I spoke in the debate on the health and social care aspects of the Queen’s Speech, which sets out the UK Government’s intentions for the coming Parliamentary term.

Shockingly, despite the year we have had and the impact of covid on social care, the Social Care Bill (for England) was entirely absent from Queen’s Speech, despite promises since 2017 that it is forthcoming. The gap between what is funded and what is needed is increasingly widening and needs to be addressed urgently. In Scotland, we are now looking at creating a National Care Service with service standards and staff training to help provide a cohesive, nationwide service.

Another key element missing from the Speech was any real detail about rebuilding from covid towards a better society and more sustainable economy as opposed to the pre-pandemic economics of driving poverty and inequality, which is the biggest driver of ill-health. Despite the rhetoric, there is nothing in the Speech on genuine levelling up.

You can watch my full speech below.