In recent months, there was a concerted campaign from the public to prevent the closure of Park View Medical Centre in Liverpool, which was subsequently closed by the Merseyside and Cheshire integrated care board. Not long after the conclusion of the campaign, during which members of the public were turning up to board meetings, the ICB announced that 50% of its meetings would now be held exclusively in private. I for one do not believe that that is a coincidence. What would the Secretary of State’s advice be to Merseyside and Cheshire ICB on transparency and accountability, and is it not time we looked at strengthening the guidance?

In recent months, there was a concerted campaign from the public to prevent the closure of Park View Medical Centre in Liverpool, which was subsequently closed by the Merseyside and Cheshire integrated care board. Not long after the conclusion of the campaign, during which members of the public were turning up to board meetings, the ICB announced that 50% of its meetings would now be held exclusively in private. I for one do not believe that that is a coincidence. What would the Secretary of State’s advice be to Merseyside and Cheshire ICB on transparency and accountability, and is it not time we looked at strengthening the guidance?

The hon. Lady raises an important point. I was not aware of that decision by the local ICB. As a principle, I think we can agree across the House that greater transparency on such meetings is important, so I will follow up on that. The Government are making significant investment into Merseyside; both Alder Hey Children’s Hospital and the Royal Liverpool University Hospital have been rebuilt at significant cost as part of this Government’s commitment to investing in the NHS estate in that area.

The hon. Lady raises an important point. I was not aware of that decision by the local ICB. As a principle, I think we can agree across the House that greater transparency on such meetings is important, so I will follow up on that. The Government are making significant investment into Merseyside; both Alder Hey Children’s Hospital and the Royal Liverpool University Hospital have been rebuilt at significant cost as part of this Government’s commitment to investing in the NHS estate in that area.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answers to Questions 193235 and 194771 on Railways: Ticket Offices, what protocols his Department follows to record meetings attended by Ministers.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answers to Questions 193235 and 194771 on Railways: Ticket Offices, what protocols his Department follows to record meetings attended by Ministers.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, on how many occasions a request for a meeting by an hon. Member of each political party was not agreed to by (a) a Minister in his Office directly and (b) his Office on behalf of a Minister in the last 12...

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, on how many occasions a request for a meeting by an hon. Member of each political party was not agreed to by (a) a Minister in his Office directly and (b) his Office on behalf of a Minister in the last 12...

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to expedite the process for publishing minutes from UK National Screening Committee meetings.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to expedite the process for publishing minutes from UK National Screening Committee meetings.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, on how many occasions a request for a meeting by an hon. Member was not agreed to by (a) a Minister and (b) their office on behalf of a Minister in the last 12 months.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, on how many occasions a request for a meeting by an hon. Member was not agreed to by (a) a Minister and (b) their office on behalf of a Minister in the last 12 months.

Lords motion to consider. Agreed to on question.

Lords motion to consider. Agreed to on question.

This instrument was laid before Parliament on 5 June, in accordance with Section 10(1) of the International Organisations Act 1968. A correction was made on 7 June to amend an error in a date referenced in the order. It is subject to the affirmative procedure and will be made once...

This instrument was laid before Parliament on 5 June, in accordance with Section 10(1) of the International Organisations Act 1968. A correction was made on 7 June to amend an error in a date referenced in the order. It is subject to the affirmative procedure and will be made once...

My Lords, I thank the Minister for his brief but comprehensive introduction to these regulations. I apologise on behalf of my noble friend Lord Purvis of Tweed, who is currently in the Chamber dealing with other matters. We broadly support these measures.

My noble friend was quite keen to ask a...

My Lords, I thank the Minister for his brief but comprehensive introduction to these regulations. I apologise on behalf of my noble friend Lord Purvis of Tweed, who is currently in the Chamber dealing with other matters. We broadly support these measures.

My noble friend was quite keen to ask a...

My Lords, I, too, thank the Minister for his introduction. I am extremely grateful for his very helpful letter of 12 June explaining why such agreements sometimes differ between different international organisations in how they are set out. I hope that a copy was placed in the Library of the...

My Lords, I, too, thank the Minister for his introduction. I am extremely grateful for his very helpful letter of 12 June explaining why such agreements sometimes differ between different international organisations in how they are set out. I hope that a copy was placed in the Library of the...

I am grateful to noble Lords who have contributed to this discussion. In a sense, this legislation is part of our preparation for the event. It is a requirement for us in order to be able to meet our internationally agreed obligations. It is worth pointing out that the privileges...

I am grateful to noble Lords who have contributed to this discussion. In a sense, this legislation is part of our preparation for the event. It is a requirement for us in order to be able to meet our internationally agreed obligations. It is worth pointing out that the privileges...

Will the Minister answer my supplementary question about whether there has been any impact?

Will the Minister answer my supplementary question about whether there has been any impact?

My understanding is that there has been no impact. I looked over my shoulder to confirm that and I got a nod, so I believe that I am right in saying that there has been no impact. The provisions had previously been applied operationally, and meetings of the agency have...

My understanding is that there has been no impact. I looked over my shoulder to confirm that and I got a nod, so I believe that I am right in saying that there has been no impact. The provisions had previously been applied operationally, and meetings of the agency have...

Motion to consider. Agreed to on question.

Motion to consider. Agreed to on question.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to his Department’s declaration of ministerial meetings first published on 15 December 2022, what was the nature of the revision made in the updated version of the document published on 13 June 2023.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to his Department’s declaration of ministerial meetings first published on 15 December 2022, what was the nature of the revision made in the updated version of the document published on 13 June 2023.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how long on average a work coach meeting with a claimant lasts for.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how long on average a work coach meeting with a claimant lasts for.

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, with reference to the Government Response to the Communities and Local Government Select Committee Report: The Future of Public Parks, published in September 2017, CM 9503, how many meetings of (a) the cross-departmental group on public parks and...

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, with reference to the Government Response to the Communities and Local Government Select Committee Report: The Future of Public Parks, published in September 2017, CM 9503, how many meetings of (a) the cross-departmental group on public parks and...

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many meetings he has had with the National Union of Students on access to Universal Credit for (a) full time students and (b) partners of full time students in the last 12 months.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many meetings he has had with the National Union of Students on access to Universal Credit for (a) full time students and (b) partners of full time students in the last 12 months.

To ask His Majesty's Government what are their priorities for the OSCE Ministerial Council Annual Meeting in Poland; and what steps they are taking to ensure the OSCE is able to deal with regional security issues and remain relevant in spite of the challenges posed by the war in Ukraine.

To ask His Majesty's Government what are their priorities for the OSCE Ministerial Council Annual Meeting in Poland; and what steps they are taking to ensure the OSCE is able to deal with regional security issues and remain relevant in spite of the challenges posed by the war in Ukraine.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when the Minister for Pensions last met pensioners who are members of the the Financial Assistance Scheme.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when the Minister for Pensions last met pensioners who are members of the the Financial Assistance Scheme.