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Simon Clarke confirmed as levelling up secretary
Simon Clarke has been confirmed as levelling up secretary, taking the helm at a department where he has previously served as a junior minister.
Mr Clarke, whose most recent government role was chief secretary to the Treasury, served at the then Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government from February to September 2020 before quitting for personal reasons.
During that time he was an active champion for devolution with some in the sector viewing his latest appointment as a lifeline for the agenda. However, his reputation for reining in public spending wherever possible has sparked some concern.
In a video message to this year’s Local Government Association conference he told councils they would have to “prioritise” and manage within their existing budgets in the face of rising costs as a result of inflation.
Other appointments include:
Kwasi Kwarteng, chancellor:
Mr Kwarteng is thought of as a friend to local government, having twice appeared to speak to Local Government Association councillors at their monthly councillors forum events. However, in the role of chancellor and as a close ally of Truss he is expected to deliver a mandate of low taxes and reining in public sector spending.
Kit Malthouse, education:
Mr Malthouse is familiar to local government as housing minister between 2018-19. He was deputy leader of Westminster City Council from 2004 to 2006. Mr Malthouse has also served as crime and policing minister and then as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.
Therese Coffey, deputy prime minister and health secretary:
Ms Coffey is said to have been a close friend of Ms Truss. She has been work and pensions secretary since 2019. Ms Coffey appears to have been a supporter of the new prime minister’s pledge to scrap the health and social care levy introduced earlier this year. The sector will be pushing for the government to fulfil its commitment to providing more money to social care.
Dr Jennifer Dixon, chief executive of the Health Foundation, pointed out how Ms Coffey is inheriting the role at a time when health and care services are under “extreme strain” with the social care system “on its knees”. She warned: “When people are choosing between heating and eating, their health will suffer. Government must deliver significant emergency support in the autumn – otherwise there is a risk the cost-of-living crisis will become a health crisis.”
Source: LGC, 6 September 2022
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“Disappointment” over nursing omission in new health secretary’s priorities
The new health and social care secretary must “buck the trend” of her predecessors and listen to nursing staff, nurse leaders have warned. Thérèse Coffey was appointed into the role and as deputy prime minister on Tuesday following the appointment of Liz Truss as prime minister. Ms Coffey posted on Twitter that patients were her “top priority”, adding that her other priorities were “ABCD” – ambulances, backlogs, care, doctors and dentists.
Responding to her appointment, the Royal College of Nursing general secretary and chief executive Pat Cullen said: “Ms Coffey must buck the trend of her predecessors and listen to nursing staff. Our ask for professional and personal support cannot afford to fall on deaf ears – doing the right thing by nurses is the right thing by patients too. The workforce crisis cannot be the elephant in the room any longer. Politicians skirt around the issue but, without enough staff, new promises will not be deliverable.”
Ms Cullen explained that next week the union will post ballot papers to some 300,000 nursing staff across the UK, asking them if they are willing to take part in industrial action over pay.
When pressed on BBC Breakfast about how she would address the growing workforce shortages in the health service, Ms Coffey redirected her answer to the rollout of new diagnostic centres and treatment centres to tackle “aspects of the backlog”.
Source: Nursing Times, 7 September 2022
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EU regulators to decide on Philip Morris, Swedish Match deal by 11th October
European Union antitrust regulators have set 11th October as a deadline for their preliminary review of Philip Morris International Inc's $16 billion bid for tobacco and nicotine products maker Swedish Match, a European Commission filing showed on Tuesday.
Philip Morris announced the proposed takeover in May that would cut its dependence on cigarettes and boost its presence in the fast-growing market for cigarette alternatives.
The EU competition enforcer can clear the deal with or without remedies at the end of its scrutiny or it can open a four-month-long investigation if it has serious concerns.
Swedish Match generates the bulk of its profit from Swedish-style moist snuff called "snus".
Source: Reuters, 6th September 2022
See also: Tobacco Tactics - Swedish Match
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Parliamentary questions
PQ1/2: Tobacco Control Plan
Asked by Dan Carden, Labour, Liverpool, Wal & Beth Winter, Labour, Cynon Valley
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when his Department plans to publish the Tobacco Control Plan
Answered by Maggie Throup, Minister for Vaccines and Public Health
Following the Khan Review published in June 2022, the Department is considering its recommendations. The Review will inform the new Tobacco Control Plan, which will be published in due course.
Source: Hansard, 7 September 2022
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