What plans he has for capital investment in a new health centre at Maghull in Sefton Central constituency.

What plans he has for capital investment in a new health centre at Maghull in Sefton Central constituency.

Following the recent spending review, the next round of projects, including those from Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust, are being considered, and local health systems should receive confirmation of their funding envelope for 2022-23 shortly.

Following the recent spending review, the next round of projects, including those from Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust, are being considered, and local health systems should receive confirmation of their funding envelope for 2022-23 shortly.

In November 2018, the then Health Minister, the hon. Member for Winchester (Steve Brine), told me that building a new health centre in Maghull was a priority for NHS England, but the estates and technology transformation fund has closed and the funding for Maghull has not been approved by the Government. Can the Minister confirm that the Government still agree that a new health centre, as opposed to what she mentioned before, which is a mental health facility, is needed in Maghull? Can she also tell me what the funding arrangements are in the absence of the estates and technology transformation fund?

In November 2018, the then Health Minister, the hon. Member for Winchester (Steve Brine), told me that building a new health centre in Maghull was a priority for NHS England, but the estates and technology transformation fund has closed and the funding for Maghull has not been approved by the Government. Can the Minister confirm that the Government still agree that a new health centre, as opposed to what she mentioned before, which is a mental health facility, is needed in Maghull? Can she also tell me what the funding arrangements are in the absence of the estates and technology transformation fund?

I take the hon. Gentleman’s point, and of course he will lobby for more investment in his constituency. As I said, the funding envelope will be announced shortly, and it will be for his local area to decide how it spends that.

I take the hon. Gentleman’s point, and of course he will lobby for more investment in his constituency. As I said, the funding envelope will be announced shortly, and it will be for his local area to decide how it spends that.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to Answer of 25 February to Question 156364, when the Minister for flooding will meet the hon. Member for Sefton Central.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to Answer of 25 February to Question 156364, when the Minister for flooding will meet the hon. Member for Sefton Central.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will meet with the hon. Member for Sefton Central to discuss the shortfall in grant-in-aid funding for flood defences at Dover’s Brook in Maghull.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will meet with the hon. Member for Sefton Central to discuss the shortfall in grant-in-aid funding for flood defences at Dover’s Brook in Maghull.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much his Department spent on the construction of HM Prison Maghull before the project was cancelled in 2010.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much his Department spent on the construction of HM Prison Maghull before the project was cancelled in 2010.

In just the past few months, there have been seven gang-related shootings in Maghull in my constituency—a town with no previous experience of gun crime. The Home Secretary will understand the very real fears of my constituents that it is only a matter of time before an innocent bystander is hurt or killed. Will she make sure that Merseyside police have all the resources they need to protect residents and to stamp out this worrying trend in gun crime?

In just the past few months, there have been seven gang-related shootings in Maghull in my constituency—a town with no previous experience of gun crime. The Home Secretary will understand the very real fears of my constituents that it is only a matter of time before an innocent bystander is hurt or killed. Will she make sure that Merseyside police have all the resources they need to protect residents and to stamp out this worrying trend in gun crime?

The hon. Gentleman raises an important issue. Sadly, we have seen problems related to gun crime in a number of parts of the country and, as he says, there has been evidence of completely innocent individuals getting caught in those incidents. We have been looking particularly at offences in relation to guns, and indeed we are introducing a new offence relating to the provision of guns—the intent to supply guns—so that we can catch some of the middlemen who are making guns available. Often they are rented out by middlemen for a variety of crimes. If the hon. Gentleman would like to write to me, I will respond.

The hon. Gentleman raises an important issue. Sadly, we have seen problems related to gun crime in a number of parts of the country and, as he says, there has been evidence of completely innocent individuals getting caught in those incidents. We have been looking particularly at offences in relation to guns, and indeed we are introducing a new offence relating to the provision of guns—the intent to supply guns—so that we can catch some of the middlemen who are making guns available. Often they are rented out by middlemen for a variety of crimes. If the hon. Gentleman would like to write to me, I will respond.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) what costs his Department has incurred as a result of the cancellation of the contract with Serco Group plc to build Maghull Prison;

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) what costs his Department has incurred as a result of the cancellation of the contract with Serco Group plc to build Maghull Prison;

(3) what estimate he has made of the level of savings which will accrue to his Department as a result of cancelling the contract to build Maghull Prison;

(3) what estimate he has made of the level of savings which will accrue to his Department as a result of cancelling the contract to build Maghull Prison;

(4) how much his Department has spent on the development of plans to build a new prison in Maghull.

(4) how much his Department has spent on the development of plans to build a new prison in Maghull.

(2) what estimate his Department made of the construction costs for Maghull Prison at the commencement of the project;

(2) what estimate his Department made of the construction costs for Maghull Prison at the commencement of the project;

My Lords, the Minister has not answered the question posed by my noble friend Lord Thomas about why this country has the most punitive policy towards the incarceration of prisoners in the democratic European context. Will he reflect on what it is about this country that causes our prison population...

My Lords, the Minister has not answered the question posed by my noble friend Lord Thomas about why this country has the most punitive policy towards the incarceration of prisoners in the democratic European context. Will he reflect on what it is about this country that causes our prison population...

My Lords, on my noble friend’s final question, like all government departments we are, of course, doing our duty. As to his first question, it is necessary that I go away and write a letter to the noble Lord, Lord Thomas of Gresford, with a response to his point. Britain...

My Lords, on my noble friend’s final question, like all government departments we are, of course, doing our duty. As to his first question, it is necessary that I go away and write a letter to the noble Lord, Lord Thomas of Gresford, with a response to his point. Britain...