MP quizzes Irish minister over £6m health shortfall
ROCHDALE’S MP questioned the government’s commitment to health services in Northern Ireland, citing the £6m shortfall in the budget.
Tony Lloyd MP, who is the Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, spoke up in the House of Commons on March 18 to say that there is now an “automatic link” between health and economy due to outbreak of coronavirus.
He said: “If I had been asking the Secretary of State a question about health in Northern Ireland two weeks ago, I would have pointed out that there is a £600 million shortfall in bringing the Northern Ireland health budget up to speed.
“How much money exactly will be put into that budget to ensure that the health system there is robust against coronavirus, and to build up the capacity that it ought to have so that it catches up with the rest of the UK?”
Secretary of State for
Northern Ireland, Brandow Lewis, responded that there is “£2b of support for the Northern Ireland Executive.”
He said; “As the hon. Gentleman will know, a key focus for the Northern Ireland Executive is how we improve, and how they improve, health support for people across Northern Ireland. Quite rightly, everybody’s focus at the moment is primarily on not only wider health issues, but the specifics of dealing with coronavirus.
“The Executive have been hugely focused on that, including the Deputy First Minister, the First Minister and the Health Minister, all of whom I spoke to yesterday.
“That focus is.
“There is a substantial budget—as part of the “New Decade, New Approach” deal, there is £2 billion of support for the Northern Ireland Executive, and I hope that we will see a really improved health service for the people of Northern Ireland.”
But Mr Lloyd responded that the Secretary “has to do better.”
He said: “The Secretary of State has to do better than this.
“The amount of money that has been made available for coronavirus and health generally is not enough for the needs is where the of the people of Northern Ireland.
“Will the wider moneys available guarantee support for those who cannot get sick pay and cannot pay their rent, and guarantee that those whose small businesses are under pressure will still be in business when we get through this crisis?”