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Health and Education

It gives me enormous pleasure to take part in this debate, which is my first as Secretary of State for Health. I begin by thanking the hon. Member for South Cambridgeshire (Mr. Lansley) for his kind words to me and my ministerial colleagues at the start of his speech, although he omitted to mention my hon. Friend the Member for Doncaster, Central (Ms Winterton), who is one of my Ministers of State. However, I join him in extending a warm welcome to the hon. Member for Northavon (Steve Webb) as he takes up his new post on the Front Bench. The health and education measures outlined in the Gracious Speech—and I shall say more about them in a moment—are firmly rooted in the values represented by Labour Members. They are the values of equality of opportunity and of mutual responsibility. All Labour Members came into politics to help create a society in which all individuals, irrespective of background, have the opportunity to fulfil their potential. We want every family to be able to give their children the best possible start in life, and every child to be inspired and valued at school. We also want every patient to feel that their health is being safeguarded and improved by our NHS.