A group of MPs say the government is being dishonest when they claim it is allocating an extra £10bn to the NHS in England over the next five years. Commenting on the news Liberal Democrat health spokesperson Norman Lamb said:
"The Health Select Committee are right to call out the Government on false claims about their investment in the NHS. Services are desperately in need of the money they were promised.
"But this also ignores the bigger question of how we ensure health and care are sustainable in the long term, as demand for services continues to rise.
"I have called for the establishment of an independent, cross-party commission to reform the funding settlement across health and care and the Liberal Democrats have set up an expert panel who will advise on how the additional funding the NHS really needs can be delivered. Including whether a dedicated Health and Care Tax should be introduced to help guarantee the future of the NHS and vital care services."