Queens Speech debate: Ready lists, social care and different claims fact-checked

The federal government’s plans and priorities for the approaching years – as set out within the Queen’s Speech – have been debated within the Home of Commons and elsewhere: – each what was within the speech, together with proposals to “stage up” components of the UK, adjustments to planning and voter ID – and what was not, particularly a long-awaited plan to reform social care.

We have checked out among the claims made.

The Labour chief made this declare whereas calling for “a long-term restoration plan” for the NHS.

That is right. Figures from NHS England present that round 4.7 million folks had been ready for routine operations and procedures in England in February – the very best since information started in 2007.

However context is required as, clearly, at the moment the well being service was coping with the Covid pandemic.

In April, Professor Stephen Powis, nationwide medical director for the NHS in England, mentioned treating 400,000 sufferers with Covid-19 over the course of the final 12 months, had “inevitably had an influence on the NHS”.

There was not a wholesale reform of social care underneath Labour, however saying it did “nothing in any respect” just isn’t right.

A 2010 report by the Home of Commons Well being Committee criticised the Labour authorities for failing to reform social care funding, however mentioned the federal government had “made higher use of its time in workplace” on reforming how social care was delivered.

This included giving folks extra management over how cash was spent on their care, with the introduction of personalised budgets.

It additionally began the method of integrating well being and social care, and in 2009 arrange the Care High quality Fee – the impartial regulator of well being and social care companies.

In 2010, Gordon Brown’s authorities printed plans to create a Nationwide Care Service, however these had been by no means carried out as he left Downing Road quickly afterwards.

Social care funding additionally elevated underneath Labour. In line with the King’s Fund, grownup social care funding rose by 53% between 1997 and 2008.

It is also price stating that successive Conservative governments didn’t reform social care.

And, after 11 years in energy, spending on grownup social care has solely simply returned to the identical stage because it was in 2010/11 (and is decrease, should you take a look at spending per individual), in response to the King’s Fund.

In 2019, Boris Johnson promised “to repair the disaster in social care as soon as and for all with a transparent plan we now have ready”.

Almost two years on, this plan has but to be unveiled, though he says he’ll accomplish that “later this 12 months”.

His quantity is a bit excessive in response to the Residing Wage Basis, which printed analysis final 12 months suggesting that 5.1 million folks had been in low paid or insecure work on the eve of the pandemic.

The definition of low pay was folks incomes lower than the dwelling wage set by the inspiration, which for 2019-20 was £10.75 an hour in London and £9.30 an hour in the remainder of the UK.

Insecure work included those that didn’t have everlasting contracts however wished them, and people with unstable pay or hours.

The prime minister mentioned “it was very attention-grabbing” to listen to the Labour chief speaking concerning the nationwide dwelling wage (NLW).

He requested who had launched it and who had raised it by document sums.

The NLW was certainly launched by the Conservative authorities from April 2016, though it was in some ways much like the nationwide minimal wage (NMW), launched by the Labour authorities from April 1999.

The primary adjustments have been the age bands – the highest charge initially was for these aged over 22, which was then modified to 21 and above in 2010, and have become 25 and over when the NLW was launched in 2016.

Taking a look at these prime charges, the most important money enhance was the Conservatives’ 50p rise to £7.20 an hour in 2016.

However the largest enhance in share phrases was Labour’s rise from £3.70 to £4.10 in 2001.

The Labour chief mentioned the prime minister’s rhetoric on lifetime expertise did not match the truth.

The figures present there was a fall of 189,700 over that interval from the 2016-17 determine of 908,700.

That determine was the excessive level, coming simply earlier than the introduction of the apprenticeship levy in Could 2017. The levy takes 0.5% of the wage invoice from main employers in England and makes use of the cash to enhance expertise and supply coaching.

You’ll be able to learn extra about it right here.

The Conservative MP and expertise minister was explaining on BBC Information why voters needs to be required to indicate identification at polling stations.

Really, the Publish Workplace has an extended listing of types of identification it accepts, together with a bank card, utility invoice or marriage certificates.

The brand new system for voter ID is anticipated to be much like the present system in Northern Eire, the place picture ID is required.

Passports, driving licences, varied passes for public transport supplier Translink and the free electoral identification playing cards are all accepted at polling stations.

You’ll be able to learn extra concerning the difficulty of voter ID right here.

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