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Plan for Change: Milestones for Mission-led Government
05 December 2024
Lead MP
Pat McFadden
Debate Type
Ministerial Statement
Tags
ImmigrationNHSTaxation
Other Contributors: 38
At a Glance
Pat McFadden raised concerns about plan for change: milestones for mission-led government in the House of Commons. A government minister responded. Other MPs also contributed.
How the Debate Unfolded
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said:
Government Statement
In July, the Government outlined its legislative programme and in October, it announced its financial plan. Today, they are unveiling their mission-driven agenda for change: to grow the economy, build an NHS fit for the future, break down barriers to opportunity, take back streets from crime, and make the UK a clean energy superpower. The statement criticises the previous Administration's chaotic approach that led to policy instability and failed to address long-term issues. Key milestones include raising living standards across the UK, building 1.5 million homes over five years (with fast-tracked infrastructure projects), reducing NHS waiting times to under 18 weeks for elective treatment, providing named police officers in every neighbourhood along with 13,000 new officers and PCSOs by 2024/25, securing home-grown energy while protecting bill payers, and ensuring a record percentage of five-year-olds are ready for school. The statement also details efforts to reduce net migration, clear the asylum backlog, increase returns of individuals without right to be in the UK, and ensure national security. It emphasises economic stability through budget restoration and investment, tax avoidance crackdowns raising £6 billion, demand for 2% efficiency savings from each government department next year, welfare reform to get more people into work, and streamlining planning processes. The minister concludes by stressing that setting these ambitious goals is necessary to regain public faith in governance.
Alex Burghart
Con
Brentwood and Ongar
Question
The hon. Member inquires about how Labour plans to measure living standards improvements across the UK, what metrics will be used, when data will be published, and who will be held accountable for these goals.
Minister reply
The Minister did not provide a direct answer but likely would emphasise existing economic indicators, such as employment rates, wage growth, and public satisfaction surveys. The exact details were not covered in the initial statement.
Alex Burghart
Con
Brentwood and Ongar
Question
Regarding housing targets and fast-tracked planning decisions, how does the Government now believe it can build more homes compared to the previous Conservative administration? Are there new funding arrangements or policy changes?
Minister reply
The Minister did not provide specifics but likely would refer to increased investment in infrastructure projects and efforts to streamline planning processes.
Alex Burghart
Con
Brentwood and Ongar
Question
Concerning the NHS backlog reduction, the MP asks if more funding will be made available beyond the Budget announcement to support this ambitious milestone.
Minister reply
The Minister did not provide an answer but would likely stress existing commitments of £22 billion for the NHS and the emphasis on improving efficiency.
Alex Burghart
Con
Brentwood and Ongar
Question
On the policing front, only 3,000 out of 13,000 new neighbourhood police officers will be actual new hires. The MP questions if this target is genuine without additional court reform to manage increased prosecutions.
Minister reply
The Minister did not provide a specific response but would likely highlight the overall increase in policing presence and the importance of community safety.
Alex Burghart
Con
Brentwood and Ongar
Question
Regarding energy policy, since March, Labour has downgraded its goal for clean power targets from 100% by 2030. The MP asks if we can expect further degradation of these targets.
Minister reply
The Minister did not provide an answer but would likely stress the importance of securing home-grown energy and protecting bill payers while working towards clean power goals.
Alex Burghart
Con
Brentwood and Ongar
Question
Concerning early school readiness, the MP inquires about the definition of 'ready to learn', measurement methods, and when progress updates will be provided.
Minister reply
The Minister did not provide specifics but would likely refer to educational assessments at age five as a metric for children’s preparedness.
Alex Burghart
Con
Brentwood and Ongar
Question
The MP questioned the minister about the measurability, accountability, transparency, sincerity of the new targets. He pointed out that Labour was in opposition for 14 years before coming to power and asked how they would ensure honesty regarding progress on their targets.
Minister reply
The Minister emphasised that while inheriting a difficult situation from previous governments, his government aims to focus on delivery through clear priorities and long-term choices. He highlighted the metrics set out in the document for measuring progress.
Matt Turmaine
Lab
Watford
Question
Welcomed the plan focusing on NHS targets, particularly 18 weeks wait times which Labour achieved previously.
Minister reply
The Minister agreed and emphasised that meeting this target is challenging but achievable through setting it and driving towards it to improve public satisfaction with healthcare services.
Sarah Olney
Lib Dem
Richmond Park
Question
Expressed scepticism about the new targets without a proper plan for delivery. Highlighted concerns over NHS spending allocations, A&E waits, and care system crisis.
Minister reply
The Minister welcomed questions from Liberal Democrats but pointed out their previous record of supporting extra spending while opposing revenue-raising measures. He stated that stabilizing public finances was necessary before focusing on delivering key goals.
Johanna Baxter
Lab
Paisley and Renfrewshire South
Question
This Labour Government’s plans to make work pay will give thousands of workers in my constituency a much-needed pay rise after 14 years of failure by the Conservative party. Does my right hon. Friend agree that plans to support low-paid workers in insecure jobs will be not only crucial but absolutely central to our plan for change?
Minister reply
I welcome what my hon. Friend said about pay. The Chancellor announced a significant increase in the minimum wage at the time of the Budget a few weeks ago. Of course we want public sector workers and everybody who helps to deliver a plan to be rewarded well, but it also has to come with change in the way the state works, to make sure we get the best value for money and the best productivity and make the best use of technology.
Bernard Jenkin
Con
Harwich and North Essex
Question
I assure the right hon. Gentleman that I do not think anybody doubts the sincerity of the new Government in wanting to achieve these laudable aims. I remind him, however, of John Lennon’s line:
“Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.”
Notably absent from the priorities are ones such as reducing the national debt or dealing with the demographic challenge or the lack of defence and security that we need to build up to confront global challenges. Are these aims the Government’s only priorities or will we see a bigger list that deals with some of the really existential challenges that threaten the independence and survival of our country?
Minister reply
I welcome the hon. Member’s question. He referred to defence and security. I did deliberately mention that area in my remarks, because it is an absolute foundation of any Government that their first duty is to protect their people.
Matthew Patrick
Lab
Wirral West
Question
I listened carefully to the shadow Minister’s reply, and it sounded to me like he welcomed much of the investment that our Government will deliver, but, funnily enough, he will not support any measures to pay for it. I was always taught that the Tories were against a something-for-nothing culture. Does my right hon. Friend agree that this will only compound the Tories’ reputation for economic recklessness?
Minister reply
I do think the Tories have a problem. The new Leader of the Opposition stood at that Dispatch Box a couple of weeks ago and said that she supported all the extra investments. Therefore, every time the Opposition stand up and oppose the revenue measures that are designed to fund them, all they do is expose their own economic incoherence.
Harriett Baldwin
Con
West Worcestershire
Question
Five months in and after a Budget that the Office for Budget Responsibility says will lower growth over five years, increase inflation and reduce the number of people in jobs, it is extraordinary to see a document that has so many areas not covered. I want to probe the right hon. Gentleman specifically on his goal of increasing disposable income for working people. What would he say to those 44,000 terminally ill older people who, in shocking news last week from Marie Curie, will not get their winter fuel allowance this year? Will he be judged by his governance actions?
Minister reply
Every Government are judged by their actions and by the legacy that they leave to their successors. We had to take that decision on winter fuel precisely because of the legacy that was left to us. We do want to see a rise in people’s living standards and in their disposable income.
Julie Minns
Lab
Carlisle
Question
When I was a child in Denton Holme in Carlisle, PC Kevin Scott was a very familiar figure. He knew us and we knew his name. Does the Minister agree that not only does society exist, but it is woven from thousands of communities such as Denton Holme, and that our commitment to reintroducing named community police officers will strengthen those communities, strengthen society and take back our streets?
Minister reply
My hon. Friend is right. Let me praise PC Kevin Scott and other officers like him who are known in the community. While I am here, Madam Deputy Speaker, let me mention Kenny, our police community support officer on Bilston high street, who helps to keep us safe.
Brendan O'Hara
SNP
Argyll, Bute and South Lochaber
Question
However the Minister tries to dress this up, there is an unmistakeable whiff of panic about it. One would have thought that a decade and a half of opposition would have been ample time to prepare a plan for change, rather than the relaunch of a Government whose five-year plan seems to have unravelled after just five months. I was particularly interested, however, to hear about the Government’s commitment to reform of the state. He said that each time, they will ask, “Is power being devolved enough?” Given that the Scottish Government have asked for powers on migration, employment law and the constitution to be devolved, when can we expect to see some action on that reform of the state, and that important commitment to devolution?
Minister reply
The hon. Member calls this a relaunch. I hate to break it to him, but the Government he supports in Scotland produce a programme for government every single year.
Paul Waugh
Lab Co-op
Rochdale
Question
I welcome today’s statement, which is a real plan for change and hope. It is clear that the Conservatives do not like us talking about their record, but it had a real-world impact in constituencies such as mine, particularly when it came to bobbies on the beat. For 14 years, the Conservatives stripped us of bobbies on the beat, and as my hon. Friend the Member for Carlisle (Ms Minns) said, neighbourhood policing was stripped out of many local communities. I particularly welcome the requirement in today’s plan for more neighbourhood policing, which will have a real-world impact on my constituents.
Minister reply
My hon. Friend is absolutely right: we saw huge cuts in the number of police officers after the Conservative party came to power, which really affected the neighbourhood community policing teams that we had set up during our period in Government.
John Hayes
Con
South Holland and The Deepings
Question
I welcome the Minister’s commitment to revitalising faith in democratic politics, and I agree that Government can be a force for good, but he will know that perhaps the biggest macroeconomic challenge that we face is productivity; indeed, he mentioned it today. I am therefore disappointed to see in the plan no real mention of work- force skills or national economic resilience, in terms of growing more of the food that we eat and making more of the goods that we need. Will he look at those two areas and set productivity targets, for which Ministers can be held accountable, so that what really counts is not just what we spend but what we get for what we spend?
Minister reply
The right hon. Member might have noticed that I said in my opening remarks that an old debate just about the size of the budget is not enough for the situation that we face.
Jayne Kirkham
Lab Co-op
Truro and Falmouth
Question
Waiting lists on the NHS have already been mentioned, but they need to be mentioned again, because the last 14 years have made such a difference to constituents in Truro and Falmouth. They have really struggled to work and to live, having to wait one or two years for orthopaedic operations. Please will my right hon. Friend speak again about what has already been done to deal with those waiting lists, and how that will lead into the future?
Minister reply
This is a hugely important problem for the country, because the current levels are not just bad for those waiting a long time for NHS treatment; they are also bad for the economy.
James Wild
Con
North West Norfolk
Question
In the document, the Government have downgraded their pledge to have the fastest-growing economy in the G7 and junked their pledge to cut energy bills by £300, breaking two promises to the British people. Of the milestones they are keeping, who is accountable for each one, what are the detailed metrics, where are the implementation plans and will Ministers take responsibility if they fail to meet them?
Minister reply
If the hon. Member reads the document carefully, he will see that the growth target is very much in the document, but the document also says that it is not enough just to have economic growth; people have to feel it in their standard of living. The targets are challenging, but they make a real difference to people’s lives and address issues like fewer people waiting in pain, more home ownership opportunities, safer streets and better life chances for children starting school.
Christopher Vince
Lab Co-op
Harlow
Question
Will the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster describe how the plan will help tackle issues like low-paid work and forced unemployment due to waiting for operations in my town?
Minister reply
The Government aim to reward people who do the right thing and go out to work with a decent living wage, following Labour's introduction of the national minimum wage. The Chancellor announced an increase at the recent Budget to help those working hard.
Lisa Smart
Lib Dem
Hazel Grove
Question
Flexible affordable childcare is crucial for economic infrastructure and family choices, yet nurseries face increased costs due to national insurance hikes. Do they plan to exempt early years and nursery settings from these increases?
Minister reply
The expansion of nursery places is part of the plan, but there are no further announcements on national insurance exemptions at this time.
Calder Valley
Question
Despite a halcyon legacy, Lord Darzi’s report highlights issues in the NHS and social care. Will the Minister outline what they will do to ensure that we finally get to grips with these crucial issues?
Minister reply
The Government have put reducing waiting lists at the heart of their plan as it drives health outcomes, productivity and work readiness.
Gavin Williamson
Con
Stone, Great Wyrley and Penkridge
Question
It would be helpful if he set out how they will keep the House updated—perhaps on a six-monthly basis—to track the plan’s development and Government delivery.
Minister reply
Ministers in charge of these goals will regularly update the House as we move forward, although annual updates were not suggested.
Louise Jones
Lab
North East Derbyshire
Question
Can the Minister assure young people desperate to buy homes and start families that Labour will deliver for them?
Minister reply
Building more houses is challenging due to objections, but a major planning and infrastructure Bill aims to unblock such issues.
Danny Chambers
Lib Dem
Winchester
Question
Will the Government review the national insurance increase for social care providers and hospices, and will they commit to cross-party talks so that we can have a long-term plan to fix social care?
Minister reply
People cannot support extra investment in the NHS while opposing revenue-raising measures necessary for it.
Antonia Bance
Lab
Tipton and Wednesbury
Question
Does the Minister agree that this plan stands in stark contrast to the open borders policy that the Conservative party subjected the country to?
Minister reply
The Government will restore order to the asylum and immigration system, reduce net migration and deal with illegal migration as set out.
Jim Shannon
DUP
Strangford
Question
It would be churlish not to welcome the £25 billion for the NHS. However, the Budget has put a question mark over working farms and pensioners' winter fuel allowance.
Minister reply
There are significant protections built into inheritance tax policy for couples with an allowance of £3 million before any obligation kicks in at half the rate others pay.
Alex Ballinger
Lab
Halesowen
Question
After 14 years of repeated broken promises, it is hardly surprising that many people are distrustful of politicians and the ability of government to do anything positive. Does the Minister agree that in setting out a clear plan for change, the Government are offering the British people not just the hope of a better future, but clear, measurable metrics against which they can be held to account?
Minister reply
This question of distrust and loss of faith is really important because after so much chaos in recent years, it is very easy for constituents to turn off from politics. The Government are determined not to allow that scepticism to set in and become the norm, so they have set out targets. While acknowledging these targets are challenging, progress towards them—such as lower waiting times, more houses built, and other things set out in the plan for change document—will show that the Government are trying to deliver for people.
Graham Stuart
Con
Beverley and Holderness
Question
Like my right hon. Friend the Member for Stone, Great Wyrley and Penkridge (Sir Gavin Williamson), I welcome these milestones, and I agree with what the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster said about the need to restore trust. How will Labour’s health policies in England differ from those that they pursued in Wales?
Minister reply
I am sure that in every part of the country, Governments who run the NHS want to see waiting lists fall. The plan for change puts this at the heart because it drives the whole system and addresses satisfaction levels with the NHS that are the lowest ever recorded.
Sarah Coombes
Lab
West Bromwich
Question
In West Brom, one issue dominates all else: people working harder but affording less. That is the record of the Conservative party who crashed our economy and oversaw the worst cost of living crisis in a generation. Can my right hon. Friend set out how the plan for change will make ordinary people better off and deliver exactly what people voted for in July?
Minister reply
We want work to be rewarded, protecting people’s payslips, increasing the minimum wage, and ensuring carers can earn more before losing part of their revenue.
Warinder Juss
Lab
Wolverhampton West
Question
The Conservatives have always claimed to be the party of law and order but took police officers off the streets. Knife and youth crime, antisocial behaviour and local drug activity are some of the most common complaints in my constituency. I welcome the Labour Government’s urgent action to recruit more neighbourhood police officers. My right hon. Friend knows my constituency well, because it adjoins his in Wolverhampton. Can he confirm that this action will make a real difference to my constituents?
Minister reply
It is really important to restore a sense of community policing so people feel safe in their community and on their street, underpinning the freedom they need to live their life.
Mark Ferguson
Lab
Gateshead Central and Whickham
Question
I thank my right hon. Friend for his statement. When these achievements are reached, the impact on communities like mine will be profound. For too long, people have been told that government does not work. They need to understand that when government is done well, it can and will work. Does my right hon. Friend agree that the British people need these milestones for progress, after 14 years of milestones of failure?
Minister reply
The situation without doing these things would be carrying on with young people working harder and thinking they might never get a home of their own or patients waiting up to two years for treatment. The milestones are challenging but can help drive the system and ensure progress.
Filton and Bradley Stoke
Question
The NHS has long been a top issue raised by local residents when I have been out knocking on doors across the whole of Filton and Bradley Stoke, so I welcome not only the investment, but the reform alongside that, and these clear milestones for change. Will the Minister give a commitment, on behalf of the Government, that no matter the lack of support from the Conservative party, he will persevere with this, as that is what the country wants?
Minister reply
The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care feels passionate about turning around the system and reducing waiting lists and times. He knows how important this is for patients and growing the economy.
Andy MacNae
Lab
Rossendale and Darwen
Question
I welcome each and every one of the milestones, and the real, tangible difference that they will make to the lives of my residents in Rossendale and Darwen. Each is a crucial step in the process of mission delivery. I also welcome the recognition that to get them met, we need to do government differently. Devolution and a move away from command-and-control government represents a real opportunity to enable more effective and efficient delivery, and perhaps even restore some of the trust in politics that was so broken and destroyed by the Conservative party. In Lancashire, we have been held back by an outdated two-tier local government system. Does the Minister agree that it is time for Lancashire leaders to come together to grasp the huge opportunity that devolution offers?
Minister reply
Reform of the state itself will require local delivery and strong local leaders as partners can really help deliver the goals set out in the document.
Mark Sewards
Lab
Leeds South West and Morley
Question
I welcome the Minister’s statement. He has set out concrete, deliverable and measurable milestones against which the British public can judge us. What a stark contrast to Conservative Front-Bench Members who still refuse even to acknowledge the Liz Truss economic disaster that was the mini-Budget, and to apologise for it. Does my right hon. Friend agree that any sort of U-turn that sees the Conservatives backing our steps to restore economic stability is unlikely, and that they will continue to cling to the idea of the magic money tree?
Minister reply
The Conservatives delivered a huge economic crash, Bank of England intervention to prop up the pension system, and significant increases in mortgage rates. The most important thing about defeat is to learn from it, but observing the Conservative party shows they are not yet doing that.
Joe Morris
Lab
Hexham
Question
The legacy of 14 years of the Conservatives in government and a century of Tory complacency in Hexham is seen in how police numbers fell under the last Government. Rural crime is unfortunately brought up with me regularly. That is an example of how the Conservative party has failed to understand the modern countryside. Will the Minister outline how this plan will make a measurable change for our rural communities, as well as towns like Prudhoe?
Minister reply
The goals in this document can make a real difference to rural communities with more neighbourhood policing and support for house building, shorter hospital waiting lists, and neighbourhood policing teams.
Scott Arthur
Lab
Edinburgh South West
Question
I am the last Member to be called. I welcome the scale of the ambition in the Secretary of State’s statement, but I challenge what he said about there being only one millstone in the UK. My residents feel held back by our incoherent Scottish Government who welcomed funding from hard work by Scottish Labour MPs but voted against money-raising measures. They want to eat their cake and have it.
Minister reply
The recent devolution financial settlements were the biggest in real terms since devolution was introduced, funded by announcements made by the Labour Chancellor at the Budget. It is completely incoherent to welcome funding but vote against revenue measures contributing to it.
Shadow Comment
Alex Burghart
Shadow Comment
The shadow responds sceptically about the Labour government's latest set of 'emergency' priorities, questioning their metrics for success, funding viability, NHS reforms without additional investment, police force ambitions without court reform, energy target reductions since March, and early school readiness measures. He also raises concerns over business rate increases affecting industries like film production at Pinewood Studios. The response challenges the government to provide clear data, accountability mechanisms, and transparency regarding these targets.
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