I thank my hon. Friend for raising this issue. She makes a powerful point, as someone who has worked in public health for many years. I have met Ella’s family, including her mother Rosamund. Her death was a tragedy, and this is an issue close to my heart. Through our environmental improvement plan, we are taking action to cut pollutants, including through new targets to cut exposure to harmful particles by a third, and by reforming industrial permitting to reduce emissions. A Minister will be happy to meet my hon. Friend to discuss this further.

I thank my hon. Friend for raising this issue. She makes a powerful point, as someone who has worked in public health for many years. I have met Ella’s family, including her mother Rosamund. Her death was a tragedy, and this is an issue close to my heart. Through our environmental improvement plan, we are taking action to cut pollutants, including through new targets to cut exposure to harmful particles by a third, and by reforming industrial permitting to reduce emissions. A Minister will be happy to meet my hon. Friend to discuss this further.

My hon. Friend is right—waiting lists are down by 3,200 in his local area—and he is also right to highlight the progress with our plan to get the NHS back on its feet. Thanks to this Labour Government’s decisions, waiting lists have fallen by over 300,000 since the election, and we have delivered 5.2 million extra appointments, slashed ambulance response times and recruited 3,000 more GPs. Meanwhile, the hon. Member for Romford (Andrew Rosindell) confirmed at the weekend that Reform would support privatisation of the national health service. Labour will never let it happen. Reform cannot be trusted with our national health service.

My hon. Friend is right—waiting lists are down by 3,200 in his local area—and he is also right to highlight the progress with our plan to get the NHS back on its feet. Thanks to this Labour Government’s decisions, waiting lists have fallen by over 300,000 since the election, and we have delivered 5.2 million extra appointments, slashed ambulance response times and recruited 3,000 more GPs. Meanwhile, the hon. Member for Romford (Andrew Rosindell) confirmed at the weekend that Reform would support privatisation of the national health service. Labour will never let it happen. Reform cannot be trusted with our national health service.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what qualifications and criteria were applied to (a) the selection of individuals to serve on the (i) strategy group, (ii) project executive group, (iii) national reference group and (iv) psychodynamic psychotherapy group within the Skills for Health Psychological Therapies National Occupation Skills...

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what qualifications and criteria were applied to (a) the selection of individuals to serve on the (i) strategy group, (ii) project executive group, (iii) national reference group and (iv) psychodynamic psychotherapy group within the Skills for Health Psychological Therapies National Occupation Skills...

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, how many legal aid funded clinical negligence cases were successful in each year since 1997; in how many clinical negligence claims legal costs exceeded damages paid to patients in each year since 1997; if he will list the (a) legal costs...

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, how many legal aid funded clinical negligence cases were successful in each year since 1997; in how many clinical negligence claims legal costs exceeded damages paid to patients in each year since 1997; if he will list the (a) legal costs...

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of current legal aid arrangements for (a) patients and (b) patients' families in dispute with NHS trusts; what assessment he has made of the case for extending the provision of free legal...

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of current legal aid arrangements for (a) patients and (b) patients' families in dispute with NHS trusts; what assessment he has made of the case for extending the provision of free legal...

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effect of the likely levels of compensation for deaths where the deceased has no dependents or access to conditional fee agreements by families pursuing negligence claims against NHS trusts.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effect of the likely levels of compensation for deaths where the deceased has no dependents or access to conditional fee agreements by families pursuing negligence claims against NHS trusts.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions he has had with the Scottish Executive regarding the application of experience from the operation of NHS Direct in (a) reducing staff turnover, (b) adopting family friendly work routines and (c) general call handling to NHS24.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions he has had with the Scottish Executive regarding the application of experience from the operation of NHS Direct in (a) reducing staff turnover, (b) adopting family friendly work routines and (c) general call handling to NHS24.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what action he is taking to encourage participation of disabled people in public appointments in the National Health Service. - Inc figures.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what action he is taking to encourage participation of disabled people in public appointments in the National Health Service. - Inc figures.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many appointments to the position of Chairman have been made by the NHS Appointments Commission since its inception, broken down by (a) recognised medical or nursing qualification, (b) in-service professionals from medicine, nursing and other clinical or health-related backgrounds and (c)...

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many appointments to the position of Chairman have been made by the NHS Appointments Commission since its inception, broken down by (a) recognised medical or nursing qualification, (b) in-service professionals from medicine, nursing and other clinical or health-related backgrounds and (c)...

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the implications for clinicians and patients of medical defence organisations making their indemnity available on a discretionary basis; and if he will make a statement. - (Holding answer 3 June 2003).

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the implications for clinicians and patients of medical defence organisations making their indemnity available on a discretionary basis; and if he will make a statement. - (Holding answer 3 June 2003).

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the progress of the Dental Workforce Review.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the progress of the Dental Workforce Review.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his Answer of 22 May 2003, 405 c965-66W, on dentistry, what research he has commissioned on the long term effects of people being unable to access non-urgent oral health services; and if he will make a statement. - Inc ref...

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his Answer of 22 May 2003, 405 c965-66W, on dentistry, what research he has commissioned on the long term effects of people being unable to access non-urgent oral health services; and if he will make a statement. - Inc ref...

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what his policy is on NHS trusts suing employees following legal action in which the trust accepted liability for the actions of those employees; if he will require NHS trusts and NHS foundation trusts not to take such action; and if he...

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what his policy is on NHS trusts suing employees following legal action in which the trust accepted liability for the actions of those employees; if he will require NHS trusts and NHS foundation trusts not to take such action; and if he...

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to improve the provision of NHS dentistry in Herefordshire; and if he will make a statement. - Includes figures.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to improve the provision of NHS dentistry in Herefordshire; and if he will make a statement. - Includes figures.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his Answer of 22nd May, Official Report, column 966-7W, on dentistry, how many residents within (a) Portsmouth, (b) Fareham and Gosport and (c) Southampton City primary care trusts have been unable to register with an NHS dentist in the last...

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his Answer of 22nd May, Official Report, column 966-7W, on dentistry, how many residents within (a) Portsmouth, (b) Fareham and Gosport and (c) Southampton City primary care trusts have been unable to register with an NHS dentist in the last...

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will take measures to ensure that commercial providers of clinical indemnity to UK doctors and dentists are required to provide indemnity on an insured and regulated basis. (Holding answer 3 June 2003).

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will take measures to ensure that commercial providers of clinical indemnity to UK doctors and dentists are required to provide indemnity on an insured and regulated basis. (Holding answer 3 June 2003).

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what his policy is on introducing a no-fault clinical negligence compensation system.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what his policy is on introducing a no-fault clinical negligence compensation system.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when there will be an announcement of the result of the review of domiciliary oxygen services initiated in March 2002; what conclusions have been reached concerning provision of ambulatory oxygen for domiciliary use; and whether scope exists to improve the efficiency of...

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when there will be an announcement of the result of the review of domiciliary oxygen services initiated in March 2002; what conclusions have been reached concerning provision of ambulatory oxygen for domiciliary use; and whether scope exists to improve the efficiency of...

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what targets his Department has set under phase II of the Better Hospital Food Programme for the (a) quality and (b) availability of drinks at ward level; and how improvements will be monitored; what targets his Department has set under phase II...

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what targets his Department has set under phase II of the Better Hospital Food Programme for the (a) quality and (b) availability of drinks at ward level; and how improvements will be monitored; what targets his Department has set under phase II...

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what additional resources his Department has given to (a) strategic health authorities, (b) primary care trusts and (c) NHS trusts to implement phase II of the Better Hospital Food Programme. - Inc figure.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what additional resources his Department has given to (a) strategic health authorities, (b) primary care trusts and (c) NHS trusts to implement phase II of the Better Hospital Food Programme. - Inc figure.