Speeches by Beales.

“That is helpful, thank you. Knowledge exchanges, evaluation and the evidence that we have seen all suggest that there is little robust evidence and no clear blueprint for commissioners and services to follow. You have pointed to a good example in Somerset. Do you feel that that is the case? Do you share the evaluation …”

“I do not know whether anyone else wants to comment on the framework specifically. If not, I will move on. While we do not have clear evaluation, we have certainly heard about the sense that there is a lot of variation. As we heard from the witnesses earlier, there is clearly massive variation in services. Building on D…”

“Your key ask is really an evaluation of the framework.”

“I am going to ask a bit more about the community mental health framework. You have touched on this already. In the Somerset example, you started to discuss the aspects of success. Rethink has previously described the framework as a once-in-a-generation opportunity to change care and support for the better. To what exte…”

“That is great. Thank you. That is the end of my questions.”

“Thank you. Some of the witnesses in our earlier sessions talked about the benefits of social care reform for other public sector areas of the economy. Policing and housing were talked about, as well as the discharge issue and the health service more broadly. Is there anywhere particularly, outside social care, where yo…”

“Really helpful. Thank you. Lastly, Oonagh, one of the first things you said to the Committee, which was quite stark, was some clear evidence of the benefit to the economy of social care, around indirect and induced values. I want to understand a bit more: do you have any sense of how, relatively, that compares with oth…”

“That would be helpful. I was also interested, Anita, in your point about regional economic development. Do you have any further evidence about the potential regenerative benefits, and benefits to the Treasury, of growth in the sector, and growth in the quality of pay and conditions in the sector, and what that might me…”

“If you can follow up, that will be really helpful. As you say it is key data, and there is a risk of robbing Peter to pay Paul; we think we are making a saving to the Treasury, but ultimately the Treasury is paying—”

“That would be helpful. On that point, Anita, are you aware of any evidence that models the cost to the Treasury of low pay and poor conditions in the social care sector?”

“I am going to ask a few questions about measuring the costs and data, following on from colleagues’ questions. In previous answers, Oonagh, you talked about having modelled the impacts of different pay levels, following Anita’s point about the indirect costs to the Treasury of low pay in the sector. Did your modelling …”

“Thank you.”

“We may have up to three years until the Casey commission completes its work. Advising Baroness Casey and the Government now, what studies and research could the Government commission to help inform and build an evidence base for reform? Are there particular things that you think are vital now for the commission, to inf…”

“Anita, do you want to come in?”

“Is that possible now with client-level data, or do there need to be evolutions, and additional data collection, to enable that?”

“Thank you. As the kinds of questions we are getting to, evidencing and demonstrating data around some of these issues has been a challenge. In the cold light of day, Treasury colleagues are making somewhat harsh decisions about investment, and it can be a barrier. I understand that client-level data has been rolled out…”

“T4. This week marks Time to Talk Day, the Mind campaign to destigmatise talking about mental health. In light of this, will the Secretary of State join me in calling for employers up and down the country to take part in Time to Talk Day and outline what more could be done to end mental health stigma in the workplace?”

“Apologies again—I am sorry to rush you. I am not asking about trusts or GPs: I am asking about broader primary care and other community healthcare settings. Are there any plans there?”

“Is there a commitment for a minimum data-sharing framework with all ICS areas? I think the Hewitt review recommended that. Do you think that has happened? Is that still to happen?”

“I guess my question, which I asked five minutes ago, is how and what you will be doing to do that.”