Latest news with #SteveDarling
The Guardian
5 days ago
- General
- The Guardian
Second Lib Dem MP withdraws support for England and Wales assisted dying bill
A second Liberal Democrat MP has said they have changed their mind over the assisted dying bill and will vote against it at the next Commons stage, in another sign of a wider, if so far slight, ebbing away of support for the measure. In an email to constituents, Brian Mathew, the Melksham and Devizes MP, said that while he had backed the bill at its second reading vote, in April, scrutiny of the plans had left 'several concerns I feel have been inadequately answered'. His announcement follows comments last week by Steve Darling, the Torbay MP who is also the Lib Democrat work and pensions spokesperson. Darling said that while he had backed the bill in April he was now 'marginally against' it, but had not yet decided whether he would vote against it or abstain. About eight other MPs who either supported the private member's bill, led by Labour MP Kim Leadbeater, at its second reading or did not vote have said they will now oppose it. However, at least two who abstained in April are now supporters, while the Runcorn and Helsby byelection earlier in May resulted in a Labour MP who opposed the plan replaced by a Reform UK one who backs it. Given the second reading of the bill was passed with a majority of 55, the numbers thus far indicate it should also get through the third reading, scheduled for 20 June. A week before, on 13 June, MPs will debate amendments to the bill for a second day. The first day of debates on amendments drawn up during a lengthy committee stage resulted in some changes being agreed, including an opt-out for all healthcare workers from being involved in assisted dying, extending the exemption from just doctors. That debate also featured angry complaints from some MPs opposed to assisted dying after the prominent campaigner Esther Rantzen argued many in their camp were fighting against the changes to the law because of secret religious views. In his message to constituents, Mathew said he had heard 'eloquent and challenging viewpoints' from all sides, and he changed his stance over the bill following the recent weeks of debates. 'I share the concerns of many constituents that individuals facing terminal illness will take the decision based on concerns that they have become a burden upon their family,' he wrote. 'This is a serious concern for me; I worry that in someone's final days, this question will loom heavy when it does not need to.' This was all the more the case, Mathew said, when the palliative care system as it stood was so bad. Speaking ahead of the first day of debates about amendments, Leadbeater warned that if MPs voted down her bill at third reading then 'the conversation ends' on the subject, with dreadful consequences for many terminally ill people. She dismissed the idea that if the bill was defeated, the subject could return as government legislation or a royal commission, noting the long gap between the last time assisted dying was debated in the Commons, in 2015, and her efforts. 'What worries me is, if the bill doesn't pass, the conversation ends, and that would be really dreadful for so many people, for so many reasons,' she said.
BBC News
5 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Devon heart attack care trial pulled to review feedback
A proposal to trial changes to heart attack services in part of Devon has been withdrawn to allow time to consider feedback on the Devon's Integrated Care Board (ICB) was due to discuss a "test and learn" process for out-of-hours services in Torbay and Exeter during a meeting on part of the move, the trial could have seen patients driven to hospital in Exeter rather than Torbay to help cut costs and release resources to cut treatment following concerns raised locally, NHS Devon said it had decided to delay the proposal so comments can be reviewed before an updated plan is presented to the ICB in July. 'Deeply concerning' A report which formed part of the trial from NHS Devon said it believed consolidating centres might "provide increased value with minimal and clinically acceptable impact on safety and quality".However, the idea was criticised by Liberal Democrat MPs Steve Darling and Caroline Voaden who both raised the issue in the House of MP Darling said the proposal put patients at risk of not receiving treatment fast enough while South Devon MP Voaden said it would put people in critical Torbay Conservative MP Kevin Foster also raised concerns with the trial, which he described as "deeply concerning". In a statement on Wednesday, NHS Devon said its chair and chief executive had decided to pull the plans from the board meeting off the back of "wide-ranging" comments from politicians, health professionals and patients."This will enable the feedback to be fully considered and allow time to reflect on whether such a process will lead to clarity on future commissioning arrangements to ensure the long-term sustainability of this important service," NHS Devon added its key priority was to commission "safe, reliable and sustainable" services for the future of healthcare in the Devon said: "We will engage with our clinicians and partners to design this and find the most effective solutions for the whole population of Devon."An updated proposal will be presented to the board in July, taking into account the valuable feedback received."
CBC
21-05-2025
- Health
- CBC
2-alarm fire in East York sends 3 to hospital
Three people have been hospitalized for smoke inhalation after a two-alarm fire broke out at a multi-purpose building in East York on Wednesday morning. Toronto Fire Services were called to 834 Pape Avenue, south of Mortimer Avenue, just after 5 a.m. for reports of a fire at the building — a squat, two-storey building with a business on the bottom residential space above. Steve Darling, the acting deputy fire chief, said the blaze has been contained. "It's too early to tell what the cause of the fire is," he told reporters at an 11 a.m. news conference at the scene. Paramedics say the three adults who were hospitalized were located in a residence above the business. They were taken to hospital to be treated for minor smoke inhalation. Darling says crews will remain at the scene to check for hotspots.
BBC News
08-05-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Devon MPs concerned over proposal to move coronary care
Two Devon MPs have raised fears about a proposal to move out-of-hours coronary care from Torbay to Exeter, believing the move could endanger comes after the NHS and the integrated care board (ICB) said it was considering stopping out-of-hours coronary care in Torbay and moving treatment to Exeter Devon MP Caroline Voaden said the move would "put people in critical danger" and called for a rethink, while Torbay MP Steve Darling said the proposal could put residents at "risk of tissue death".An NHS spokesperson said: "Our board of directors has not made any decision on this proposed test of change." 'Urge everyone to call 999' They added the NHS was "committed to working with our cardiology clinical leads" to "ensure their thoughts were captured" and shared with NHS Devon to help inform its spokesperson also said: "We continue to urge everyone to call 999 or visit our emergency department if they have a chest pain or a suspected heart attack."Mr Darling has pressed for an urgent meeting with the board to explain the rationale behind the potential change. In a letter to the board's chief executive following the debate, he said: "Your cardiologists have told us that for residents in Torbay, Dartmouth or elsewhere in South Devon their chances of full recovery from a heart attack could be severely impacted by the extra time needed to get to Exeter."In our view this does not provide equitable care for all – would you agree?"
Daily Record
30-04-2025
- Business
- Daily Record
New update on DWP plans to ‘monitor' bank accounts to stop benefit fraud
New proposed Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) reforms set to deliver the 'biggest ever crackdown on fraud against the public purse' have been cleared in Parliament and will now progress to the House of Lords for further scrutiny. The Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill seeks to curb multibillion-pound benefit fraud and includes allowing the DWP to recover money directly from fraudsters' bank accounts. The Bill would also allow the DWP to have the power to obtain bank statements from people they believe have enough cash to pay back welfare debts but are refusing to do so - but they would not be able to directly access accounts or see how claimants' spend their money. Courts could also suspend fraudsters' driving licences after an application by the DWP, if they owe welfare debts of more than £1,000 and have ignored repeated requests to pay them back. However, a group of Labour MPs rebelled to support an amendment designed to curb UK Government powers to verify a person's benefit eligibility and the Liberal Democrats work and pensions spokesman Steve Darling detailed several 'major concerns' from his party, including 'Orwellian levels of mass surveillance of those who have means tested benefits'. Conservative former Brexit secretary David Davis said it could mean more than nine million people are put at risk of 'unnecessary' surveillance. John Milne, the Liberal Democrat MP for Horsham, warned it would be 'the innocent and the accidental claimants who fall into the trap', rather than deliberate benefit fraudsters. He said: 'The implicit assumption is that we should trust in the DWP as a completely error-free organisation across the entirety of its massive operation, but they do make mistakes - they make mistakes all the time, and even when they know they've made a mistake, and they've been told so, they're very capable of making the same mistake again.' Speaking at third reading, Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall told MPs: 'Delivering our Plan for Change means ensuring every single pound of taxpayers' money is wisely spent and goes to those in genuine need. 'That is what this legislation will help deliver, with the biggest ever crackdown on fraud against the public purse.' Labour MP Neil Duncan-Jordan (Poole) forced a vote on one of his amendments to the Bill in a bid to curb UK Government powers to look at benefit claimants' accounts. The amendment would have meant the UK Government could only look into accounts belonging to people who the Government 'has reasonable grounds to suspect has committed, is committing or intends to commit' an offence. Mr Duncan-Jordan received the support of 10 Labour MPs in the division lobby but his amendment was rejected by 238 to 85, majority 153. Before the vote, Mr Duncan-Jordan said: 'The Bill rightly seeks to tackle organised crime and online fraud, but also worryingly ushers in dangerous new powers compelling banks to trawl through financial information.' He added: 'It is the very poorest in our society which are going to be affected most by this legislation. So banks will be able to trawl for financial information even where there is no suspicion of wrongdoing. That's the key point in this debate.' DWP Minister Andrew Western had said Mr Duncan-Jordan's amendment would 'undermine' the proposed new power designed to help verify a person's benefit eligibility. Mr Western said: 'We do require this power because it will enable better data sharing between the private and public sector to help check claimants are meeting the criteria for their benefits and to detect incorrect payments at an earlier stage before any suspicion of wrongdoing has arisen. 'It is not a power to be used to respond to suspected fraud. Information will not be shared with the DWP under the assumption that a claimant is guilty of any wrongdoing. The DWP must look into why the account has been flagged by the bank and ascertain whether an incorrect payment has been made.' Mr Western said the DWP would also make further enquiries to determine whether a benefit has been incorrectly paid and whether this was due to fraud or error. Shadow work and pensions secretary Helen Whately said the Conservatives 'support many of the measures' in the Bill, adding she was 'disappointed' that their amendments were rejected by the Labour Government. They included proposals to create specific offences and lengthy prison sentences to target so-called 'sickfluencers' who use social media to help people fraudulently claim benefits. Ms Whately said: 'Why should we tolerate people using social media platforms to help others commit fraud, helping people cheat the tests which are there so support goes to those who need it? 'Why should someone who has committed fraud be able to keep their high-end television or luxury car just because they've spent their ill-gotten gains before the department gets to them? We're clear that both of those things should be tackled but sadly Labour has shown themselves to be on the side of the fraudsters instead.' It's important to be aware that the DWP will not have direct access to the bank accounts of millions of people on means-tested benefits including Universal Credit, Pension Credit and Employment and Support Allowance. The DWP will work with banks to identify people who may have exceeded the eligibility criteria for means-tested benefits, such as the £16,000 income threshold for Universal Credit - and get that information to then investigate that claimant to prevent possible overpayments and potential cases of fraud. The legislation only allows banks and other financial institutions to share limited data and excludes the sharing of transaction data, which means DWP will not be able to see how people on benefits spend their money. In fact, the factsheet explains how banks and other financial institutions could receive a penalty for oversharing information, such as transaction information. It adds: 'Any information shared through the Eligibility Verification Measure will not be shared on the presumption or suspicion that anyone is guilty of any offence.' What do you think about the new measure? Share your opinion in our poll and the comments below. You can also join in the conversation in our Daily Record Money Saving Scotland Facebook group here. The new Bill will deliver on the UK Government's manifesto commitment to safeguard taxpayers' money - ensuring every pound is spent wisely and effectively: The measures in this Bill will enable the Public Sector Fraud Authority to: The Public Sector Fraud Authority will implement a 'test and learn' approach when utilising these powers, piloting different approaches and expertise to find the best way to tackle public sector fraud.
