Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by the Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care) on 21 December 2022 (110613), when they will publish their plan for social care system reform; whether the plan will include (1) an evaluation of the burden on local authorities, (2) a consolidation of existing social care initiatives, white papers, and funding streams, and (3) a timetable for delivery; and whether the plan will include strands on (a) the social care workforce, (b) the use of data in social care, (c) the Mental Health Act 1983, (d) Liberty Protection Safeguards, and (e) Building the Right Support proposals.

In spring 2023 the Government will publish a plan for adult social care system reform. This will set out how we will build on the progress so far to implement the vision for adult social care set out in the People at the Heart of Care white paper, published in December 2020. The plan will include key milestones for reform, including for workforce, data and technology. The final Local Government Finance Settlement, published on 7 February, sets out the resources available to local authorities in 2023/24, including for adult social care services. We also published the Building the Right Support Action Plan on 14 July 2022 and will confirm next steps for the Liberty Protection Safeguards in due course. The Department will consider the Joint Committee on the Draft Mental Health Bill’s recommendations carefully and we will introduce the Bill when parliamentary time allows.