reform – The NEN – North Edinburgh News

Starmer scraps NHS England, the ‘world’s largest quango’

Ending NHS England will ‘reduce bureaucracy, make savings and empower NHS staff to deliver better care for patients’

Major reforms to empower NHS staff and put patients first
Changes will drive efficiency and empower staff to deliver better care as part of Prime Minister’s Plan for Change
Move will reduce complex bureaucracy and undo the damage caused by 2012 reorganisation

Reforms to reduce bureaucracy, make savings and empower NHS staff to deliver better care for patients have been set out today by the Prime Minister, Keir Starmer.

NHS England will be brought back into the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) to put an end to the duplication resulting from 2 organisations doing the same job in a system currently holding staff back from delivering for patients.

By stripping back layers of red tape and bureaucracy, more resources will be put back into the front line rather than being spent on unnecessary admin.

The reforms will reverse the 2012 top-down reorganisation of the NHS which created burdensome layers of bureaucracy without any clear lines of accountability. As Lord Darzi’s independent investigation into the state of the NHS found, the effects of this are still felt today and have left patients worse off under a convoluted and broken system.

The current system also penalises hardworking staff at NHS England and DHSC who desperately want to improve the lives of patients but who are being held back by the current overly bureaucratic and fragmented system.

Health and Social Care Secretary, Wes Streeting, said: “This is the final nail in the coffin of the disastrous 2012 reorganisation, which led to the longest waiting times, lowest patient satisfaction and most expensive NHS in history.

“When money is so tight, we cannot justify such a complex bureaucracy with 2 organisations doing the same jobs. We need more doers and fewer checkers, which is why I’m devolving resources and responsibilities to the NHS frontline.

“NHS staff are working flat out but the current system sets them up to fail. These changes will support the huge number of capable, innovative and committed people across the NHS to deliver for patients and taxpayers.

“Just because reform is difficult does not mean it should not be done. This government will never duck the hard work of reform.

“We will take on vested interests and change the status quo, so the NHS can once again be there for you when you need it.”

Sir James Mackey, who will be taking over as Transition CEO of NHS England, said: “We know that while unsettling for our staff, today’s announcement will bring welcome clarity as we focus on tackling the significant challenges ahead and delivering on the government’s priorities for patients.

“From managing the COVID pandemic, the biggest and most successful vaccine campaign which got the country back on its feet, to introducing the latest, most innovative new treatments for patients, NHS England has played a vital role in improving the nation’s health. I have always been exceptionally proud to work for the NHS – and our staff in NHS England have much to be proud of.

“But we now need to bring NHS England and DHSC together so we can deliver the biggest bang for our buck for patients, as we look to implement the 3 big shifts – analogue to digital, sickness to prevention and hospital to community – and build an NHS fit for the future.”

Incoming NHS England chair, Dr Penny Dash, said: “I am committed to working with Jim, the board and wider colleagues at NHS England to ensure we start 2025 to 2026 in the strongest possible position to support the wider NHS to deliver consistently high-quality care for patients and value for money for taxpayers.

“I will also be working closely with Alan Milburn to lead the work to bring together NHS England and DHSC to reduce duplication and streamline functions.”

Work will begin immediately to return many of NHS England’s current functions to DHSC. A longer-term programme of work will deliver the changes to bring NHS England back into the department, while maintaining a ‘laser-like focus’ on the government’s priorities to cut waiting times and responsibly manage finances.

It will also realise the untapped potential of the NHS as a single payer system, using its centralised model to procure cutting-edge technology more rapidly, get a better deal for taxpayers on procurement and work more closely with the life sciences sector to develop the treatments of the future.

The reforms to deliver a more efficient, leaner centre will also free up capacity and help deliver significant savings of hundreds of millions of pounds a year, which will be reinvested in frontline services to cut waiting times through the government’s Plan for Change.

The changes will crucially also give more power and autonomy to local leaders and systems – instead of weighing them down in increasing mountains of red tape, they will be given the tools and trust they need to deliver health services for the local communities they serve with more freedom to tailor provision to meet local needs.

The number of people working in the centre has more than doubled since 2010, when the NHS delivered the shortest waiting times and highest patient satisfaction in its history. Today, the NHS delivers worse care for patients but is more expensive than ever, meaning that taxpayers are paying more but getting less.

Too much centralisation and over-supervision has led to a tangled bureaucracy, which focuses on compliance and box-ticking, rather than patient care, value for money and innovation. In one example, highlighted by Dame Patricia Hewitt’s 2023 review, one integrated care system received 97 ad-hoc requests in a month from DHSC and NHS England, in addition to the 6 key monthly, 11 weekly and 3 daily data returns.

The review also revealed the challenges caused by duplication – citing examples of tensions, wasted time and needless frictional costs generated by uncoordinated pursuit of organisational goals that do not take account of their wider effects.

Substantial reform, not just short term investment, is needed to deliver the government’s Plan for Change mission to get the NHS back on its feet and fit for the future, and this announcement is one of a series of steps the government is taking to make the NHS more productive and resilient so that it can meet the needs of the population it cares for.

NHS England’s new leadership team, Sir Jim Mackey and Dr Penny Dash, will lead this transformation while re-asserting financial discipline and continuing to deliver on the government’s priority of cutting waiting times through the Plan for Change.

These reforms will provide the structure necessary to drive forward the 3 big shifts identified by government as crucial to building an NHS fit for the future – analogue to digital, sickness to prevention and hospital to community.

Since July, the government has already taken significant steps to get the NHS back on its feet, including bringing an end to the resident doctor strikes, delivering an extra 2 million appointments 7 months early and cutting waiting lists by 193,000 since July.

Commenting on the Prime Minister’s announcement that NHS England is to be abolished, UNISON general secretary Christina McAnea said: “Everyone wants more to be spent on frontline services so the sick and injured can be treated sooner.

“Delays and long waits for operations and appointments have left several million unable to work, with a knock-on effect on economic growth.

“More of a focus and greater investment in the entire NHS team of staff, not just nurses and doctors, would help turn around the fortunes of a floundering NHS.

“Put simply the health service needs thousands more staff and to be able to hold on to experienced employees. At the moment, it’s struggling to do that. Giving staff a decent pay rise would help no end.

“But this announcement will have left NHS England staff reeling. Just days ago they learned their numbers were to be slashed by half, now they discover their employer will cease to exist.

“The way the news of the axing has been handled is nothing short of shambolic. It could surely have been managed in a more sympathetic way.

“Thousands of expert staff will be left wondering what their future holds. Wherever possible, their valuable skills must be redeployed and used to the benefit of the reformed NHS and patients.

“Ministers have to reassure employees right across the NHS that there’s a robust plan to rejuvenate a flailing NHS and deliver for working people.”

Following Sir Keir Starmer’s announcement to scrap NHS England, a leading cybersecurity expert has warned the move could leave the health service dangerously exposed to cyberattacks.

While the proposed reforms aim to cut bureaucracy and streamline services, he warns that removing NHS England’s centralised cybersecurity infrastructure is “like a hospital suddenly removing its emergency department and expecting patients to fend for themselves.”

Graeme Stewart, head of public sector at Check Point Software, said, “While the Prime Minister’s sweeping reforms cover everything from cutting red tape to reining in bureaucracy, one critical area must not be left in the lurch: our cybersecurity defences. Scrapping NHS England’s centralised services is not just a bureaucratic shake-up; it’s like a hospital suddenly removing its emergency department and expecting patients to fend for themselves.

“At present, NHS England provides the backbone for our cyber defences, from a unified email service to specialised threat protection. Removing these central functions risks leaving individual NHS Trusts to fend off cyberattacks with a patchwork of under-resourced teams. As the adage goes, ‘a chain is only as strong as its weakest link,’ and our cyber chain is already under severe strain with attacks on the rise.

“Moreover, dismantling these central services could open the door for a surge of third-party suppliers to step in. While more suppliers might seem like a win for competition, it also fragments our defence and leaves us vulnerable; each new supplier is a potential weak link in our security armour.

“We need a robust, unified security system that acts like a digital fortress, not a hodgepodge of outsourced patches. In the midst of these broad reforms, let’s ensure the cyber element isn’t left out in the cold. Our digital defences must be retained or replaced with an equally robust solution; otherwise, we’re setting the stage for a cyber disaster.”

First Minister to convene gathering on ‘democracy and respect’

A new initiative to unite Scotland together against extremism

First Minister John Swinney will convene a pivotal gathering of Scottish society to work together and unite Scotland against the “increasingly extreme far right”.

Representatives from key organisations across Scotland including churches, trades unions and charities will be invited to attend a gathering in April, alongside the leaders of Scotland’s parliamentary parties.

Speaking at a press conference at Bute House, following the passage of the 2025-26 Budget, the First Minister said the new gathering will be an opportunity renew public trust in politics and unite Scotland in a common cause – “for democracy and respect.”

The First Minister said: “At the start of the year, I warned that failure to pass the budget would send a signal that Parliament and politics could not deliver. That failure would only serve the interests of an increasingly extreme far right and leave devolution dangerously exposed.

“But the budget has passed, and a different story can be told. Yesterday’s vote demonstrated that partnership and collaboration are possible. And that is something precious, something vitally important itself.

“But we must do more. It is time to come together to draw a line in the sand. To set out who we are and what we believe in.

“The threat from the far right is real. But that leaves me all the more convinced that working together is not only the right choice, but the only choice.

“That is why I want to share a new initiative to bring Scotland together in common cause. I want us to work together to agree a common approach to asserting the values of our country, to bringing people together and creating a cohesive society where everyone feels at home.

“It was a mobilisation of mainstream Scotland that delivered our parliament a quarter of a century ago. And I have no doubt, it is only by mobilising mainstream Scotland that we can protect those things we care most about, those things that are most important to us today.”

The First Minister will write to all party leaders and the leaders of civic organisations with the details of the upcoming gathering in due course.

A new initiative to bring Scotland together: First Minister’s speech – 26 February 2025 –

Gender Recognition Reform: Women’s groups call for clarity following Nicola Sturgeon comments

‘WOMEN ARE STILL WATCHING’

Statement on our letter of 22 December to Nicola Sturgeon MSP.

The text of the letter can be read here:

22 December 2024

Dear Ms Sturgeon

We are groups based in Scotland concerned about threats to women’s rights, as protected in domestic and international law. This time two years ago, many of us were sitting in the public gallery of the Scottish Parliament as MSPs voted for the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill.

In the run up to this, we engaged extensively and seriously with the government’s proposals to move to a system of self-declaration for gender recognition. We submitted detailed written evidence to the Scottish Government consultation. We also provided written and/or oral evidence to the parliamentary committee tasked with scrutinising the bill at Stage One.

Most of us wrote to and met with our MSPs in the months and years before the bill was introduced, and encouraged and assisted other women to do so. We undertook detailed work and analysis on the government’s proposals, highlighting the risks to women and girls. We organised meetings, street stalls and rallies with hundreds of other Scottish women, or attended those. In fact, this issue attracted some of the largest rallies that have ever been seen outside the Scottish Parliament in 25 years of devolution. Our campaigning efforts were widely covered in the Scottish press.

It was clear that getting the bill passed was a personal priority for you.

We watched as you dismissed concerns raised by women like us as ‘not valid’, comparing objectors to your proposals to racists and homophobes.

In the last week, you are reported to have said:

“There are people who have muscled their way into that debate no doubt because they are transphobic but also because they want to push back rights generally.” (Diva, 16 December 2024)

“There were forces that muscled into that debate who, I think, you know, had a bigger agenda in terms of rights more generally.” (The Guardian, 16 December 2024)

You are not the first politician to make such a claim. However, your prominence as Scotland’s longest serving first minister, and its first female first minister, mean that your comments carry weight. You have also intimated that you intend to write about this episode in your forthcoming autobiography.

If you believe that there are groups or individuals with an agenda to ‘push back rights generally’ who are ‘muscling in’ on Scottish politics, you have a duty to state who or what you believe they are, and how you believe they are operating in Scotland, as precisely as possible. Then, the influence of any such groups or individuals can be properly investigated and challenged, as necessary.

As it stands, regardless of your intentions, a person might reasonably believe you are referring to those groups or individuals who played a leading part in criticising the Scottish Government’s proposals.

We therefore invite you to move away from dropping broad hints of potential wide application, and to take the more responsible step of making clear who you do, and do not, mean in the comments above, and to put the evidence on which your comments are based into the public domain without delay.

Yours,

For Women Scotland
MurrayBlackburnMackenzie
Scottish Feminist Network
Scottish Lesbians
Women’s Rights Network Scotland
Women Voting With Our Feet
Women Won’t Wheesht

TUC: ‘Huge support’ for Government’s plan to make work pay

The landmark Employment Rights Bill is ‘vote winner’

Voters in every constituency overwhelmingly support key measures to strengthen workers’ rights, according to new polling published by the TUC and Hope Not Hate today.

In recent months, there has been criticism of the Bill from Conservative and Reform politicians and parts of the business lobby.

But this polling decisively proves that those opponents are a world away from the views of the British public.

The public wants stronger worker protections

The poll of over 21,000 people reveals huge backing across the country and across the political spectrum – including with Reform and Conservative voters – for key policies in the Bill. The poll shows:

Banning zero hours contracts by giving workers a contract that reflects their regular hours: More than 7 in 10 (72%) of UK voters support a ban on zero hours contracts – including 2 in 3 Reform (65%) and Conservative (63%) voters from the 2024 general election support banning zero hours contracts. The figure is even higher with those saying they would vote Conservative (65%) and Reform (67%) if there was a general election held tomorrow. Just 15% oppose the policy.
Giving all workers statutory sick pay from day one: 3 in 4 (74%) voters support giving all workers the right to statutory sick pay, and ensuring it is paid from the first day – including 2 in 3 Reform (64%) and Conservative (62%) voters from the 2024 general election. The figure is even higher with those saying they would vote Conservative (65%) and Reform (66%) if there was a general election held tomorrow. Just 14 % oppose the policy.
Giving all workers protection from unfair dismissal from day one: 3 in 4 (73%) voters support giving all workers protection from unfair dismissal from the first day in the job – including 2 in 3 Reform (62%) and Conservative (62%) voters from the 2024 general election. The figure is even higher with those saying they would vote Conservative (65%) and Reform (64%) if there was a general election held tomorrow. Just 14% oppose the policy.
Making it easier for people to have flexibility in their patterns or hours of work: 3 in 4 (74%) voters support making it easier to work flexibly – including 2 in 3 Reform (63%) and Conservative (64%) voters from the 2024 general election. The figure is even higher with those saying they would vote Conservative (67%) and Reform (65%) if there was a general election held tomorrow. Just 12% oppose the policy.

Break down by constituency level

The poll breaks down to constituency level – and reveals that voters in every single constituency are behind the Bill’s flagship policies.

Click on the interactive map below to see how each constituency voted. Use the search field to find your constituency, and the drop-down menu at the top to view data for each policy.

https://flo.uri.sh/visualisation/21515919/embed?auto=1

A Flourish map

Reform is defying its own voters on workers’ rights

Interestingly, the new poll shows the measures the government is taking through Parliament are hugely popular with Reform voters from 2024 as well as Reform-leaning voters (those who would vote Reform if there was an election tomorrow).

In every Reform-held constituency, including in Reform leader Nigel Farage’s seat, there is significant support for banning zero hours contracts and giving sick pay to everyone from day one.

And yet Reform MPs have voted against the Bill at every stage. The party are defying their own voters and constituents on workers’ rights. This proves beyond doubt that Nigel Farage and Reform aren’t on the side of working people – they’re on the side of bad bosses, zero hours contracts and fire and rehire.

Labour, Conservative, Green and Lib Dem voters also significantly back the policies. It’s clear that the Employment Rights Bill is that rare thing – a policy which is genuinely popular across traditional party lines.

Time for change

After the failed Conservative era of a low-rights, low-pay, and low-growth economy, voters can see the importance of making work pay and ending the scourge of insecure work.

That’s why the government must ignore the noise and deliver the Employment Rights Bill in full.

Improving job quality and putting more money into people’s pockets is an urgent national mission and a key plank of the government’s wider plan to grow the economy. Those who defend the broken status quo are simply putting their own vested interests above working people.

Voters across the political spectrum want work to pay and to feel secure and respected in their jobs. The government has a historic opportunity – and an electoral mandate – to make work pay. The plan to make work pay is hugely popular, and this poll should give ministers the confidence to deliver it in full.

Double jobbing no more: Modernising Scottish Elections

Bill will ‘strengthen democratic process’

Legislation which will enhance Scotland’s democratic processes has been backed unanimously by the Scottish Parliament.

The Scottish Elections (Representation and Reform) Bill has passed its final stage, maintaining and improving Scotland’s robust electoral system.

The Bill contains a mix of technical and other improvements such as improving candidate and campaigner safety and advancing candidacy rights.

The new law introduces a ban on people from being MSPs if they are convicted of a sexual offence or subject to a sexual offence order.

In addition, MSPs will be barred from also being an MP or Peer through regulations to be brought forward in 2025 so they can be in place in time for the 2026 Scottish elections. The details of the regulations will be informed through a consultation beginning next month.

Parliamentary Business Minister Jamie Hepburn said: “Since 1999 the Scottish Parliament has improved participation, extended voting rights, and enabled more people to stand for election and this legislation seeks to continue the evolution of our democracy.

“It will modernise Scottish elections and take important steps to safeguard our democracy for voters, candidates and administrators.

“Through positive cross-party working, we have agreed a robust set of improvements to the law, which will deliver real benefits to voters and prospective candidates.”

Background

Scottish Elections (Representation and Reform) Bill | Scottish Parliament Website

Chancellor: Every pound spent will deliver Plan for Change

Prime Minister’s Plan for Change at heart of Spending Review, which will drive reform and root out waste.
Every pound of government spending to be interrogated to ensure it represents value for money for working people.
External experts will scrutinise budgets, bringing ideas, expertise and innovation of the private sector into the heart of government.

Government departments will be expected to find savings and efficiencies in their budgets, in a push to drive out waste in the public sector and ensure all funding is focused on the government’s priorities.

Every single pound the government spends will be subjected to a line-by-line review to make sure it’s being spent to deliver the Plan for Change and that it is value for money, as the Chancellor Rachel Reeves yesterday (Tuesday 10 December) launched the next round of government spending.

It will be the first time in over a decade and a half that government departments have been asked to take such an approach, with what’s called a “zero-based review” last undertaken 17 years ago.

Rachel Reeves will today begin her work with government departments and reiterate that they cannot operate in a business-as-usual way when reviewing their budgets for the coming years, as the new government continues to fix the foundations after inheriting a £22bn black hole, alongside crumbling public services and damaged public finances.

Secretaries of State across government will need to allocate their budgets to ensure that government spending is focused on the Prime Minister’s Plan for Change, and that every pound of taxpayers’ money is spent well. The Chancellor will work with departments to prioritise spending that supports the milestones to deliver the Plan.

This includes boosting growth to put more money in working people’s pockets, fixing the NHS, creating safer streets, making Britain a clean energy super-power and giving every child the best start in life while strengthening our borders, national security and the economy.

Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves said: “By totally rewiring how the government spends money we will be able to deliver our Plan for Change and focus on what matters for working people. The previous government allowed millions of pounds of taxpayers’ money to go to waste on poor value for money projects. We will not tolerate it; I said I would have an iron grip on the public finances and that means taking an iron fist against waste.

“By reforming our public services, we will ensure they are up to scratch for modern day demands, saving money and delivering better services for people across the country. That’s why we will inspect every pound of government spend, so that it goes to the right places and we put an end to all waste.”

The Prime Minister has been clear that public services must reform if they are to be put on a sustainable footing in the long-term, so that outcomes can be improved for people who depend on services every day.

Yesterday’s announcement builds on the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster yesterday launching a £100 million fund to pioneer public service reform and deliver the Government’s Plan for Change, by deploying new test-and-learn teams into public services across the country.

They will be empowered to experiment and innovate to fix the public sector’s biggest challenges, working towards the Government’s ambitious and far-reaching reform programme that will seek to break down Whitehall silos and galvanise government as it seeks to deliver the Plan for Change.

Departments will ensure budgets are scrutinised by challenge panels of external experts including former senior management of Lloyd’s Banking Group, Barclays Bank and the Co-operative Group. Panels will bring an independent view to what government spend is or isn’t necessary, with a mixture of expertise from local delivery partners, think tanks, academic experts and private sector backgrounds.

In letters sent by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, departments will be advised that where spending is not contributing to a priority, it should be stopped. Although some of these decisions will be difficult, the Chancellor is clear that the public must have trust in the government that it is rooting out waste and that their taxes are being spent on their priorities.

Work has already begun on evaluating poor value for money spend, with an evaluation into the £6.5m spent on Social Workers in Schools programme, which placed social workers in schools, finding no evidence of positive impact on social care outcomes, meaning the intervention was not considered cost-effective.

The Government has made clear it will not shy away from taking the difficult decisions needed to fix the foundations, as shown by the Chancellor’s decisions at the Budget to balance the books.

Departments will be expected to work closely together to identify how their work contributes to the Government’s missions, meeting in mission clusters throughout the process to agree priorities and links.

Throughout this process, the ideas, expertise and innovation of the private sector will be sought out and brought right into the heart of government.

An online portal will also be launched to give businesses the opportunity to put forward policy proposals for the Spending Review, including on how government can deliver public services more efficiently or effectively. These representations will be collated and shared with departments for consideration in their submissions.

Has Holyrood become Scotland’s biggest council?

THINK TANK AND FORMER COUNCIL CHIEF EXECUTIVES JOIN FORCES

Reform Scotland and the Mercat Group collaborate on ideas for local decentralisation
Former local authority chiefs ask: “Has Holyrood become Scotland’s biggest Council?”

Reform Scotland, the non-partisan think tank, and The Mercat Group, an informal network of former chief executives of Scottish local authorities with over 220 years of public service between them, including 70 years as chief executives, are today announcing a collaboration.

Jointly, Reform Scotland and The Mercat Group will advocate for decentralisation of power from the Scottish Parliament to local authorities, along the lines originally envisaged by the architects of the devolution project.

The collaboration begins today with an article – Parliament or Council?: 25 years of evidence – written on behalf of the Mercat Group by Bill Howat, former Chief Executive of Comhairle Nan Eilean Siar, in which he states that “any reasonable, rational review of that evidence could only conclude that it has not been a success in terms of devolving power beyond Edinburgh”.

Bill Howat, former Chief Executive of Comhairle Nan Eilean Siar said: “Any reasonable, rational review of that evidence could only conclude that it has not been a success in terms of devolving power beyond Edinburgh. In fact, all the evidence points to growing centralisation of power in Holyrood. That is not good for local democracy, nor does it seem like good governance.

“There is now a need to revisit and reset the way all public services in Scotland are organised, delivered and financed. We should create a Scottish Civic Convention to take forward the public conversation necessary to conduct such a review.

“There may be other options but the central aim should be to develop a transition plan to ensure decisions on the delivery of all public services are taken at the lowest local level consistent with democratic and financial accountability.

“Scottish local government is in danger of becoming the delivery arm of the Scottish Government; indeed some would argue we have already reached that position. We might fairly ask: has Holyrood become Scotland’s biggest council?”

Chris Deerin, Director of Reform Scotland, said: “At a quarter-century old, now is the time to re-examine those areas of devolution which have not delivered as we all hoped they would. Local government is one of these.

“Other countries enjoy the benefits of properly empowered local government, fulfilling most of the day-to-day operational roles upon which people depend, with central government adopting a more strategic outlook.

“In Scotland, we are failing to realise the potential of local freedom and diversity. Decentralisation is long overdue, and we are delighted to be teaming up with the Mercat Group to generate the ideas needed to make it happen.”

Bill Howat’s blog – Parliament or Council?: 25 years of evidence – can be read here

Starmer set to unveil Plan for Change

Later this week the Prime Minister will set out ambitious milestones for change that will deliver ‘real, tangible improvement to the lives of working people across the country’

PM to galvanise action across government and beyond with radical next phase of Mission delivery
Measurable milestones will be set out in new Plan for Change, that will put working people’s priorities first
Relentless prioritisation will ensure that the government delivers for working people this Parliament

The Prime Minister will set out ambitious milestones for change that will deliver real, tangible improvement to the lives of working people across the country in this Parliament, later this week.

The Plan for Change will mark the next phase of Mission-led government, as the PM continues to take an unrelenting approach to delivering on the priorities of working people.

The Missions – growing the economy, an NHS fit for the future, safer streets, secure power through clean energy and opportunity for all – are part of a decade of national renewal, built on the foundations of a stable economy, national security and secure borders.

The government has already made significant progress on its Missions since July; fixing the foundations of the country and kicking off the first steps to deliver real change. This has included stabilising the economy, establishing a new Border Security Command that will smash the gangs and tackle small boat crossings, and investing an extra £22bn building an NHS fit for the future including an extra 40,000 appointments.

This action has all taken place having inherited the unprecedented twin challenges of crumbling public services and crippled public finances. The government has had to make difficult decisions, including reforming agricultural property relief and targeting the winter fuel allowance.

Having taken action to fix the foundations and kick off the First Steps, the Plan for Change will set out ambitious but achievable milestones on the Missions that will be reached by the end of the Parliament, driving real improvements in the lives of working people.

Achieving them will demand that the attention and resources of government are relentlessly focused on making sure the Missions are delivering on what matters most to working people in every corner of the UK.

The milestones are part of the Prime Minister’s drive to do government radically differently, and will reflect the priorities of working people, allowing them to hold government to account on its progress.

Work to deliver them will be underpinned by innovation and reform, alongside close working with partners across business, civil society, and local government.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: “This Plan for Change is the most ambitious yet honest programme for government in a generation.

“Mission-led government does not mean picking milestones because they are easy or will happen anyway. It means relentlessly driving real improvements in the lives of working people.

“We are already fixing the foundations and have kicked-started our first steps for change, stabilising the economy, setting up a new Border Security Command, and investing £22bn in an NHS that is fit for the future.

“Our Plan for Change is the next phase of delivering this government’s mission. Some may oppose what we are doing and no doubt there will be obstacles along the way, but this government was elected on mandate of change and our plan reflects the priorities of working people.

“Given the unprecedented challenges we have inherited we will not achieved this by simply doing more of the same which is why investment comes alongside a programme of innovation and reform.”

The relentless prioritisation will be at the heart of the choices made in the next Spending Review – which will look at every pound the government spends, line by line, taking a zero-based approach to how departments are funded.

The milestones will be underpinned by an ‘ambitious programme of public sector reform’, building on the reform work already started on planning, national infrastructure, pensions, industrial strategy, and the labour market.

As part of this work, the Prime Minister will also charge the new Cabinet Secretary and all Cabinet Ministers to reform Whitehall so that it is geared to Mission delivery rather than working in the traditional silos that focus on fiefdoms not outcomes.

Transparency needed on spending risks and plans for public services

Public services will come under further threat if the Scottish Government does not set out and deliver a clear and costed vision for public service reform, says Scotland’s spending watchdog Audit Scotland.

Spending pressures have become more acute in recent years and are forecast to grow. But ministers have continued to rely on short-term decisions to balance the books, rather than making fundamental changes to how services are delivered.

Public service reform is a key component of the Scottish Government’s approach to fiscal sustainability. But there is no evidence of large-scale change on the ground, while the Scottish Government:

has not yet fully established effective governance arrangements for a reform programme
does not know what additional funding is required to support reform
and has not provided enough leadership to help public sector bodies deliver change.

The Scottish Government has not been transparent enough with the Scottish Parliament or the public about the medium-term risks it is facing.

The medium-term financial strategy and financial plans for the NHS and infrastructure investment have all been delayed. The absence of these documents makes scrutiny of the current uncertain financial situation more difficult.

Stephen Boyle, Auditor General for Scotland, said: ““People do not fully understand the medium-term risks public services are facing because of a lack of transparency from the Scottish Government.

“The reality is that we need a fundamental change to how public money is spent to ensure services can meet demand and remain affordable beyond the short-term.

“To turn that into action on the ground, the Scottish Government must set out a clearer vision of what its plans for reform will achieve, including delivery milestones and the likely impact of reform on services and people.”

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Westminster: Biggest overhaul in a generation to children’s social care

The UK Government will today embark on major reform to end years of neglect of the children’s social care support system – breaking the cycle of late intervention and helping keep families together wherever possible so every child has the opportunity to thrive.

A wide range of new reform measures will be set out in Parliament to deliver better outcomes and a more secure life for children across the country. The government will empower social workers, and all those that work with children, to take action against children’s placements providers that deliver subpar standards of care at sky-high costs to councils and focus the system on early intervention.

It comes as local government spending on looked after children has ballooned from £3.1 billion in 2009/10 to £7 billion in 2022/23, with social workers all too often burdened by heavy caseloads, struggling to deliver the help that children and families need before problems escalate.

Bridget Phillipson, Education Secretary, said: “Our care system has suffered from years of drift and neglect. It’s bankrupting councils, letting families down, and above all, leaving too many children feeling forgotten, powerless and invisible.

“We want to break down the barriers to opportunity and end the cycle of crisis through ambitious reforms to give vulnerable children the best life chances – because none of us thrive until all of us do.

“We will crack down on care providers making excessive profit, tackle unregistered and unsafe provision and ensure earlier intervention to keep families together and help children to thrive.”

One of the most entrenched challenges facing children and social workers is some private providers, that are siphoning off money that should be going towards vulnerable children, making excessive profits or running unregistered homes that don’t meet the right standards of care.

According to analysis by the Local Government Association, there are now over 1,500 children in placements each costing the equivalent of over £0.5 million every year, while the largest 15 private providers make an average of 23 per cent profit.

New rules will require key placements providers – those that provide homes for the most children – to share their finances with the government, allowing profiteering to be challenged. Increasing financial transparency will ensure the providers that have the biggest impact on the market don’t unexpectedly go under and leave children without a home.

There will also be a “backstop” law to put a limit on the profit providers can make, that the government will introduce if providers do not voluntarily put an end to profiteering.

Not-for-profit providers and those backed by social investment are being called on to come forward to set up homes to strengthen the system.

To protect quality and safety in children’s homes, Ofsted will also be given new powers to issue civil fines to providers, working more quickly to deter unscrupulous behaviour than with existing criminal powers.

More widely, the government is beginning the process of rebalancing the whole children’s social care system in favour of early intervention, giving every family the legal right to be involved in decisions made about children entering the care system.

Further plans for funding for children’s social care including investment in preventative services, are set to be laid out in the coming weeks in the upcoming Local Government Finance Settlement.

Cllr Arooj Shah, Chair of the Local Government Association’s Children and Young People Board, said: “It is positive to see the Government building on recent progress following the Independent Review of Children’s Social Care, and pursuing an approach rooted in what we know works for children and their families.

“We are particularly pleased to see an ongoing focus on early help and family networks, and a strong commitment to tackling profiteering and other problems in the market for children’s social care placements.

“Moving forward, progress will be limited by the significant funding and workforce challenges within children’s social care, councils and amongst partners more widely.

“It is vital that the Government uses the forthcoming Spending Review to ensure that all those working to keep children safe and to help them thrive have the resources they need to do that well.”

Children’s Commissioner Dame Rachel de Souza said: “Every child deserves to grow up safe, happy, healthy and engaged in their communities and in their education. With this Bill we have an opportunity to repair how we treat childhood in this country.

“Children are paying the price of a broken social care system that allows profits over protection. They are enduring things no child should ever have to: living in isolation in illegal children’s homes, often at enormous cost, deprived of their liberty without due process, often surrounded by security guards instead of receiving love and care.

“Children in the social care system today are living week to week in limbo. They need action without delay, not plans or strategies, so I welcome the urgency with which this government is setting out plans to tackle some of the most entrenched challenges. There must be no limits on our ambition for these children and I will look forward to working closely with ministers to push for radical reform.”

Sir Martyn Oliver, Ofsted’s Chief Inspector said: “These new powers will allow Ofsted to do more to make sure all children’s homes are safe and nurturing places, and to combat illegal and poor-quality homes quickly and effectively.

“We welcome these reforms and stand ready to deliver the Government’s new asks as soon as possible.”

Sarah Cardell, CEO of the CMA, said: “We are pleased to see the government taking this next step towards reforming the children’s social care market, in line with our recommendations.

“Our market study found multiple concerns – including a shortage of appropriate places – which need to be tackled to ensure vulnerable children and young people are getting the homes they need. We will continue to work with the government to make sure the plan delivers longstanding improvements.”

Other key measures set to be announced today include:

New powers for Ofsted to investigate multiple homes being run by the same company, acting on the recommendations made in response to the vile abuse uncovered at the Hesley group of children’s homes.
Delivery of the manifesto commitment to introduce a consistent child identifier, making sure information can be shared between professionals so they can intervene before issues escalate.
The requirement for every council to have ‘multi-agency’ child safeguarding teams, involving children’s schools and teachers, stopping children from falling through the cracks.
The requirement for all local authorities to offer the Staying Close programme – a package of support which enables care leavers to find and keep accommodation, alongside access to practical and emotional help, up to the age of 21, ending the cliff-edge of support many experience at 18. 
A new duty on parents where if their child is subject to a child protection enquiry, or on a child protection plan, they will need local authority consent to home educate that child.

The government will continue to work closely with the sector and local authorities as these changes are introduced to ensure the best possible outcomes for all children and young people, and their families.