Social Care

Wes Streeting Excerpts

Wednesday 16th November 2016 Commons Chamber

[Mr Hunt]

We are absolutely determined to clamp down on employers who do not pay the national living wage. If the hon. Gentleman or any other hon. Member has any evidence at all of that happening, they should let HMRC know. HMRC has a policy of naming and shaming employers who do not do the right thing and rightly so.

[Wes Streeting (Ilford North) (Lab)]

rose—

[Toby Perkins]

rose—

[Mr Hunt]

I will give way to the hon. Member for Ilford North (Wes Streeting) first.

[Wes Streeting]

It is welcome that the minimum wage will increase and that money will hopefully reach the workers we are discussing. Will the Secretary of State acknowledge, however, that the consequence of the increase is that the precept that local authorities charge residents for social care will be eaten up by the wage increase—even in local authorities such as the London Borough of Redbridge, of which I am still an elected member? What will he do to alleviate the very real financial burden on my local authority and others to ensure that everyone gets the quality of care they need?

[Mr Hunt]

I acknowledge the financial impact of the national living wage and will talk about the funding of local authorities.