It is rare for ministers to plan beyond the lifetime of a parliament. There are exceptions: automatic pension enrolment introduced from 2012 by the then Liberal Democrat minister Steve Webb is one example of a politician taking a long-term view about a difficult issue. 

More controversially, Iain Duncan Smith tried to simplify welfare and stabilise its cost, albeit clumsily, through universal credit. However when it comes to social care governments of all political hues are hopeless.