Former Labour MP for Wakefield
I understand from the Library that in nearly 18 years here I have asked 3,684 questions. Unfortunately, I have not received as many answers. One question that I have asked successive Governments on many occasions—and it is very relevant to dementia—is to define the boundary between means-tested social care and free NHS nursing care. In implementing the excellent Green Paper, will my hon....
I believe that we should be even-handed. If the hon. Gentleman is going to campaign on the issue of MRSA, good luck to him, but is it not reasonable to ask why the motion makes no mention of the last Government's decision in 1983 to introduce competitive tendering, which drove down cleanliness standards in hospitals across the country as well as the wages of decent, hard-working cleaners?...
On the issue of long-term care, under the previous Administration there was a significant increase in the number of elderly people institutionalised in private care and nursing homes, and this Government have a proud record of moving in the opposite direction. Will the forthcoming Green Paper possibly set targets for a further reduction? Can my hon. Friend set out roughly how soon we will...
I have to confess that when I looked at it, I was rather surprised to see that I had done 12,000 steps today. I think that I forgot to turn it back last night. I do apologise.
I was saying that anyone who has been around this place long enough is aware that the "Today" programme's stories are frequently picked up by other media outlets. The story that we are discussing was run by numerous other radio and TV programmes and newspapers—in several instances uncritically. I believed then what I believe now: I was right to state that while I regretted any distress to...
I certainly agree. The Committee's concern was that the size of the labels—never mind their complexity—makes them virtually useless to those of us who are middle aged and who cannot find their glasses halfway round the supermarket. We need to address the fact that most people do not have the same detailed knowledge as my hon. Friend the Member for Morley and Rothwell (Mr. Challen) and...
If I display my pedometer, Mr. Deputy Speaker, my hon. Friend will see that I have taken nearly 13,000 steps so far today. He will also note that I am on the hefty side. We need to address the balance between the two areas he has mentioned. One problem—I might refer to it again in a moment—is that things can be overstated. For instance, one hears things like, "If you wear one of these,...
Yes, indeed. I return to the Government's response. We were pleased at the introduction of a public service agreement target to reduce childhood obesity—our report stressed the importance of introducing targets on obesity—but we feel that the target chosen, which was to "halt the year on year rise in obesity among children under 11 by 2010 in the context of a broader strategy to tackle...
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will take steps to ensure that additional funds for primary care dentistry will be channelled towards dentists who have continued to maintain NHS care provision in preference to those who have reduced their commitment to the NHS.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what estimate he has made of the cost to the NHS of the additional dentists to be working in the primary dental services by 2011 as anticipated in the Primary Care Dental Workforce Review; (2) what estimate he has made of expenditure on dental nurses to assist the additional dentists needed by 2011 in the primary dental services sector, as...
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the cost to Government departments of providing training places for the additional dentists anticipated in the Primary Care Dental Workforce Review.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what account was taken in the Primary Care Dental Workforce Review, when estimating the number of additional dentists required by 2011, of the views of the National Institute for Clinical Excellence on appropriate dental recall intervals.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps will be taken to ensure that dentists to be recruited from (a) Poland, (b) Spain and (c) India by primary care trusts are retained in the NHS.
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what assessment Post Office Ltd. made prior to the programme of closure of sub-post offices in Wakefield of its responsibilities under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 in respect of access to services provided to customers who are (a) blind or visually impaired, (b) wheelchair users, (c) users of electric wheelchairs, (d) deaf,...
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to her answer of 17 March 2004, Official Report, column 316W, on Sports (Honours), what the reasons are for the differences between the number of honours awarded over the last five years for sporting involvement in rugby league and rugby union; and if she will make a statement.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on how many occasions the cross-departmental Sport and Physical Activity Board has met.
