Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the increase in the National Living wage announced by the Government on 31 December 2019, what discussions he is having with private sector companies undertaking facility management work for his Department to ensure that the cost of wage increases for their employees are not passed on to his Department.

The Department uses EMCOR for total facilities management service. All the EMCOR staff are paid more than the National Living Wage and therefore there is no cost impact on the Department.