Ever heard of the demographic timebomb? Of the fact that there will be 400,000 more older people by 2011 and that on current trends all but those in critical need will be excluded from social care services? Of the fact that many of the UK's fabled six million informal carers are struggling to cope and living in poverty with no hope even of a decent pension to look forward to in their own old age? Well, of course you have but you may well wonder whether Labour's future top brass have.
The debate about how to finance the long-term care of older people may have taken social care by storm but so far as the prime minister-in-waiting and the Labour diehards vying for the deputy leadership are concerned it's a storm in a teacup. Apart from a few desultory comments about ageing and a show of interest in the plight of Remploy's employees, they have been almost silent on the subject.
A helpful little booklet from the Fabian Society, Labour's in-house think tank, has essays from each of the six candidates saying why members should choose them for the job. Peruse it in vain for any mention of the words "social care" or wise counsels on the challenge of ageing.
Plenty on poverty, the need to invest in public services and the desire to involve communities both in providing services and deciding what form they should take. But nothing on the £1.7 billion and ever-growing black hole in social care budgets.
Harriet Harman (pictured), one of the candidates, entitles her essay Putting Families First and is the only one to devote her claim to the deputy leadership to family policy. Quite rightly, she talks about the importance of supporting parents to combine work with child care - but what about supporting adult children to care for their ageing parents? Once again, not a word.
Perhaps when the dust settles they'll all read Wanless and be inspired. But don't hold your breath.