“What recent discussions he has had with representatives of political parties in Northern Ireland on the progress of negotiations on the Northern Ireland Protocol.”
Asked by
Rachael Maskell
Answering Minister
the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
Answer from Hansard
The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (Wes Streeting)
This Government recognise the crisis in social care that we inherited, which is why over the past six months we have taken steps through the Budget to increase investment in social care, deliver the biggest expansion of the carer’s allowance since the 1970s and invest in the disabled facilities grant. Of course, as my hon. Friend alludes to, we cannot deliver great social care without the workers who deliver it. That is why I am proud that within our first 100 days, the care worker-turned-Deputy Prime Minister included fair pay agreements in her landmark Employment Rights Bill, so we can give our care staff not just the pay they deserve, but the professional status, recognising the hard work they do as care professionals. That is a crucial step on our path to building a national care service.