PM tells Corbyn to think of nation and help find 'cross-party consensus' for social care

Date Published: 25 Jul 2019 @ 16:33 PM
Article By: Angeline Albert

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In Boris Johnson’s first speech in the House of Commons as Prime Minister, he told Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn to think of “the good of the nation” and help find a cross party consensus to improve social care.

Speaking just hours after telling Matt Hancock he could keep his job as Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Boris Johnson’s remarks were made in response to a question by Liz Kendall the Labour MP for Leicester West.

Ms Kendall asked: “Does the Prime Minister agree with me, fixing the crisis in social care requires an immediate cash injection as well as long-term funding reform?

“It needs a system that works for disabled adults as well as older people and above all it means deciding that funding cannot be left to individuals and families alone.”

Boris Johnson said: “It is high time that we again tried in this House to work across party to find a cross-party consensus about the way forward because that is absolutely vital.

“If the party opposite is not interested then we will fix it ourselves. I urge them to think of the good of the nation.”

Dr Sarah Wollaston Independent MP for Totnes, who sits on the Health and Social Care Select Committee, has urged the Prime Minister to meet with her to discusses how social care can be funded. Mr Johnson said: “I will of course make sure that I study the suggestions that she has made in her reports and they will of course be taken into account as we come forward with a solution a plan for social care.”

Matt Hancock remains Health and Social Care Secretary in Boris Johnson's new government. Credit: DHSC
Boris Johnson’s maiden speech in the House of Commons as Prime Minister comes on the day the House of Lords Science and Technology Committee asked for contributions to its new inquiry into how science and technology can help people live healthier lives in old age.

The UK Government has a target to ensure that people can enjoy at least five extra healthy, independent years of life by 2035. The inquiry will assess whether the Government's ambition to increase people's health span is achievable.

The Committee stated life span has increased over recent decades but health span - the period of time people live in good health - has not kept pace, and therefore older people are living longer with ill health.

The Committee is seeking evidence about healthy living in old age from the areas of science and technology. These may include scientific understanding of the ageing process and how these areas of research could lead to treatments for delaying the negative effects of ageing and technologies that can enable independent living.

Chairman of the Committee, Lord Patel, said: “The government wants to increase the health span of the population, which would mean that people could live independently for longer, with better health and wellbeing, and would reduce pressure on services and finances." The Committee is inviting written evidence from all interested parties by 20 September.

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