Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has asked the NHS Pay Review Body to make an assessment of what the level of nurses' wages should be in the context of the wider employment market.

In formulating recommendations, the NHS Pay Review Bodies consider evidence from a range of stakeholders, including National Health Service system partners and trade unions. The Pay Review Bodies have a remit to consider factors including recruitment, retention, morale, motivation, affordability and the economic context, including salaries in the context of the employment market. The Government accepted the recommendations of the independent Pay Review Bodies for NHS staff in full and committed to a pay increase next year, asking for recommendations for the staff in scope.