Speeches by Coleman.

“That is obviously very worrying. Is it because they prefer to care than have the person they are caring for looked after by adult social care, because they cannot get the adult social care, or for other reasons?”

“Thank you; that is very helpful. Anita, could I pick up a couple of things you said, although everything you are all saying is very interesting? You talked about commissioning in a different way, and you said that not all reforms need more money. Do you want to unpack that?”

“That is helpful.”

“Thank you. To be clear, I haven’t primed Oonagh to say Hammersmith and Fulham, but I am very happy that she did. You touched on the Government’s role. Going back to economic growth, because that is what I am focusing on, do you think there is enough consideration given by the Government to the contribution of the adult…”

“Anita?”

“On people appearing to be one thing and actually being something else, does the hon. Member agree that 100% of the gambling levy should be given to independent bodies that are answerable to Ministers and Parliament, not to charities backed by gambling companies?”

“I also had a deeply moving meeting last week with a constituent whose son, aged just 19, had tragically taken his own life, having become addicted to online gambling after six months of the same sort of advertising pressure my hon. Friend described. Does my hon. Friend agree that it is time for all parts of Government …”

“I am very grateful to the hon. Member for Taunton and Wellington (Gideon Amos) for securing this timely debate. I was glad to have the opportunity to support him in doing so. Hon. Members have described very powerfully the closures that are happening in their constituencies. In my constituency, the last remaining post …”

“The hon. Lady mentions the Horizon scandal. Is she of the opinion that the previous Government’s failure to address the Horizon scandal over such a long period of time and the billions of pounds that have had to be spent sorting out the mess since then have nothing to do with the financial problems that the Post Office…”

“Of course, if you never have people going into hospital in the first place, you reduce the demands on hospitals because the social care at home is better. Forgive me, because I appreciate your answer and I appreciate that you will be giving us figures, but there is a concern out there that the NHS has never really look…”

“Thank you. I have been trying to get to what was meant by “We cannot talk about health without talking about social care”, and “Support for social care is going to be critical”. I am still not quite clear that “critical” means a lot more money going in, but I appreciate the answers you have given. I do not see how we a…”

“I am not disputing the money you are giving. We are talking about future needs and about meeting what you and Amanda Pritchard say is a critical need. Can I also ask about local authorities and finance settlements? I very much appreciate what you said, because every year as a cabinet member—and I am only a cabinet memb…”

“That very neatly segues, as I wanted to talk about social care. I want to declare an interest as a former cabinet member for health and adult social care for a number of years before the election. I am delighted to hear you say that it is critical that we support social care. I noted in your evidence to the Public Acco…”

“Absolutely, we all agree that—it is generally understood. I suppose, in practical terms, I should have been clearer. What does it mean to you in terms of how you are going to change things? In very practical terms, you mentioned the better care fund. Will you put more money into the better care fund, or could the revie…”

“You mentioned, very kindly, that you were going to write to us about social care’s value to the NHS in terms of productivity. Have you done this analysis: “If we put X more into social care, we would expect to save Y from the NHS”? Has that analysis been undertaken?”

“Absolutely. Has it been undertaken?”

“I am not trying to blame anyone either.”

“It is complicated. Do you think you have sorted it out?”

“So it is a big problem and it has to be recognised across Government. Have you made a commitment to sorting out this problem of different timings for the budgets of local authorities and the NHS? Have you sat down and said, “We need to do something about this, and we will do something about it?””

“That is helpful, but it is very broad. The ’24-25 planning guidance has already come out, and it was not released by you until a week before the start of the financial year. What are you going to do differently for the ’25-26 guidance to get over this problem? Is it something you sit around and talk about as a real pro…”