PRESS RELEASE
Immediate Release:
Friday, 28 October 2005

No Answer to QE2 Closure Plans at
Prime Ministers Questions

Local MP Grant Shapps is fast acquiring a reputation for challenging the Government on their record in Welwyn Hatfield and this week he grilled Geoff Hoon, the Leader of the House who was standing in for Tony Blair at Prime Minister’s Questions.

Mr Shapps’ question, concerning the impending closure of services at the QE2 hospital, challenged the Government’s continued assertion that the National Health Service is better than it has ever been. He asked, “Considering the Prime Minister’s statement that he had 100 days to save the NHS when he came to power in 1997 and his continued boasts of increased spending on the health service, can he explain to my constituents in Welwyn Hatfield why it is that the QE2 is set to be closed down, in all but name?”

The reply was in no way relevant to Welwyn Hatfield, repeating previous assertions of the amount of spending going into the Health Service was increasing, but avoiding dealing with the specific case of the QE2.

Mr Shapps later said, “I didn’t expect a satisfactory answer because there isn’t one. It is true that more money is being spent on the health service, but it is largely being wasted in layers of useless bureaucracy installed by this Government. I will continue to fight for our local hospital and from the feedback I have got so far the whole community intends to join me.”

The local MP is setting up a campaign website, www.SaveTheQE2.com and putting together a steering committee to co-ordinate the fight to save the hospital. Anyone interested in helping Grant should telephone his Constituency Office on 01707 262632 or e-mail him at grant@shapps.com.

This week Grant has also applied for an urgent debate in Parliament to take up the matter of the scaling back of the QE2, as well as asking the Secretary of State for Health to clarify if the current day financial deficits will jeopardise the building of a new hospital at Hatfield.

ENDS
For more info call Grant on 07968 070097