Stillbirths fell to lowest EVER rate in 2020 amid Covid pandemic dailymail.co.uk - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from dailymail.co.uk Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
MPs urge ministers to deliver on commitments by speeding up key legislation
Post-Brexit gap in environmental governance and sentencing bill among Liaison Committee s concerns
Bernard Jenkin Parliament TV
19 Feb 2021
Some of parliament’s most influential MPs have called on the government to prioritise progress with key pieces of legislation that have yet to complete their progress into law – or in some cases even receive a first reading.
In a letter to House of Commons leader Jacob Rees-Mogg, Liaison Committee chair Sir Bernard Jenkin set out six pieces of legislation seen as a primary concern. Among them is the environment bill, which will address governance gaps following the end of the EU transition period last month.
Joined-up care and less bureaucracy are among the proposals by the Government in a bid to reform the health and social care system in England.
A plan to build on work done during the coronavirus pandemic to create a “more integrated, more innovative and responsive” NHS is due to be set out by Health Secretary Matt Hancock on Thursday.
The proposals include improving care and tackling health inequalities through measures to address obesity, oral health and patient choice, the Department of Health said.
Reports at the weekend suggested ministers plan to centralise decision-making in the health service and reduce the role of the private sector, giving Government the power to block the closure of hospitals and overrule bosses in what could be the biggest health reform for a decade.
Reforms to the NHS which sweep away much of the framework set in place under David Cameron will see the health service and partners work more closely, Health Secretary Matt Hancock has said.
The White Paper, which will be published later on Thursday, brings together the NHS, social care and local government to make decisions with the aim of providing integrated care.
The proposals see a tendering rule scrapped, which officials say has created unnecessary competition and made it difficult for councils and different parts of the NHS to set up joint teams and pool their budgets.
Under the changes, councils and NHS services will be able to set up bodies that can make decisions about how to join up their services.