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Main Content: Prime Minister's announces new standing commission on carers
The Prime Minister Gordon Brown has today announced a new standing commission on carers. Read an extract from his speech.
This is an extract from the Prime Minister's speech.
"My second proposal is that we set up new standing commissions where we can bring in not just all parties but representatives from outside the party system to examine continuing issues of concern. These issues would be usually long term, usually non ideological. Take for example carers.
As our society ages our need for care is rising. Care is an issue that will affect us all in some way in the future. Nobody understands this better than the many organisations in the voluntary and community sector who support carers and the cared for, and advocate for them. I believe that the thinking that will be of best help for carers and those cared for will draw upon the ideas, the views and the values of the six million British carers themselves.
Last year I went to visit one carer and I heard at first hand of her struggle and yet her desire to help others in the same position as she is in. She wanted to train carers, to advise them, perhaps even to help service carers with her own company. She told me that she does not want government to walk away. She wants a government on her side. And it is when government works in partnership with the voluntary sector, local authorities and carers themselves that we can do most to make lives better. But in future working in partnership must mean not only listening and learning but involving and engaging carers themselves in the solutions we need. So building on the consultation we have been undertaking this year with carers, I believe we should now establish a standing commission on carers.
Philippa Russell, a leading expert and advocate for carers, will work with Ivan Lewis, as Minister for Carers, to take forward this proposal. And because I favour breaking through the old sterile party divides I want to ensure that advice can be given by the best people of whatever political persuasion and reviews can be done irrespective of party label by people who have important contributions to make. "