Winchester's MP was at the centre of one of Westminster's key moments last week as he put questions to the Prime Minister his role as chairman of the cross-party health and social care select committee.

Steve Brine quizzed Rishi Sunak on NHS Covid catch-up and the recent pay settlement during the meeting of the liaison committee. 

He praised Mr Sunak, labelling him as a 'problem solver' and then posed a question regarding the NHS pay dispute and provisional agreement with the agenda for change unions. 

Mr Brine said: “You will know that there is some anxiety out there, if these agreements that have been reached are confirmed through the unions, about where the money is going to come from to pay for those increases. Will it come from existing budgets, or is there going to be extra funding to the trusts that will have to pay those settlements?" 

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Mr Sunak responded: “I was very pleased that we were able to reach agreement with several health unions on a fair and reasonable pay settlement for about 1.4 million NHS workers. 

“But it is also important that that was affordable for the taxpayer and consistent with our promises to halve inflation and cut the waiting lists. I think we have struck the right balance.

“I think the Health Secretary provided strong reassurance about additional funding, as well as reprioritisation from elsewhere, making sure that the commitment to continue delivering care and all our commitments to cut waiting lists are absolutely paramount and protected.” 

The Prime Minister was then asked a question on the recovery of the NHS after Covid and whether last February’s elective recovery plan was on track with their expected target.

Mr Sunak replied: “I would say it is broadly on track. The waiting list was up to about seven million, and we all know the reasons why. We set out a few targets in that plan. The first was to eliminate two-year waiters, which was practically done last year.

"The next target is to eliminate the one-and-a-half year waiters this spring. We are broadly on track for that. 

“The target after that is to practically eliminate the 52-week waiters by around spring next year.” 

The session finished after the PM heard questions around economic policy, migration and the recently agreed Windsor Framework.