Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking with social care providers to ensure that the social care sector meets required staffing levels.

The Government recognises the scale of reforms needed to make the adult social care sector attractive, to support sustainable workforce growth, and to reduce the reliance on international recruitment. We want it to be regarded as a profession, and for the people who work in care to be respected as professionals.

Those working in social care have been ignored for too long, and so will be at the heart of our initial reforms. We will engage with the workers and trade unions to deliver a long over-due new deal for care workers, including establishing the first ever Fair Pay Agreement for care professionals, learning from countries where they operate successfully.