Tuesday 26 October 2010

Health Select Committee

I was today elected to serve on the powerful House of Commons Health Select Committee.

I look forward to working on this Select Committee. Health is a critical issue for the Borough and this is a body which can make a real difference to how policy works in a place like Wigan.

I stood for election to this Committee to make a difference. In 1997 we inherited a NHS on its knees. We now boast new primary care facilities across the borough because of the direct investment by the last Labour Government.

The proposed changes announced by the Coalition Government are a dangerous leap in to the dark and pose a serious threat to the fabric of the NHS. The proposals were not to be found in either the Tory or Lib Dem manifestos.

At a time of deep cuts across the public sector it is astonishing that David Cameron should embark on a needless restructure of the NHS.