Elderly Social Care (Insurance) Bill [HL]

Lord Davies of Brixton Excerpts

2nd reading
Friday 16th July 2021 Lords Chamber

[Lord Davies of Brixton (Lab) [V]]

My Lords, we must thank the noble Lord for providing the opportunity to debate this crucial issue—one very much of the moment, as evidenced by the front pages of today’s Times and Telegraph. Unfortunately, I do not support the Bill because it misses the point. Put simply, I cannot support a system that depends on housing tenure and the geographical lottery of the housing market. The noble Lord said that everyone would have the option of adopting this plan, but those who do not own their house would not have that option. This Bill is a diversion. Instead, we need a comprehensive national care service, paid for by a fair taxation system. However, the proposal usefully illustrates one fundamental point: the solution cannot be left to the private sector.

I will use my remaining time to put this debate in context. We must keep on reminding people that in his first speech as Prime Minister in July 2019—two years ago—Mr Johnson stood outside No. 10 and said

“we will fix the crisis in social care once and for all with a clear plan we have prepared.”

We are still waiting. This clear plan that has been prepared was not in the Tory election manifesto. Now we are told in the Times:

“Boris Johnson is backing proposals for a new tax to pay for reforms to Britain’s social care system under plans that could be agreed within weeks.”


Note the words “could be agreed”; in other words, they have not yet worked it out. The report goes on to tell us:

“Intensive work is under way … to finalise a deal”,


with Downing Street wanting to make an announcement to coincide with the second anniversary of Johnson’s “clear plan” promise. With key elements of policy clearly yet to be finalised, I confidently predict that, even if an announcement is made, it will be light on details and no more dependable than all the other vague promises made by this lightweight Prime Minister.