Tag: Speeches

Sue Ferns – 2022 Speech to TUC Conference

The speech made by Sue Ferns, the President of TUC, to the TUC Conference on 18 October 2022.

Vice-President, Frances, Paul, delegates:

It’s wonderful to address you as TUC President.
To be at our first in-person Congress for three years.
And I want to begin by thanking my two predecessors.
Two good friends of mine.
Gail Cartmail and Ged Nichols.
As Ged said, there had been 152 TUC Congresses.
And it was just his luck to preside over the first ever virtual one.
But Ged and Gail both did us proud.
We may have been apart – but they kept us together.
I also want to thank Mike – boss and friend – and everyone at Prospect for their support throughout the year.
I’m incredibly proud to be part of such a unique union.
Private and public, we represent professionals and specialists on whom we all depend:
The air traffic controllers keeping our skies safe.
Our members keeping the BBC on air in the face of threats to the future of public service broadcasting.
Scientists tackling our climate emergency.
Energy workers supplying our homes, schools and hospitals despite the extreme weather events across the seasons.
And I want to say a few words about our members in the civil service.
Committed public servants who helped get us through the pandemic and Brexit.
The scientists whose advice we all depended on, now openly derided by ministers.
Civil servants who found out in the Daily Mail about the proposals to cut 91,000 of their jobs.
Shortly followed by Liz Truss’s ill-conceived plans to introduce regional pay.
To the government, to the new Prime Minister, we say this:
Together we are strong. Together we are united. And together we will fight for our members every step of the way.
Friends, my year as President has been dominated by Putin’s war in Ukraine and of course by the cost-of-living crisis.

I’ve heard the Prime Minister is looking for the anti-growth coalition.

Yes, the Prime Minister whose budget crashed the economy.

After less than a fortnight in charge.

So, I say this to the Prime Minister, if you want to find the anti-growth coalition, then take a look in the mirror.

Because working people will be taking no lessons on growth from you.

But there have been many highlights too.
And none better than meeting trade unionists the length and breadth of the country.
During the COP26 in Glasgow, I joined the GMB picket line during the refuse collectors’ dispute.
Men and women who didn’t just care about the jobs they do and the communities they serve.
But just one example of workers helping to care for our environment, yet so often taken for granted.
Because it’s clear that it’s not just governments or businesses that will tackle climate change.
A fair transition simply will not happen unless workers and their unions have a real say in decision-making and are properly supported through a process of fair change.
And earlier this year, I travelled to Plymouth to unveil a plaque commemorating the return of the Tolpuddle Martyrs.
That was on the same day as P&O workers learned that they were sacked on Zoom.
A reminder that almost two centuries after Tolpuddle, workers still face many of the same challenges:
Bad bosses. Insecure work. A government that serves wealth, but attacks labour.
It’s worth remembering that during the pandemic, the government lauded key workers and worked with unions to deliver furlough.
Two years on, and it attacks those same workers for asking for a decent pay rise – waging a right-wing assault on our movement.
Well, I say this to the government: you’ve completely misjudged the public mood. But you don’t need to take my word for it – just look at the latest opinion polls.
The British people have rather more faith in trade unionists than they do in Tory politicians. And we will fight any attempt to restrict our employment and trade union rights.
When we marched on 18 June, we said there was more to follow.
And Congress, today we are clear:
Workers across the country have had enough and are fighting back.
Rail workers, bus drivers, posties, NHS staff, teachers and many others across the economy are joining together to send a clear message.
We know it’s not wages that are driving up inflation.
But where’s the scrutiny of profits and bonuses?
No more real term cuts – we demand fair pay now.
It’s about time the real wealth creators got a look in.
Despite promising to get wages rising, the government is once again treating us as the enemy within.
What do politicians expect? We’re an industrial movement doing our job. Fighting for decent pay for working people.
But Congress, we’re not perfect.
At the start of my year as President, I made tackling sexual harassment a priority.
We’ve done lots of good work. But there’s a lot still to do.
As we know, sexual harassment takes many forms – from physical harassment to verbal abuse and downloading obscene images at work.
But I want to make one thing clear: it doesn’t matter whether it’s Parliament or any other workplace, sexual harassment is never acceptable.
And that includes our movement too.
Most women in this hall will have experienced harassment at some point in our working lives.
It’s upsetting, shocking, humiliating.
It takes a toll on your self-confidence and wellbeing.
And it makes doing a tough job even tougher.
And delegates, it makes it harder for women to do our union job too.
That’s another reason why it has to stop.
It’s corrosive and ultimately it weakens us all.
So let’s be clear: all decent trade unionists share an interest in preventing harassment of any kind.
No woman, or man, should suffer in silence.
And when harassment happens, let’s commit to take action to call it out, stop it, once and for all.
Congress, the battle for women’s equality has reached a defining moment.
Women still earn less than men.
Our pensions lag behind.
And our rights are under attack.
The US Supreme Court’s decision on Roe v Wade rolls back 50 years of progress.
An assault not just on women in America, but women worldwide.
And today we are clear:
It’s not for the radical and religious right to decide what women can, and can’t, do.
It’s for women. And women alone.
I’m proud that too we’re making a difference globally.
Most importantly, by leading the fight against the far right.
Let’s hope Lula gives Bolsonaro the thumping defeat he so richly deserves in the final round of the Brazilian elections at the end of the month.
Congress, whether it’s fighting the imprisonment of trade unionists in Turkey.
Or supporting the struggle for justice in Palestine.
Let’s put our values of internationalism and solidarity into action.
As a trustee of TUC Aid, I’ve seen what we can achieve.
Supporting Iraqi women. Tackling sexual harassment in Brazil. And helping our Kenyan brothers and sisters win fair trade deals.
Congress, in this country and overseas, equality really must be at the heart of everything we do.
As the TUC’s Anti Racism Task Force has shown, we are at our best when we are boldest.
So let’s secure good jobs for all.
Address our epidemic of low-paid, low-skilled, low-productivity work.
And deliver genuine flexibility for everyone.
It’s great that flexible working is now so prominent on the agenda.
But the debate shouldn’t just be about middle-class professionals working from home.
That excludes the majority of the working population – including keyworkers.
It should be about delivering flexibility for all.
And that includes those in occupations traditionally denied the choices others take for granted.
And Congress, it doesn’t matter whether it’s flexible working, or equality, or higher pay, we know the best way to win for working people:
Stronger unions. Collective bargaining. And organisation.
And that really puts the onus on all of us to rebuild our movement.
Meeting the demands of a world which is changing fast.
Automation, technological change, the climate emergency – all demand stronger, not weaker, trade unions.
And so we must focus relentlessly on growing our membership.
Reaching out to today’s workers, in all our magnificent diversity.
And nowhere is that more important than where most people work, in the private sector.
Times may change, jobs may change, but workers still need a union to fight their corner.
Public or private, only strong, growing, representative unions can give working people hope.
The confidence to demand better.
And that to me is the essence of trades unionism.
Workers joining together to win fairness, justice and equality. To secure good work, good jobs.
Never did I imagine I would have the privilege of addressing this Congress as President.
Nor that, within my working life, women would assume their rightful place as leaders of our movement.
Frances, I imagine you’re going to hear a fair few tributes over the next two days.

You have been a brilliant general secretary.

Thank you for everything that you have achieved for working people.

You may have been our first woman general secretary, but mark my words, you will not be the last.

Finally I must say thank you to you, the trade union team.

The officers, reps and activists who make our movement what it is.

A unique democratic movement of, and for, working people.

So thank you delegates for everything you do.

Keep up the good work.

Be proud of our trade union values.

And let’s build for the future.

21/10/2022
Paul Nowak – 2022 Speech to TUC Conference

The speech made by Paul Nowak, the Deputy General Secretary of the TUC, to the TUC Conference on 18 October 2022.

President, Congress.

When I joined the GMB over 30 years ago, working part-time in ASDA, I never thought for one minute that I would have the honour and the privilege to be elected general secretary of the TUC.

So, I want to thank Congress for your support, and because trade unionism is always a collective endeavour, I want to thank every member, every rep, every full-time officer, every TUC staff member who has supported and helped me over the last 3 decades.

I promise to do what I can to justify that support, and to extend it to the next generation of reps and activists coming through, the people who are the lifeblood of our movement.

Now, last thing on a Wednesday afternoon is not the time for long speeches – and no doubt you will get to hear plenty of those from me in the months and years to come…so I just want to say three things.

First of all I want to sincerely thank Frances for everything she has done for the TUC.

Frances has been my good friend and colleague for over twenty years, so I am not an impartial observer, but I think it is absolutely right to acknowledge that she has been an outstanding leader of the TUC.

The first ever woman to lead our movement – and she won’t be the last – she has seen us through some incredibly difficult times.

· Ten years of hostile government, and austerity

· A vicious and vindictive anti-Trade Union Act

· Brexit

· And, of course, the pandemic and the cost of living crisis

Now, I could list all of her achievements in the face of those challenges, but let me just pick out one.

I have no doubt in my mind that if it wasn’t for Frances O’Grady, there would have been no furlough scheme.

It is thanks to her, that 12 million people saw their jobs and incomes supported during the dark days of the pandemic; 12 million people kept their livelihoods; 12 million people and their families were able to pay the bills.

Frances, thank for you for that and for EVERYTHING you have done over the last decade.

The second thing I want to say is this. I want my time leading the TUC to focus on one thing above all else.

Growing, diversifying and strengthening our movement.

More union members.

More union reps.

A genuinely active, confident, inclusive, vibrant and diverse movement – one that is as relevant to a young black woman working in digital or in a care home, as it is to this middle aged white bloke from Merseyside.

Think of everything we have debated so far this week.

· A £15 per hour minimum wage

· Rebuilding our public services, a proper industrial strategy

· A new deal for working people

· Decent employment rights and an end to fire and rehire

· Genuine equality and tackling racism and sexual harassment in our workplaces.

Our ability to deliver on all those things and so much more, depends on our ability to grow our movement.

· Only a stronger trade union movement can win disputes

· Only a stronger trade union movement can influence government & beat back hostile legislation

· And only a stronger trade union movement – indeed trade union and labour movement – can bring about the political change our members desperately need

We’ve grown the last four years out of five. That’s a start.

But let’s make sure that each and every year from now, we grow our membership, we expand our reps base, we extend collective bargaining – not waiting for political change, making that change happen here and now, workplace by workplace, dispute by dispute, campaign by campaign.

My last point is simply this.

Growing our movement will require a collective effort.

The TUC has and always be more than the general secretary, or the staff who work in Congress House, the regions and nations.

The TUC is its unions. You are the TUC.

48 unions. 5 and a half million members.

And if we are serious about growing our movement, we have to be serious about working together.

Not talking about working together, not passing resultions about working togther, actually working together.

· Supporting each other’s organising efforts

· Joint bargaining agendas that raise the bar for our members

· Sectoral co-ordination to stop employers playing one union off against another

· A shared political vision that inspires working people

· And in each and every dispute, standing by workers who take that difficult decision to strike, because their fight is our fight, and no worker should ever, will ever, stand alone.

That’s what will allow us to deliver on the things that matter to our members.

That’s what will enable us to win.

Not glorious defeats.

Not fighting the good fight but falling short.

Winning for working people.

That’s our job Congress.

Let’s work together,

Let’s fight together

Let’s win together.

21/10/2022
Frances O’Grady – 2022 Speech to TUC Conference

The speech made by Frances O’Grady, the General Secretary of the TUC, on 18 October 2022.

Welcome to the TUC, our parliament for working people.

Represented, here in the Hall today, are millions of workers who keep the wheels of this country turning.

All they ask in return is respect, and fair pay.
And if it takes strike action so be it: we stand with you

So let’s hear it for:

Our incredible care assistants and NHS staff, rail and bus workers, dedicated posties, prison officers, call centre staff, dock workers, teachers, firefighters, university lecturers, civil servants and more…

Decent people who are honest and hardworking.

But, according to Liz Truss, British workers are layabouts, lacking graft, skill and application.

The Prime Minister believes that Britain’s poor productivity is down to the poor performance of workers.

That’s a bit rich from a PM whose own performance crashed the country
She didn’t even turn up for work yesterday!
And since her disastrous debut, we’ve had more U-turns than a malfunctioning Sat Nav.

And all this, after 12 long years of Conservative governments that have slashed, burned, and ripped off this country, something rotten.
While the sun was shining, the Tories didn’t mend the roof. They nicked the lead off it.

Let’s have a reminder of what’s happened under the Tories:

Which country has the worst investment in the G7?
The UK.

Which country has the worst wages growth in the G7?
Don’t need to tell workers this – the UK.

And which country has the worst economic growth in the G7?
Of course, the UK.

That’s your record, Prime Minister
That’s the country your party has been running for the past 12 years.

To be fair, under the Conservatives, some things are growing:

CEO pay – up.
Corporate profits – up.
Bankers’ bonuses – up.

And look what else:

The cost of mortgages.
NHS waiting lists.
Ambulance waiting times.
Child poverty.
Food banks.
Up. Up. Up.

That means more kids going to bed hungry.
More families afraid to put the heating on.

But there is a real plan for growth.
Trade unions want a growing economy that works for working people.
High investment, high skills, high wages.
Decent work, so workers don’t need to go on strike to defend their pay.

And we want a strong society that comes with growth, fairly-shared.
A well-funded NHS – schools – public services.
A safety net to help us all in a crisis.
No-one growing up, or growing old, in poverty.
A safe, secure, welcoming society.
And more than that – a country of music, culture, football, books and brilliant TV.

For over a decade, the TUC has made the case for investment, for R&D, for innovation, for skills.
To make things here in Britain.
To meet the challenge of net zero, with good green jobs.
And to harness the big gains of new tech, for all of us

We need an economy that rewards work – not wealth.
But under the Conservatives, working people have got poorer, while shareholders have got richer.
We’re in the longest squeeze on real wages since Napoleonic times.
And if ministers and employers keep hammering pay packets at the same rate, UK workers are on course to suffer two decades – TWENTY YEARS – of lost living standards.
Over the next three years alone:
Real earnings are set to fall by ANOTHER £4,000
We have got to stop the rot.
Families can’t afford to tighten their belts anymore.
They’re at breaking point.

Just look at that disastrous mini-budget.
Only a month ago.

I say this to Liz Truss: Your budget wasn’t pro-growth. It was pro-greed.
Tax cuts for the rich, with no plan for growth at all.
That’s why the markets got spooked.
That’s why the economy tanked.

The PM may have dumped Kwasi Kwarteng.
And is now hiding behind Jeremy Hunt
Or maybe under a desk?

But she can’t duck this:
We don’t trust her government with our economy.
Livelihoods are on the line.

Some say Liz Truss must go.
I think they’re wrong.
This whole rotten Tory government must go.
The Tories are toxic.
It’s time for change.
We need a general election now

We know who creates real wealth in this country.
It’s not hedge fund managers who made a mint by betting on the pound crashing.
The real wealth creators are the people of this country.

Jeremy Hunt may be the new face at No 11
But it’s still the same old story
Lift the cap on bankers’ bonuses
Drive down public servants’ pay
Handouts for the wealthy and big business
Cuts to UC and benefits

Give to the rich.
Take from everyone else.
Robin Hood in reverse.
(Shurwood Forest fracked)

Working people are not fooled by trickledown economics.
It’s the old Tory money trick.
Austerity means NHS waiting lists grow and businesses go bust.
When workers get more money, they spend it.
When the rich get more money, they offshore it.

So, I have a message for Liz Truss:
Working people are proud of the jobs we do;
We work hard
We work the longest hours in Europe.

Yet, thanks to your party’s 12 years in government, millions are struggling to make ends meet.
We don’t need lectures on working harder.
This country needs a proper plan for fairer, greener growth.

The prime minister must answer another question:
if you really care about hard graft and performance, how come you gave Jacob Rees Mogg a job?

A man best known for lying horizontal on the Commons’ benches.
Who aims to make life even harder on the shop floor.

He wants workers’ rights, that came from the EU, stripped from the statute book.

Important rights like holiday pay.
Time off for mums and dads.
And safe limits on working time.

But the minister for the nineteenth century needs to wake up.

The TUC has just asked people who voted Conservative in the last election what THEY think the government should do.
81 per cent of Tory voters say:
Protect our rights at work.

And more, we demand action to tackle corporate gangsters.

Never forget P&O.
A prime example of everything wrong with UK labour laws.

Loyal crew sacked without a second thought.
Shameless bosses admitting they’d broken the law.
And ministers letting them get away with it

Worse rights at work won’t rebuild Britain.
Britain only does well, when working people do well.
We demand a new deal for workers.

From Tolpuddle onwards, the establishment has always seen workers organising as a threat.
And, yes, we are.
We’re a threat to casino capitalism.
A threat to the notion that you can divide workers
A threat to exploitation and low pay.

So just when the citizens of this country are in despair;
when key workers’ kids are going to school with holes in their shoes;
And young families are worried sick about the mortgage;
This government’s top priority is attacking the right to strike to make it harder to win fair pay.

A cynical effort to distract from the chaos they have caused.

But I say this: if ministers want to pick a fight with us, we are more than ready

Today I give them notice:
We’ve already taken legal counsel.
We know you’re in breach of international law.
And trade deals that enshrine labour standards.
So, read my lips, we will see you in court.

This winter looks set to be a tough one.
We face an emergency made in Downing Street.
The lights could go out all over Britain.

Even with energy prices capped – average bills are set to double.
Other costs have gone through the roof too: Childcare. Food. Filling up the car.
No-one has cash to spare.

With inflation at 10%, we don’t need wage restraint.
It’s time for profit restraint.

Taxpayers helped business with their bills.
Now it’s time to make business play their part.
No layoffs this winter.
No boardroom bonanzas.
And no shareholder sprees.

Put the cap back on the bankers’ bonuses.
Let’s have a bigger windfall tax on greedy energy giants.
And don’t just bail out them out – bring them into public ownership.

And more:
Protect benefits against inflation.
Invest in public services.
And give us stronger workers’ rights

Our nation of grafters have earned a fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work.
That means a £15 minimum wage, as soon as possible.
Fair pay agreements to get wages rising for everyone

And it’s time to do right by the people who’ve done us all proud
They got us through the pandemic – and we owe them
Give public servants a real pay rise now

And on November 2nd, from every corner of the UK, we will rally to Westminster
And if this shower of a government is still clinging to power
We will demand a general election

We are trade unionists.
Just as when the TUC proposed furlough at the start of the pandemic, we’ve got answers to the problems Britain faces.

We’ve seen the difference our movement makes right around the world.
From Amazon to Starbucks: growing membership, winning deals
Proof that solidarity works.

Backed up by new laws from progressive governments from Spain to New Zealand
We hope soon, Brazil too.
Governments who know that good jobs and rising wages are the route to a decent life.

Change can come – we can build it.

Remember the kids who save half their school dinner to take home for tea.

Remember pensioners too poor to keep warm, and workers who can’t afford to get sick, while NHS waiting times soar.

None of this is inevitable.
These are political choices.
Made by politicians.
And we can vote them out.

As unions, our job is to win now and every day.

The bigger our movement, the stronger we are.
So, in formally moving the General Council statement, let’s reach out and tell workers why they should join

Trade unionism is the reasonable notion that your boss doesn’t have all the answers.
That working people together have a voice and power. And how that changes everything.

We are the people who brought you the weekend, the eight-hour day, equal pay.
We’re proud of our diversity.
Our wonderful President Sue Ferns.
And leading our fight against racism, Dr Patrick Roach.

We stand up for our class – a multiethnic, multiracial, working class of men and women.
In cities, towns and the countryside too.

We’re for all working people.
Yes, we have members on railways, in shops and factories.
But also in Uber, Deliveroo and Amazon

Whatever our background, race or religion everyone deserves a decent job, a pension and respect.

It wasn’t wages or workers that caused this crisis.
And we refuse to let workers pay for it.

People ask me: will the TUC coordinate strike action this winter?
And I say: We already are.

When workers are left with no choice but to vote for strike action for decent pay, I say:
Bring it on.

For the last ten years, I’ve been proud to lead the TUC.
And I’m passing the torch to my comrade, the brilliant Paul Nowak.

At heart, I believe that trade unionism is about friendship
Friendship between workers transforms what is possible.

Congress: we have hope.
Hope in young workers joining unions.
Workers backing workers.
Black workers and White workers, standing together.

Let’s take that message to workplaces and communities, in every corner of the country.
We can build a better world.
We will fight for our class.
And, together, we all win.

Solidarity.

21/10/2022
Keir Starmer – 2022 Speech to TUC Conference

The speech made by Keir Starmer, the Leader of the Opposition, on 20 October 2022.

Thank you Sue and thank you, Congress.

It’s a privilege to address you at such an important moment for our country.

But before I go any further, I want to give my thanks to the General Secretary – my friend, a giant of our labour movement.

On the side of workers…

On the side of women…

On the side of Arsenal – Frances is always on the right side!

But especially during the pandemic, where her determination to fight for working people was an inspiration to all of us.

Congress, never forget: it was Frances who led the employers and the Government to the furlough scheme…

A tripartite deal for those troubled times…

A true collective agreement for the nation.

Without her deal, ten million workers would have been jobless during a monumental social crisis.

And my Labour Party supported it every step of the way.

Including on the many occasions the Government prematurely tried to scrap it.

We will never forget that leadership – so thank you, Frances.

And thank you Paul too.

The organising you did to keep workers safe during that crisis will have saved countless lives.

I know how much our movement is in your blood.

I also know that you’re an Everton fan…

So as the TUC moves from red to blue…

I look forward to working with you as Britain moves in the opposite direction!

Congress, today I want to set out what’s at stake for Britain.

Because while politics is always about choices…

The choice now is as stark as it gets.

We face a battle for the soul of our country…

Who we are.

Who we’re for.

The Labour choice is a Britain that is fairer, greener and more dynamic.

A Britain where we rebuild our public services to provide opportunity and security…

Tackle the climate emergency head on…

Use it to create the jobs and industries of the future…

Restore faith in politics as a force for good…

Get Britain’s hope, its confidence and its future back.

But the first step…

The foundation this all rests on…

Is respect for the working people who create the wealth that drives our country forward.

It’s not just the privileged few that grow Britain’s economy – the Tories are so wrong.

It’s cleaners, carers, nurses, teachers, engineers, physios, scientists, shop workers, drivers, builders, bar tenders, teaching assistants, technicians, cooks, warehouse workers, posties, farmers small business owners…

Who grows our economy?

Who is growth for?

The right choice, the only choice, the Labour choice– is working people…

And my Government will be dedicated to building an economy that works for working people.

Everything else follows from this.

And Britain knows exactly where the Tories stand.

They can dance around and u-turn…

They can sack this Chancellor or that Prime Minister…

But the damage is done and they did it.

They crashed the British economy – and for what?

To show they were on the side of the richest one percent.

A crisis made in Downing Street…

Without a democratic mandate…

Paid for by working people in higher bills, higher rents and higher mortgages.

This is who they are…

These are their true colours.

Never again can Britain take seriously their claim to be a party of aspiration or sound money.

But congress, last night in Parliament…

Even by their standards.

A new chaotic low.

All the failures of the past twelve years have now come to the boil.

The victims of crime who can’t get justice.

People dying because ambulances can’t get there in time.

Millions going without food or heating.

And none of it…

Can drum into the Tories the idea that our country must come first.

They lack the basic patriotic duty to keep the British people out of their own pathetic squabbles.

And it’s wrecked the finances of the country and millions of people.

This cannot continue.

Britain deserves better.

Britain cannot afford the chaos of the Conservatives anymore…

We need a general election now.

Just look at their latest plan.

To get our country out of the hole that they dug…

They turn to austerity…

And they turn to you.

To your members.

And their rights.

Congress, I am sure you’ve heard that tape…

How the Prime Minister thinks working people lack “skill” and “application”.

Heard her say your members don’t “graft” hard enough.

It’s delusional.

It’s insulting.

But it comes with a warning.

Because look around our country…

a national emergency on the cost-of-living…

public services on their knees…

working people ‘grafting’ every minute of the day – still unable to make ends meet…

And ask yourself this…

With that warped logic in charge…

What happens when the Tories finally see the full reality of what they’ve done?

I’ll tell you.

They’ll lash out.

Double down.

Attack my party, our movement, your members.

So congress, let me spell this out.

If they bring forward further restrictions on workers’ rights or the right to strike, we will oppose and we will REPEAL.

Just as we will tear-up anti-trade union legislation such as the Trade Union Act 2016.

But we also need to be prepared, disciplined, relentlessly focused on the future.

Meet their attacks with hope.

Provide the leadership this country so desperately needs.

And build a Britain where working people can succeed again.

Where working people are backed as the people who really create economic growth.

That’s the Labour choice.

And that’s not just words.

I don’t come from a privileged background…

I grew up in a pebble-dashed semi in the 1970s…

I remember what the anxiety of rising prices feels like.

Remember when our phone was cut off because we couldn’t pay the bill.

And I know what that anxiety looks like now.

Let me tell you about a care worker I know…

She works fourteen hour shifts often overnight…

Never flinching at the relentless pressures put upon her…

And every week – yes I mean every week – she struggles to make ends meet.

Congress, the care worker I’m talking about is my sister.

And when I think about the work she and millions like her did for our country during the pandemic…

…risking their health to save lives on low pay, low security contracts…

…and the Prime Minister says the problem is people like my sister lack “graft”?

Let me spell it out…

The fight for fair pay…

The fight for good work…

The fight to make our economy work for everyone, not just a privileged few…

Is personal for me…

And I will not rest until we see a Britain based on those values.

That’s the Labour choice.

If you don’t back people like my sister, don’t be surprised if you get twelve years of stagnant growth.

That’s why we backed working people on rising energy prices.

When the Prime Minister argued against “handouts”, Labour provided the clarity our nation needed.

We said:

This winter…

Not a penny more…

On anyone’s bills…

And we’d make sure the oil and gas companies pay their fair share.

We’d abolish non-dom status to get our NHS back on its feet.

That’s the main barrier to capacity right now – staff.

So we would invest in more doctors, more nurses, more health visitors…

A tax break for some of the richest in our society, or a stronger NHS workforce – that’s not a hard choice for us.

But to end this cost-of-living crisis once and for all, we also need a long-term plan…

A plan that will deliver cheaper bills and higher living standards for working people….

Growth and jobs in every part of our country…

And real independence from tyrants like Putin, who weaponise fossil fuel exports and threaten our security.

That’s what our Green Prosperity Plan will achieve…

100 percent clean power by 2030…

Investment in wind, solar, nuclear, hydrogen, green steel and carbon capture…

Training for plumbers, electricians, engineers, software designers, technicians, builders…

A national sovereign wealth fund that generates growth and private investment…

Insulation for 19 million homes…

And Great British Energy.

A publicly owned company that takes advantage of the opportunities in clean British power…

and turns them into good, secure, high-paid British jobs

The argument for our plan is simple.

Clean energy is already cheaper than fossil fuels – nine times cheaper.

Working people need more of it…

Britain needs to own it…

And the jobs and growth we generate must be shared with every community.

That’s the Labour choice.

It’s why I’ve always said we will fight the Tories on economic growth.

The Prime Minister is completely out of touch with the reality of the British economy.

She thinks workers’ rights and collective bargaining are a barrier to growth.

She doesn’t care about the distribution of wealth in Britain – she hasn’t u-turned on that.

It’s a clear argument – I’ll give her that…

One we’ve all heard before…

But it does not work.

Working people will not be better off because we make the rich, richer.

It’s pure dogma – the world has moved on from these discredited ideas.

And every day the Tories stick to them, is another nail in the coffin for Britain’s economic credibility.

Our real problem is we create too many jobs that are low paid and insecure.

Lock too many communities out of the wealth that we create.

And our public services aren’t strong enough to help working people succeed.

That’s why we struggle to grow – our economic foundations are too weak.

And the Tory argument is – that’s fine.

If the City of London races ahead and the rest of Britain stagnates – they think that’s ok.

Congress, forget about lines on a graph.

If you leave this many people behind, a nation will not grow fairly.

You can’t do it with low wages.

You can’t do it with insecure jobs and bad work.

And you can’t do it without a modern industrial strategy.

This isn’t a debate – the evidence is in.

“A vicious cycle of stagnation” – that’s what the now former Chancellor called it.

And on this one thing – he was right!

Twelve years of Tory stagnation has left the average British family £8,800 poorer than in other advanced economies.

Economies like France, Germany and the Netherlands…

Economies that do have stronger collective bargaining…

Do have stronger worker rights…

Do have a fairer share of wealth across their country.

These things are a not a barrier to growth or higher productivity…

They go hand in hand with it.

That’s the Labour choice.

So we will strengthen the role of trade unions in our society .

An economy that is strong for working people, cannot weaken the institutions that give working people strength.

And it cannot be built on insecure foundations…

Security at work is the bedrock for aspiration and opportunity…

For giving people the confidence to get on.

Nobody does their best work if they’re wracked with fear about the future.

If their contract gives them no protection to stand up for their rights at work.

Or if a proper safety net doesn’t support them in times of sickness and poor health…

That’s what Labour’s New Deal for Working People is about…

That’s why we’ll end fire and rehire…

ban zero-hour contracts…

extend parental leave…

strengthen flexible working…

better protections for pregnant women…

mandatory reporting on ethnicity pay gaps…

statutory sick pay for all…

a single worker status…

no more one-sided flexibility…

As far as I’m concerned, that’s not just a list of rights…

It’s a statement of intent on social justice…

On fairness…

Whose side we are on…

More security for every worker in our country…

And because of that – a stronger foundation for working people to aspire and get on.

That’s the economic dynamism Britain needs…

That’s how you get growth…

That’s the Labour choice.

A choice that provides the basis for true social partnership…

A modern industrial strategy where we unite to tackle the country’s challenges on behalf of working people.

I will say this here – I’m not just pro-business, I want to partner with business to drive Britain forward…

And I will say the same about trade unions to the CBI.

You saw the deal FRANCES struck during the pandemic – the results speak for themselves.

It’s a model Mark Drakeford has used successfully in Wales.

And it can work because the vast majority of business leaders don’t buy into the Tory trickle down-fantasy…

They’re not knocking on my door saying they want to rip up employee rights.

They don’t tell me the problems they face will be solved by corporation tax cuts.

They want fair taxes, high skills and the long-term stability to invest.

We can work with that…

We will work with that.

We’ll set up a new Industrial Strategy Council…

A permanent part of the landscape…

That brings in the creative genius of science and our universities…

Holds us to account for our decisions…

Helps businesses to innovate and grow…

And delivers a real partnership between Government, business and unions.

This is how we can give Britain the stability it needs for higher investment.

A long-term plan, not a short-term fix.

That’s the Labour choice.

But when we talk about economic stability, I want to be frank.

The damage the Tories have done…

To our finances and public services…

Means things are going to be really tough…

Now and during my Labour Government.

We cannot take any risks with the public finances…

We have to restore economic stability…

Be the party of sound money.

You have all seen the damage that can be done from fiscal irresponsibility…

When you lose control of the economy, as the Tories have done…

You lose the ability to do anything.

And working people pay the price.

That will not happen with Labour – I won’t let it.

But it doesn’t mean we have to take a backseat on fair pay.

Low pay is the biggest barrier to a fairer, more dynamic Britain – bar none.

A huge drag on our prospects for growth and social justice.

We need a minimum wage that reflects the cost of living.

And with a Labour Government – that is exactly what Britain will get.

But we will go further.

Because ending low pay in Britain isn’t just a question of law…

It’s not just about the rules the state sets…

It’s about the power working people have to shape the rules that govern their lives…

So my Labour Government will end the Tory race to the bottom on pay, with Fair Pay Agreements.

Agreements that will make work pay for the people who create Britain’s economic growth.

Just think how this would work in social care – a sector where half a million workers are paid less than £10 an hour…

Where people have to work multiple jobs and still struggle to provide for their family.

With our Fair Pay Agreements, social care employers and unions will have to get round the table and negotiate…

And the deal they strike, will set the floor for every social care employer in the country.

That’s how you make work pay fairly…

That’s how you improve conditions and raise the status of care work…

Respect the workers who saved countless lives in the pandemic and create this country’s wealth.

Good work…

Fair Pay…

Respect.

That’s the Labour choice.

It’s what both of us fight for – party and movement.

But we must fight in different ways…

Must accept that when it comes to delivering for working people, we have different jobs.

I support the right to strike – unequivocally.

I understand it’s always a last resort.

The Tory idea that working people give up their wages lightly…

In the worst cost-of-living crisis for a century…

Is completely unserious about the pain people feel right now.

You’re representing the democratic choice of your members.

You’re doing your job.

I respect that.

But my job is different.

The single most important thing I can do for working people is to make sure we win the next election and get a Labour Government.

That’s how we roll-out our Green Prosperity Plan…

How we deliver the New Deal for Working People…

How we create a modern industrial strategy together.

None of this happens unless Labour is in power…

So I will never be ashamed to say my Labour Party wants to increase worker power in our economy.

But nor will I apologise for approaching questions on industrial action as a potential Labour government.

The Labour Party is not doing its job when it’s in opposition.

And I will not let this era of Tory chaos…

Stagnation…

Attacks on working people…

Go on any longer.

This cannot be a re-run of the 1980s…

That’s what they want.

Liz Truss has torn away the veil – they aren’t even pretending anymore.

The battle is here…

A battle where all the usual signs of Tory decay…

The crumbling public services…

The run on the pound…

The questions about how we keep the lights on…

And the brutal hit to the living standards of pensioners, families, the poorest in our society…

…will be turned back on us…

So congress, do not doubt what’s coming…

Take nothing for granted.

This winter will be brutal – we must doing everything we can to look after people.

But the Tories will not give up on power– that’s not who they are…

Our country is crying out for decisive leadership…

And Labour will provide it.

We will work every day to earn the trust of the British people.

Meet their ambitions for real change…

Walk towards a better future…

And put this Tory trickle-down nonsense back its box, once and for all.

That’s the choice for Britain.

A Tory Party that has lost control of itself and the economy.

Or a Labour Government that delivers fair pay, good work and prosperity for all.

A country where aspiration is rewarded…

A clean energy superpower…

A fairer, greener, more dynamic Britain…

Where working people get the rights, respect and security that their graft deserves.

That’s the Labour choice.

Thank you Congress.

21/10/2022
Penny Mordaunt – 2022 Statement on Standing for Conservative Party Leader

The statement made by Penny Mordaunt, the Leader of the House of Commons, on 21 October 2022.

I’ve been encouraged by support from colleagues who want a fresh start, a united party and leadership in the national interest.

I’m running to be the leader of the Conservative Party and your Prime Minister – to unite our country, deliver our pledges and win the next General Election.

21/10/2022
Jake Berry – 2022 Statement on the Rules for the Conservative Party Leadership Contest

The statement made by Jake Berry, the Chair of the Conservative Party, on 20 October 2022.

21/10/2022
Ben Wallace – 2022 Statement Confirming Not Standing as Prime Minister

The statement made by Ben Wallace, the Secretary of State for Defence, on 21 October 2022.

As the Party starts the process of looking for a new leader, I would like to put on the record that I will not be letting my name go forward as a candidate. I am privileged to be the UK Defence Secretary and the current threat requires stability in that office.

The reasons I gave last time for not standing, have not changed. I will be looking to all candidates to recognise that you cannot have economic security at home without national security. This requires real investment for our Armed Forces and intelligence agencies.

21/10/2022
Will Quince – 2022 Speech on NHS Dentistry

The speech made by Will Quince, the Minister of State at the Department for Health and Social Care, in the House of Commons on 20 October 2022.

I thank the hon. Member for Denton and Reddish (Andrew Gwynne) for his kind words. He will be pleased to know that, despite what he said, I scribbled my own speech today and I can confirm that it will be a fudge-free zone. In fact, I have not had any fudge for about three years and I do not intend to start now—not least because it would not be great for my teeth.

I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Waveney (Peter Aldous) and the hon. Member for Bradford South (Judith Cummins) on securing time for this hugely important debate. I thank the Backbench Business Committee for allowing the time and all right hon. and hon. Members who have made constructive contributions to the debate. It would be remiss of me not to thank all those who work in NHS dentistry, not just for their work throughout the pandemic, but for the work that they continue to do serving people up and down the country.

In the relatively short time that I have available—I am conscious that there is another important debate to follow—I will endeavour to respond to as many of the points, themes and questions raised as possible. I hope that right hon. and hon. Members know me well enough already, however, to know that my door is always open. I have never turned down a meeting with a parliamentary colleague and I do not intend to start now. This is an important issue and I hope that we can continue to talk about it at length, even if not in this Chamber.

As the new Minister—or new new Minister—for primary care and therefore dentistry, I have spent the first few weeks in post learning more about NHS dentistry, including by meeting dentists; meeting people at the coalface and the grassroots is really important. Of course, I have my constituency experience too. Despite the events of today, I very much hope to be here for some time to come.

Let me say at the outset, in response to I think nearly all of the contributions made today, that I get it—I really do get it. I know that in many parts of our country access to NHS dentistry is difficult or far more difficult than it should be, and I want to make it clear that dentistry is an incredibly important part of the NHS. The Government and I are committed to addressing the challenges that NHS dentistry continues to face across the whole country, and as the hon. Member for Denton and Reddish rightly pointed out, it is in our ABCD strategy.

I turn to some of the themes raised. The first is access, which was raised by my hon. Friend the Member for Waveney, the right hon. Member for Knowsley (Sir George Howarth), my hon. Friends the Members for Mole Valley (Sir Paul Beresford), for Gloucester (Richard Graham) and for Salisbury (John Glen), the hon. Member for Bootle (Peter Dowd) and my hon. Friend the Member for North Devon (Selaine Saxby). Access to NHS dentistry varies across the country—we know that—and it was an issue, as the hon. Member for Denton and Reddish rightly pointed out, even before the pandemic, but the pandemic has exacerbated it and added further pressure to the system.

The Government are taking a number of important steps that will improve dental access for patients and make NHS dentistry a more attractive place for dentists and their teams to work in. I will outline just some of those. These changes include improvements to the current NHS dental contracts—I will come on to that in a moment—and of course to the recruitment and retention of dental professionals. I say dental professionals specifically because this is of course about far more than just dentists, as important as they are. As the hon. Member for Denton and Reddish pointed out, rightly, we have seen an additional 539 more dentists returning to NHS dentistry last year, which of course means they are able to treat more patients, but I recognise the point he rightly made, and we do need to go further and faster.

On the steps taken, notwithstanding the points made by the hon. Member for Bradford South, we made £50 million of extra funding available for NHS dental services at the end of 2021-22, which provided more appointments and increased capacity in NHS dental teams. I noted her points, and we have learned from that. Given that experience, I would certainly want to do things a little differently if we considered such a proposal again. We announced a package of improvements to the NHS dental system on 19 July, as a number of Members have pointed out, which was set out in our plan for patients. These are an important first step to system reform and are designed to improve access to dental care for patients, particularly patients with the most complex treatment needs.

A number of hon. Members raised the much criticised—and that is as far as I will go, the hon. Member for Denton and Reddish will be pleased to know—2006 contract. We are making improvements to ensure that dentists are more fairly remunerated, especially for more complex oral health needs. The one example we hear very often is of dentists getting paid the same for doing one filling as for six fillings. As numerous hon. Members have pointed out, we have also set a £23 minimum UDA value, notwithstanding the points made about the variation around the country.

My hon. Friend the Member for Gloucester raised accountability locally, including to Members of Parliament. In part the answer to that is their coming within the remit and purview of integrated care systems. I have no doubt that my hon. Friend is well aware of the chief executive of his integrated care system, and will know how to contact and meet them on a regular basis.

Richard Graham

The Minister is absolutely right: not only do we know the chief executive, but all Gloucestershire MPs have had regular meetings with them, including one specifically on this issue. That is why I raised the importance of their being given the opportunity to take responsibility, which I hope my hon. Friend will welcome.

Will Quince

I certainly do welcome that, because this is not just about commissioning, but about accountability and oversight.

Our changes will allow NHS commissioners to have more flexibility in commissioning, and I think that is really important, because if they have that flexibility in commissioning additional dental services, they are the ones who know the local need within their area. I want to see far more responsive management of contracts, so if they have underperforming practices and practices that can do more, we should enable such practices to do that. For example, a high-performing practice should be able to deliver beyond its existing contract to make up for the fact that a neighbouring practice is not doing so. That addresses some of the points made by my hon. Friend the Member for Waveney about the clawback of UDA funding at the end of the year, and then its not necessarily being spent on dentistry. As part of that, I also want and expect more transparency. We will make it a requirement for NHS dentists to update the information on their NHS website, so people can see which dentists are accepting new NHS patients for treatment.

On that point, I want to bust the myth about being registered with a dentist. There is no such thing as being registered with a dentist or a dental list. People approach an NHS dentist for specific treatment. They go on their list, register and have the treatment. They can have an ongoing relationship with a dentist, but anyone can book an appointment with any dentist with an NHS contract, regardless of where they live in the country. It is important to get that message out, because when our constituents say to us, “I can’t get a dentist locally”—I want to address that point—I want to ensure that they know that they could travel to a neighbouring town or city. They could travel half way across the country if they wanted to, for example if they had relatives there, if there was a NHS dentist who had capacity to see them.

Wera Hobhouse

Does the Minister recognise that because of the abnormalities of the dental contract, and dentists not knowing which patients they are getting, NHS dentists would rather take a patient whom they already know, and whose history of dental problems or otherwise they know, rather than taking somebody they have never seen? There is a disincentive to take on new patients, but there is a continuity for those who are already with an NHS dentist.

Will Quince

Of course I take that point—it is a fair one—and when those who seek NHS treatment have an ongoing relationship with a dentist, they are more likely to get seen. When considering reforms to the system we will certainly take that point on board.

Sir George Howarth

The description that the Minister gave of the existence, or otherwise, of lists is accurate, but when anyone seeking to get NHS treatment in a dental practice rings up, they are most likely to be told by the receptionist that the practice is not taking NHS patients. The difference between the two situations, while technically correct, is not there in practice. Before he concludes his remarks, will he address the issue I raised about the short-term measures that can be, and I believe should be, taken to improve the situation?

Will Quince

I am conscious of your advice, Madam Deputy Speaker, but I am certainly willing to meet the right hon. Gentleman to consider what short-term measures we can take.

There is so much I want to say about the contract and my ambitions for the future, but politics is the art of the possible and deliverable, and I will be honest and frank with the House, and with stakeholders across the sector, about what we can deliver. We will then work towards what is within the art of the possible. International dentists are a vital part of the UK’s dentistry workforce, and I am happy to meet hon. Members to set out exactly what we are doing. I hope to bring forward legislative changes later this year. On dental training, I would love to talk more about the Advancing Dental Care review and the centre for dental development, but that may have to wait for another day—you have advised me about the time, Madam Deputy Speaker.

Prevention and oral health has been raised by many Members and is an important part of our strategy. I am looking closely at what more we can do with other Departments, especially around supervised toothbrushing, but also fluoridation, which was raised by numerous Members. Access to urgent care is important, and if people struggle to get an appointment they should call 111. This is the beginning of our work to improve NHS dentistry, not the limit of my ambition. This is just the start, and we are committed to long-term improvements, including changes to improve access to urgent care, and further work on workforce and payment reform. In the meantime there is lots we can do to improve access to urgent care, provide better access for new patients, and make important changes to workforce and payment reform. With that short response I hope I have assured hon. Friends and Members that action is being taken now to address the challenges of access to dental care, especially around recruitment and retention. I also want to reassure Members of my personal ambition and passion for bringing about the medium to long-term positive change that we want for NHS dentistry.

21/10/2022
Andrew Gwynne – 2022 Speech on NHS Dentistry

The speech made by Andrew Gwynne, the Labour MP for Denton and Reddish, in the House of Commons on 20 October 2022.

I thank the Backbench Business Committee for granting this important debate, and congratulate the hon. Member for Waveney (Peter Aldous) and my hon. Friend the Member for Bradford South (Judith Cummins) on having secured it. We support the motion in the form in which it has been moved; there is nothing in it that we disagree with. If some of the political arguments are removed from the debate, I think there is consensus across the House as to what the problems are and what needs to be done.

Sir George Howarth

I am sorry to interrupt my hon. Friend so soon. I agree with him about the motion, but I did make the point that there were some short-term measures that could, and should, be taken within the three-month period that the motion envisages before the Government report back on progress.

Andrew Gwynne

My right hon. Friend is absolutely right. There is no reason why the Government cannot expedite action on the issues he mentioned in his contribution and get those improvements in place.

I pay tribute to my right hon. Friend and to my hon. Friends the Members for Blackburn (Kate Hollern) and for Bootle (Peter Dowd), as well as the hon. Members for Bath (Wera Hobhouse), for Mole Valley (Sir Paul Beresford), for Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk (John Lamont), for Gloucester (Richard Graham), for Salisbury (John Glen), for North Devon (Selaine Saxby) and for Loughborough (Jane Hunt), for their contributions.

I welcome the Minister to his place. I am not sure how long he is likely to be at the Department of Health and Social Care, but I hope he is there long enough to implement some of the changes. I am all for a bit of stability in the Department. He is a good person and a good friend, and I wish him well. However, when he comes to the Dispatch Box, he will no doubt seek to deflect from the situation that has been described my Members across the Chamber by saying that we are here today because of the pandemic.

The backlog has not helped—we all acknowledge that; it goes without saying—but the Government’s spend on general dental practices in England has been cut by more than a third over the past decade, with the number of NHS dental practices in England falling by more than 1,200 in the five years prior to the pandemic. My hon. Friend the Member for Bradford South (Judith Cummins) raised that, and it cannot be ignored. It creates the regional imbalances and dental deserts we have heard about. This is not a rural-urban thing; it is a rural and urban thing, sadly. My right hon. Friend the Member for Knowsley (Sir George Howarth), the hon. Member for North Devon (Selaine Saxby) and the right hon. Member for South Holland and The Deepings (Sir John Hayes) spoke about those dental deserts, which are very real.

The Minister’s next line of defence, if I were to guess what the officials have put in his red folder, will be, “It’s all because of the dental contract.” There is some truth in that. It is 16 years since that dental contract was introduced, and it was introduced for a perfectly good reason. There was no golden age of NHS dentistry before it. There is a reason why people of my age have a mouth full of fillings and my children do not. It is not because I did not brush my teeth as much as my children do, and it is not because I ate more sweets than my children do. It is because the emphasis for paying dentists prior to the introduction of the changes was on early treatment that was perhaps not necessary—“drill and fill” is what they called it. We recognised in 2010 that the contract had not worked in the way we hoped it would, and we proposed changes. Of course, we lost that election, but after 12 years of this Government, I am afraid the line will not wash that it is solely the contract, because they have had plenty of time to make changes to that contract and have not.

We hear about the ABCD plan, and I certainly welcome the “D” in it; at least there is a recognition of dentistry. However, like my right hon. Friend the Member for Knowsley, I worry that this kind of “Sesame Street” strategy does not come close to tackling the scale of the emergency that is gripping dental care. All we have heard from the Secretary of State is sticking-plaster solutions that tiptoe around the edges while failing to address the root cause. That is apparent in the Government’s “hit and hope” approach to dentistry. The £50 million of emergency funding announced earlier this year is a prime example. As my hon. Friend the Member for Bootle said, it is a time-limited, inaccessible pot of money that has done precious little to improve access. In fact, figures obtained by the British Dental Association showed that just 17.9% of that funding was drawn down. This is indicative of a sector that has completely lost faith in the Government’s ability to act, and to be frank, I do not blame them, because when we do see action, it does not meet the scale of the crisis, and in some cases it makes things worse.

As we have heard, the geographic, ethnic and socioeconomic disparities affecting access to NHS dentistry are becoming starker by the day. What does the new Health and Social Care Secretary do in response to that problem? She scraps the health disparities White Paper. It is beyond bizarre that in the face of such overwhelming evidence, the Government will not even consider possible solutions—let alone implement them.

I fully support what the hon. Member for Waveney and other hon. Members on both sides of the House have said about education. Dentistry in schools, a prevention strategy and an emphasis on good oral health is absolutely crucial. We would support the Government in implementing that—hopefully sooner rather than later. The consensus and mood is there to get that done, so I hope the Minister will take that up and get going on that opportunity.

As for many issues facing our NHS, much of the problem with NHS dentistry can be traced back to one thing: workforce. Several hon. Members raised that point. Any hope of an NHS recovery must be underpinned by a comprehensive workforce strategy. Where is that strategy? Was it accidentally shredded with the mini-Budget? I am sure the Minister will hail the fact that NHS stats show an increase of 539 dentists practising in 2021-22, compared with the year before. When we drill down beneath the surface, however, there is not much to be positive about.

Those stats are rendered worthless by the fact that a dentist performing a single check-up on the NHS in a 12-month period is weighted the same as one with a full cohort of NHS patients. BDA survey data shows that for every dentist leaving the NHS altogether, a further 10 are significantly reducing their NHS commitment. No matter how much Ministers might try to fudge the numbers, they simply do not add up. We cannot afford more bluff and bluster. We need action, which the Opposition will support.

The outgoing Prime Minister said that dentistry was in her top three priorities for her first 90 days. That now seems rather optimistic given that she is Liz of 44 days, but we really want the Government to act on that commitment. Can we have an update on how things are going?

The Labour party will fund one of the biggest NHS workforce extensions in NHS history. We will double the number of district nurses qualifying every year, train more than 5,000 new health visitors and create an additional 10,000 nursing placements every year. We will fund this transformative expansion by abolishing non-dom tax status. We will give dentistry the staff, equipment and modern technology it needs to get patients seen on time. Labour has a plan. Where on earth is the Government’s?

21/10/2022
Jane Hunt – 2022 Speech on NHS Dentistry

The speech made by Jane Hunt, the Conservative MP for Loughborough, in the House of Commons on 20 October 2022.

I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Waveney (Peter Aldous) and the hon. Member for Bradford South (Judith Cummins) on securing what is clearly an important debate.

I take this opportunity to thank those in the dental profession in Loughborough and across Leicestershire for everything they have done over the past few years and particularly for the way they adapted to implement the huge changes needed to ensure the safety of their patients throughout the covid-19 pandemic. This year I have met with nearly all the dentists in my constituency, who have highlighted a number of issues they face and the impact they have on the profession and the patient experience more broadly.

Richard Graham

The points my hon. Friend is making are particularly important to constituencies such as hers, which have towns but are also rural.

Jane Hunt

I thank my hon. Friend, who is a true hero in every way.

One concern is about the UDA system, with the recurring message being that the system in its current form is not fit for purpose. I welcome the package of initial reforms to the NHS dental contract announced in July, in particular the introduction of enhanced UDAs to support higher-needs patients.

However, the reforms do not address my local dentists’ concerns that the current system is based on rewarding reactive treatment, rather than preventive, meaning that dentists are driven to do the minimum necessary to meet the terms of the target. That is a source of frustration for some, who have expressed their preference for being remunerated for using their initiative and working in the best interests of their patients.

Furthermore, while it is welcome that a minimum indicative UDA value of £23 has been introduced, UDA payments are not rising in line with increasing overhead costs, which is devaluing contracts and, in some cases, leaving dentists out of pocket. That was highlighted recently during a conversation I had with Bupa in Loughborough. Bupa expressed that that is compounded by the fact that UDA payments vary geographically, so that a UDA is worth £36 in its Sheffield practices but only £24 in its Loughborough one. Finally, the reforms do not address the issue of dentists not being given leeway under their contracts for last-minute cancellations and no-shows, even though they can lead to missed targets. I ask that this be urgently reviewed, so that we do not punish dentists for trying their hardest to continue to provide the care needed.

It is clear that there is still a way to go to make NHS dental contracts more attractive, both in terms of the nature of the dentistry performed and the level of financial reimbursement received for services performed. I fear that if the Government do not continue to work at speed, we will lose even more NHS dentists through early retirement, a reduction in time spent completing NHS work, or a full move into private practice. That would be detrimental to patient care and the availability of NHS appointments. I know that the former Minister of State for Health, my hon. Friend the Member for Lewes (Maria Caulfield), was working hard to review UDA contracts, and I would welcome confirmation from her successor that they will continue that hard work.

As well as difficulties retaining dentists, I have been informed that locally, we are having difficulties recruiting them. One reason for that is that there is no dentistry school in the east midlands, our nearest being in Sheffield and Birmingham, and students are choosing to enter into the workplace close to where they study. That is causing supply issues in the NHS service, and has created a gap in the market that is being filled by private dentists with a focus on cosmetics. We therefore need to ensure we are training up enough dentists and providing them with incentives to move away from where they are studying to areas with greater demand. Bupa has also advocated for putting dental practitioners on the shortage occupation list in order to increase overseas recruitment and fill shortages, then upskilling those practitioners via short courses to meet UK standards. Could the Minister please comment on the actions being taken to increase the number of dentists from overseas?

I am very concerned that NHS England has proposed closing the intermediate minor oral surgery service in Loughborough, meaning that local residents will have to go as far as Leicester for treatment. That city is some considerable way away, and there has been a recent cut in bus services, the No. 2 bus service in particular. Loughborough is effectively Leicestershire’s county town, so there is more than enough demand there for that service. Closing the centre will only increase pressures on the Leicester centre, extending waiting times and further impacting on patient care. That centralisation of services does not meet the needs of the patient, and I ask that the Minister look with some urgency at local services’ availability throughout the country, especially throughout Leicestershire.

Having listened to the whole of today’s debate, it has been very interesting: there are a small number of points that need to be addressed, which have been made by Members from all across the Chamber and all over the country. I do not think this is an insurmountable problem to solve, and I feel sure that the Minister will be able to address it.

21/10/2022