Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what equality assessment his Department has undertaken on the introduction of fixed recoverable costs in clinical negligence cases; and if he will make a statement.

The consultation stage assessment for the introduction of fixed recoverable costs for clinical negligence is work in progress. The Department has established a working group to look at the impact of the proposal on equalities, health inequalities and families. Membership (which has not been finalised) currently includes representatives of claimant lawyers, defence lawyers, patients and the National Health Service. We will also seek views on the impact of the policy on equalities, health inequalities and families within the consultation.