∼ Day 3 ∼

How do we future proof the NHS?
Institute of Economic Affairs and TaxPayers’ Alliance

Speakers: Nerissa Chesterfield, Communications Officer, Institute of Economic Affairs (Chair); Alex Wild, Research Director, TaxPayers’ Alliance; James Bartholomew, Author of The Welfare of Nations; Kate Andrews, News Editor, Institute of Economic Affairs

Bright Blue and Hanover Housing Association: Solutions for Social Care

Panel: Ryan Shorthouse (Chair; Director, Bright Blue), Alice Thomson (Columnist, The Times), Richard Humphries (The King’s Fund), Cllr Izzi Seccombe (Leader, Warwickshire County Council), Dame Clare Tickell DBE (Chief Executive, Hanover Housing Association)

Izzi Seccombe introduced the subject of social care from a county council perspective, with funding challenges and increasing demand. She welcomed additional funding from the spring budget but raised the question of what would happen if it ran out, calling on the Government to engage with councils whilst drawing up its green paper.

Richard Humphries set out a series of six ‘key tests’ for a new plan for social care, warning that if these weren’t met the system would continue to ‘lurch from crisis to crisis’.

Alice Thomson spoke about her experiences researching social care for The Times, inspired by her own experiences with relatives. She criticised the closure of day care centres and the so-called ‘dementia tax’ and spoke of Japan as a possible inspiration for a future UK system.

Clare Tickell expressed doubt over the likelihood of a green paper, talking about her experience as a provider of social housing in a landscape where care is being rationed and criticised the idea of integrating social care with the ‘rapacious’ health service.

Policy Exchange and Anglo American: How to Clean Up Road Transport

Speakers: Matthew Rooney, Energy and Environment Research Fellow, Policy Exchange (Chair); Jesse Norman MP, Minister for Roads and Local Transport; Hugo Spowers, Founder, RiverSimple; Mike Copson, Shell Global Solutions; Konstanze Scharring, Director of Policy, SMMT

The chair asked the panel to give their thoughts on  what more can be done to clean up road transport in light of the increase in greenhouse gas emissions from road transport, as well as nitrogen dioxide levels exceeding legal healthy limits in London and elsewhere.

Lianna Etkind stressed the importance of roads not just having better cars but fewer cars. She argued that there needs to be more of an investment in cycle infrastructure and more support for car sharing schemes and the retrofitting of buses. She called for an integrated approach to transport and spatial planning.

Hugo Spowers, Founder of RiverSimple, said that battery and hydrogen refuelling infrastructure must develop in parallel. He said the Automotive Council focus too much on batteries and less on hydrogen.

Mike Copson, from Shell, said that collaboration between the government, manufacturers and energy industry is crucial. He said it is not about choosing between hydrogen or batteries, it is about these fuels coexisting.

Jesse Norman MP, Minister for Roads and Local Transport, said that the government tries to be tech neutral, supportive of new technologies but enabling all of them to develop. He said that all parts of the government must take this on, including devolved administrations and elected mayors.

∼ Day 1 ∼

Bright Blue & TUC – ‘Getting Fair and Decent Jobs’

Panel: Ayesha Hazarika MBE (Chair), The Rt Hon Rob Halfon MP (Chair, Education Select Committee), Professor Paul Gregg (University of Bath), Ryan Shorthouse (Director, Bright Blue) and Frances O’Grady (General Secretary, TUC)

This event played host to a wide-ranging discussion about the future direction of employment and the economy. Rob Halfon MP talked about his efforts to revitalise the Conservative trade union movement, reminding the audience that a third of trade unionists vote Conservative. Frances O’Grady highlighted the dangers posed by Brexit and technology, and the need for high-quality skills. Paul Gregg spoke about the more practical aspects of the changing situation, citing the worst decade for pay levels for decades, and highlighting the need for efforts to improve productivity and increase investment. Ryan Shorthouse suggested that raising the income tax threshold was now benefitting the better off, that attention should focus on measures such as increasing the National Insurance threshold, and cited research showing that most workers are happy with self-employment.