Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the statement entitled, Government response to the 33rd report of the NHS Pay Review Body, HCWS409, what discussions his Department has had with representatives from social care providers on a pay rise for social care staff in the next year.

The Government does not have direct responsibility for pay awards in adult social care in the same way as for other areas of the public sector. Adult social care providers continue to set the rate of pay for their workers.

The Government nonetheless maintains oversight of the social care system and we are committed to raising the profile of the social care sector. Putting social care on a sustainable footing, where everyone is treated with dignity and respect, is one of the biggest challenges that we face as a society. There are complex questions to address, to which we want to give our full considerations in light of the current circumstances.