Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the sufficiency of mileage rates for NHS staff required to use vehicles for work in the context of rising fuel prices.

Reimbursement of travel costs are covered by the NHS Terms and Conditions, jointly agreed by employers and National Health Service trade unions. The current rate for staff who use their vehicles to make journeys in the performance of their duties is 56 pence per mile, above the HM Revenue and Customs approved mileage rate of 45 pence per mile. This rate decreases to 20 pence per mile after 3,500 miles. The NHS Terms and Conditions sets out the process for reviewing the rate of reimbursement every six months, which includes reviewing fluctuations in fuel prices.

The Department works with the NHS Staff Council to ensure terms and conditions arrangements are fit for purpose for NHS staff, including on this issue.