Michael Gove updates House on public services

Michael Gove: "further challenges ahead"

Michael Gove, Minister for the Cabinet Office and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, opened the statement by thanking those on the frontline.

He said that "on 17 March we established 4 ministerial implementation groups", which are split up into:

• the NHS and social care - chaired by Matt Hancock, Health Secretary.
• supporting business and the economy - chaired by Rishi Sunak, Chancellor of the Exchequer
• international response - chaired by Dominic Raab, Foreign Secretary
• public sector group chaired by Michael Gove.

He said that the public sector ministerial implementation group have met over 30 times and "these have helped us to understand how the virus has effected every part of our United Kingdom, enabling us to take action that meets the needs of people."

The public sector implementation group has considered "the impact of the pandemic on schools and children's services, the police, the prison and probational service, the courts, the food supply chain, the welfare system, charities and support for the most vulnerable."

He concluded by saying:

"There will, of course, be further challenges ahead.

"It is important that all of us recognise just how much we owe to the stoicism and steadfastnesss, the hard work and heroism, the compassion and commitment of those working at the frontline of public services.

We owe them so much and we in Government will do everything we can to support them."

Rachel Reeves: "the number of overall deaths in care homes has tripled in 3 weeks"

Rachel Reeves, Shadow Minister for the Cabinet Office and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, told the House that "weekly figures published by the Office for National Statistics show that there were 4,316 deaths outside of hospitals in England and Wales", 3,096 of these deaths took place in care homes.

"The number of overall deaths in care homes has tripled in 3 weeks", Rachel Reeves said.

She asked the Minister, Michael Gove, to "correct the Government's claims that deaths in care homes are falling".

Rachel Reeves also called on the Government to publish data on care homes on a daily basis and to make money available for domestic violence charities.

She also questioned the Minister on provisions for PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) and protection for police going forward. 

Find out more

• Watch Parliament TV: Update on public services
• Transcripts of proceedings in the House of Commons Chamber are available in Hansard online three hours after they happen.

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