 500 million pounds, is that new investment or a re—announcement? she is right to say that if patients cannot get out the back door the hospitals because the care isn't there in the community, we get more patient at the front door and more amulet is giving out the front, that exactly where we are

under the conservatives today. but you miss is the crucial point. unless the government acts on the pay and conditions of care workers, employers will not be able to recruit and retain the staff they need. so what is her plan to address this? madam deputy speaker, patients will be concerned to read reports that after the conservatives failed to hit in the four our waiting time target for seven years, the health secretaries to scrap it together. i notice she wasn't brave enough to say it today but i hope she is not going to do that mechanically reassure the house and patients around the country that her response to the crisis in the nhs won't be to lower standards the patients but to raise performance instead? finally, the secretary of state is the third health secretary in a less than three months. she faces change but the story remains the same, still no plan that comes close to me the scale of the challenge, no plan for staffing, no real plan for the nhs,

so it is clear, the longer the conservatives are in power, the longer patients will wait as doctor dre might say, time for the next episode. weight thank you madam deputy speaker and i thank him for his one welcome to me and my ministerial duty. just to weeks... it has been two weeks. forgive me, forgive me, forgive me. in that 12 years there are more doctors and nurses working... working in the nhs than ever before. we have record funding going into the nhs, money the government spends is around a0% of our day—to—day spending. that is the reality of the conservative party investing in the long—term health of our nation. the honourable

gentleman mentioned a variety of things, i can absolutely say there will be no changes to the target for four our were down and wait in a&e. it matters. i will give you a personal experience. just injuly i personal experience. just in july i went personal experience. just injuly i went to a&e, i waited nearly nine hours myself to see a doctor, and i still didn't get any treatment. i was asked to go back the next day so i went to a different hospitaljust three miles away and i was seen and treated appropriately. that is the sort of variation that we are seeing across the nhs and it's why my approach, as we have only last week just from nhs digital started getting data from what is happening from practice to practice, we can start to understand and use experts in the local nhs to really prioritise how it is we will help those patients who are not getting the service they rightly should expect while at the same time giving the freedom to those other gps who

are doing a fantasticjob in supporting patients in the practice and that is why i am not intending to be prescriptive but i'm determined on behalf a patient to drive up the performance of those who need the help to to do things better. again, in terms of ambulances, i better. again, in terms of ambulances, lam better. again, in terms of ambulances, i am very conscious of that as well. the honourable gentleman is right to say we have beenin gentleman is right to say we have been in powerfor 12 years gentleman is right to say we have been in power for 12 years and unconscious i have been working for a decade for improving these sorts of things, my constituents. particularly focusing on ambulances, i thought it was particular the help to the house to learn analysis we have just done very recently which does show that a5% of the handover delays are any concentrated part of the country. but even then, i appreciate that is not good enough, and i am also the understanding, while there is a similar number of eminent school is being made, actually what we are seeing is many more category one and two calls

happening and indeed ourfantastic paramedics are treating more people at home without needing to take them into hospital but nevertheless, that brings me the challenge and how we can do more to particularly help ambulances get back on their were road so they can treat patients but also to considerjust like many of the other emergency services, the extension of using volunteers through any solitary service or indeed community first responders. in london alone there are about 120 community first responders, i think i have more than that in my constituency. it is about recognising that people who volunteer to help, we can find a way for them to help us during some of these particularly challenging times, as well as how the government will work with the nhs to try to tackle some of the fundamental issues as well. in terms of about access to gps, i am conscious that when labour was in power they introduce that a8 hours. we were

told by the nhs and by doctors, of course they met it because i expect that as part of a contract, but indeed, what it meant not necessarily better outcomes for patients in their practices, and indeed if they'd gone... it is important that we do that as well. one of the things, i'm very conscious they plan to patients is only being published now, i've deliberately tried to make sure we have held important aspects today like the £500 million adults to stranded chip fund for the interest of the house, rather than saying that before i committed a, but i can assure the honourable gentleman i'm very happy to continue to work in partnership with the nhs and keep that focus on patients which i think is absolutely critical as well as building on the existing nhs winter plan, developing that workforce, considering all the different plans and strategies that we would need to be considered carefully as we set

about the long—term improvements which i think he will enjoy and want me to champion on behalf of patients too. i track can i welcome the health secretary to her role. because i know it is the hottest role in government. she has a zen —like commonness which means she is well suited to the pressures which i had. there is much today, particularly including the pension rule changes, the additional funding for social care, rule changes, the additional funding forsocial care, new rule changes, the additional funding for social care, new powers for pharmacists, could i ask her to rethink this new two week access targets? powers for pharmacists, but could i ask to rethink this new two week access target for general practice. if targets were the answer, we would have the best access in the world of the nhs because we have more targets than any other health system in the world. gps have 72 targets at the moment i'm adding a 73rd won't help them or their patients. it's not more targets that the nhs needs, it

is