Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of creating a fund to pay the historic back pay for sleep-in shifts directly to care workers.

The Government recognises the pressure that sleep-in backpay liabilities are placing on social care providers and is exploring options to minimise any impact on the sector.

The Government has been working closely with representatives of the social care sector in order to ensure that we have a clear understanding of any impact the sector may face.

Any intervention to support the sector would need to be proportionate and necessary.