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Published: Sunday, 29 November -0001 23:58

Written by News Editor

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A newcomer to Parliamentary Questions this week, S Barry Sheerman Labour MP for Huddersfield. And regular Steve McCabe Labour Birmingham Selly Oak quizzed both health ministers and Department for Communities and Local Government.

S Barry Sheerman Labour MP for Huddersfield asked was the Secretary of State aware that my constituents are deeply disappointed with what he got out of the Budget? That poor deal for the NHS means that they face the closure of A&E in Huddersfield and the closure of Huddersfield hospital, and they no longer have a dentist who will take on an NHS patient in the whole of my constituency.” 

Secretary of State, Jeremy Hunt, brushed this aside saying: “With great respect to the hon. Gentleman, what was secured in the Budget was £2 billion for social care, which is £2 billion more than his party was promising at the last election .”

Steve McCabe Labour MP Birmingham Selly Oak asked what steps were being to reduce the incidence of emergency teeth extractions in Birmingham. Health minister David Mowat said that improving oral health, particularly of children, was a priority. Nationally, NHS England and the Department are testing new ways of providing dental care focussed on preventing future disease. NHS England also intends to roll out a scheme across the West Midlands to support dentists to intervene early where children’s oral health is at risk.

Steve McCabe also asked the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government who is responsible for monitoring whether local authorities meet their statutory requirements on oral health. Junior minister Marcus Jones replied “The duties on local authorities in relation to oral health, including oral health promotion are set out in the NHS Bodies and Local Authorities (Partnership Arrangements, Care Trusts, Public Health and Local Healthwatch) Regulations 2012. The Regulations make specific provision for authorities to operate a complaints system in relation to their public health functions. This includes a requirement to compile an annual report of complaints about public health functions, which must be publicly available.

This statutory framework therefore establishes at the local level, provision for the public to complain about local authority public health matters, and require local authorities to produce an annual report of complaints which must be available to the public. This is consistent with Government policy that local government is held to account at the local level by its electorate.

Should a local authority fail to comply with its statutory duties, it is for the electorate to hold their local authority to account, either through the ballot box or through judicial review. The Local Government Ombydsman can investigate complaints of maladministration in local authorities, and recommend redress for individuals.

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