WES Streeting has defended bringing a key figure in New Labour’s private finance initiative (PFI) projects to government meetings – despite him having no official role.
As the Labour government faces early allegations of cronyism, Streeting was quizzed on why Alan Milburn, a former health secretary, was allowed to sit in on Department of Health meetings.
Milburn was instrumental in pushing for PFIs to be used to fund new hospitals across the UK after being made health secretary in 1999, and has since taken up several roles affiliated with the private sector, including chair of a PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) health industry board, according to GP news outlet Pulse.
Challenged on Milburn’s position in the Commons on Monday, Streeting insisted that “nothing commercially sensitive” had been shared with him.
Streeting, in a rowdy Commons chamber, said he decides who to hear from in meetings, whose advice he seeks, and what to share with them.
The Cabinet Secretary accused the Conservatives of seeking to “smear” Milburn, who he said demonstrated “sound judgment” when turning down a role to assist the Tory-led coalition government.
Conservative former health secretary Victoria Atkins, now serving as shadow health secretary, had earlier raised a series of questions about Milburn’s level of access and highlighted his private health sector interests.
She also claimed: “This is just more evidence of cronyism at the heart of this new Labour government.”
Streeting used his response to accuse Atkins’ of being “among the worst” of the recent health secretaries.
Tory former minister Kit Malthouse went on to tell the Commons: “Notwithstanding the Secretary of State’s bluster, he must appreciate that given Mr Milburn’s involvement in the private healthcare sector, that his direct access to the Secretary of State may have conferred a competitive advantage.
“What does he say to those companies who compete with Mr Milburn’s companies about the access that he’s had to the Secretary of State, and how can we in the House take some, any kind of reassurance as to the kind of information that Mr Milburn’s been able to access, and what if any advantage that may have conferred upon him?”
Streeting replied: “The way they’re carrying on opposite, and the smear and innuendo they are applying to Alan Milburn, I’m surprised he wouldn’t give them some commission for marketing, because he’s making it out that Alan Milburn comes into the department and is there taking all of the decisions.”
He added: “There is a clear distinction between inviting people into the department with a wide range of experience and perspectives, to have policy debates and to generate ideas, and a difference between meetings that are about transacting Government business.
“I can assure the right honourable gentleman and the House that nothing commercially sensitive has been shared with Alan Milburn.
“And I am genuinely astonished that members opposite think it is inappropriate for a Secretary of State for Health and Social Care to seek views, input and advice from their predecessors.
“In fact, I wonder how one of my Conservative predecessors who’s coming in to see me soon is going to feel about their objections.”
Streeting earlier said he was “confronted with the worst crisis in the history of the NHS” when he took office after the General Election.
He said: “This Government is honest about the scale of the crisis and serious about fixing it, and that means we need the best available advice, it’s all hands on deck to fix the mess that they left.
“And if a single patient waited longer for treatment than they needed to because I’d failed to ask for the most expert advice around I would consider that a betrayal of patients’ interests.
“I decide who I hear from in meetings, I decide whose advice I seek and I decide what to share with them, and I also welcome challenge, alternative perspectives and experience.
“The right honourable Alan Milburn is a former member of this House, still a member of the Privy Council and a former health secretary.
“He doesn’t have a pass to the department and at every departmental meeting he has attended, he has been present at the request of ministers.”
Shouts of “So what?” could be heard as Streeting listed Milburn’s experience, including his work as health secretary to give patients the choice on where they are treated and who treats them.
Streeting went on: “That’s his record, that’s Labour’s record, that’s the kind of experience I want around the table as we write the reform agenda that will lift the NHS out of the worst crisis in its history, get it back on its feet and make it fit for the future once again.”
