Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he will take with the HMRC and the Pensions Regulator to alert the CQC of the financial liabilities of private providers when wage payments or pension contributions are not honoured by private care providers.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) Market Oversight Scheme, set up under the Care Act 2014, assesses the financial sustainability of potentially difficult to replace adult social care providers. Where a significant risk to financial sustainability is identified, the CQC’s Market Oversight team may approach HM Revenue and Customs and the Pensions Regulator to obtain and assess third party assurance and to understand actions available to those regulators; these would likely relate to arrears for taxes and pensions contributions.

When the CQC receives information of concern, it will assess the information, consider next steps and if appropriate, share with other third parties. The CQC and the Health and Safety Executive have agreed a Memorandum of Understanding, with the support of the Local Government Association, to share relevant intelligence and enforcement data. The CQC would share relevant information with local authorities. Providers are also obliged to notify the CQC of any disruption in delivering regulated activity.

For providers outside the scope of the Market Oversight Scheme applying for registration or re-registration, the CQC considers any issues identified regarding the past non-payment of wages or pensions, with any other relevant regulatory history of the applicant. However, the payment of wages and pensions is principally a matter between an employer and its employees.