Health and Social Care Reform 2025-05-06
2025-05-06
TAGS
Response quality
Questions & Answers
Q1
Partial Answer
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Context
The Chancellor raised national insurance contributions for social care employers but exempted NHS employers, causing pressure on the social care sector.
The Chancellor increased the cost of employing people in social care by raising national insurance contributions for social care employers, and then exempted NHS employers from those increased costs. When will this Government properly support social care and relieve the sector from pressures caused by the Chancellor under this Government?
Thanks to the decisions taken by this Chancellor, we are putting £26 billion more into health and social care. Thanks to the decisions taken by this Chancellor, the spending power of local authorities has risen. Thanks to the decisions taken by this Chancellor, we have delivered the biggest expansion of carer’s allowance since the 1970s. Thanks to the decisions taken by this Chancellor, we have significantly increased the disabled facilities grant, not just last year but this year.
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Assessment & feedback
The response did not address the specific issue of national insurance contributions for social care employers or provide a timeline for addressing pressures on the sector.
Thanks To The Decisions Taken By This Chancellor
Response accuracy
Q2
Partial Answer
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Context
The cross-party talks on social care had been postponed by Labour.
This Government have been in power for 10 months. Two months ago, Labour postponed the cross-party talks on social care. When will they be rescheduled?
As I have announced to the House, Baroness Casey’s independent commission is up and running. She is making contact with parties across the House as part of the work of her commission, and it is for her to decide the basis on which she engages with parties.
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Assessment & feedback
The response did not provide a specific timeline or commitment for rescheduling cross-party talks.
It Is For Her To Decide
Response accuracy
Q3
Partial Answer
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Context
The Health and Social Care Committee released a report calling for new actions to address unmet care needs and delayed discharges.
This Government have been in power for 10 months. Two months ago, Labour postponed the cross-party talks on social care. When will they be rescheduled? I thank the Secretary of State for that change, making the process no longer cross-party. The Government have said that the changes will not be implemented fully until 2036. Only this week, the Health and Social Care Committee released its new report on social care and the huge cost of inaction. The report called for new actions that could be taken now, such as the publishing of annual assessments of unmet care needs for adults, and annual estimates of how much delayed discharges cost the NHS. Will the Secretary of State commit to those two today?
I take the Select Committee seriously, and I will look carefully at its report.
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Assessment & feedback
The response did not provide a specific commitment to the requested actions.
I Will Look Carefully At Its Report
Response accuracy