Question
I welcome the fair solution for existing migrant care workers, because they did nothing but respond to a need for their labour that was caused by our care recruitment crisis, which was caused by low wages and inadequate training. What are the Government doing cross-departmentally to prevent future care recruitment crises? How will the contribution of care workers be weighted in the framework in future for those who have arrived or will arrive after May 2025?
Answer
I thank my hon. Friend for that. The Health Secretary and her team are working hard on all the reforms needed to ensure that the care sector is functioning properly, including a workforce plan, which I believe is due before Christmas, and the fair pay agreement that will be in place in 2028. My hon. Friend knows that the Government also have the wider Louise Casey review on the country’s care needs and how they can be met. Taken together, all that work means a fundamental change to how the care sector works in this country.33% vibes
Verdict: AMBER (35/100)
The reply gave concrete measures for preventing future care workforce shortages, including a workforce plan due before Christmas, a fair pay agreement from 2028, and the Louise Casey review of care needs. It did not explain how the government would coordinate this across departments, though that is only loosely implied. It did not address the second part of the question, which asked how care workers who arrived or will arrive after May 2025 would be weighted in any framework, so the asker would likely need to follow up on that point.
How we got there
| Question item | Coverage | Specificity | Rationale |
|---|---|---|---|
| What action the Government is taking, across departments, to prevent future care recruitment crises. | Addressed | Direct | The reply names concrete mechanisms for preventing future care workforce shortages: a workforce plan due before Christmas, a fair pay agreement in place from 2028, and the Louise Casey review of care needs. It does not explicitly describe cross-departmental coordination, so the 'across departments' element is only implied. |
| How the contribution of care workers who have arrived or will arrive after May 2025 will be weighted in the framework in future. | Not Addressed | Generic | Nothing in the reply mentions care workers who arrived or will arrive after May 2025 or how their contribution would be weighted in any framework; the reply only refers to broad sector reforms and general plans. |