§ Q1. Mr. Andrew GeorgeTo ask the Prime Minister what plans he has to visit communities on mainland Cornwall or the Isles of Scilly in the St. Ives constituency. [5920]
§ The Prime Minister (Mr. Tony Blair)I have no immediate plans to visit the hon. Gentleman's very beautiful constituency, but I hope to do so soon.
§ Mr. GeorgeI thank the Prime Minister for his reply, and assure him of a warm welcome should he ever visit the good people of my constituency. If he does visit, may I recommend that he does not fall ill? In view of the cold comfort afforded on closer inspection of last week's Budget, will he intervene to protect the essential acute and cottage hospital services in Cornwall and ensure that we do not see cuts this winter, which we did not have even in the past 18 years of Conservative rule?
§ The Prime MinisterWhat I can say to the hon. Gentleman is that the Labour Government have put the 928 huge cash injection of £1.2 billion into the national health service. That is about £500 million more than the Liberal Democrats were asking us for before the Budget.