This week in Parliament we passed the Queen’s Speech, which sets out the objectives that the Government has over the course of the Parliament and the bills it intends to introduce. And with Brexit now almost delivered (only a week to go!) it is important that we set the scene early on.
The biggest issue on the doorstep last month after Brexit was consistently the NHS. It is the crown in the jewel of our great country, and so it was right that this formed the defining part of the Queen’s Speech too. With that in mind a key element was our commitment to put into law the largest ever cash settlement for the NHS – an extra £33.9 billion a year – providing long term certainty of funding. And the reason that certainty is so important is because it allows the NHS to plan on a multi-year basis, implementing its Long Term Plan in full and ensuring as an organisation it is fit to address the challenges of the future.
I am also determined to work across party lines to design a social care system that will work not just for the next 5 years, but for the next 50. That is the only way we can get to a position where our elderly relatives have the dignity in old age that they rightly deserve. But this will not be a task that can be completed overnight and so we have announced extra funding for the social care system now so that those who need help get it.
Given the importance of these topics to the Queen’s Speech, I was delighted to join a number of my other new colleagues in Parliament, who have experience of working in the NHS, for a meeting with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care before the debate on Health and Social Care began. I’m incredibly proud to see that this Parliament includes so many former doctors, nurses and allied health professionals who can bring their real-world experience to the debate ensuring we continue to have the world’s best healthcare system.
And the Queen’s Speech was notable for how ambitious it was in other areas too, showing what a One Nation Conservative Government and Parliament can achieve. From a Renters Reform Bill which will enhance security for those on short-term tenancies, to a Sentencing Bill which will ensure the most violent and serious offenders serve more of their sentences in custody.
After years of being consumed by one single issue, I am delighted that we can finally move on and focus on the areas we all care about and want to see improved.
