Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate his Department has made of the potential impact of the pay awards made through the (a) Dentists and Doctors Pay Review Body and (b) NHS Pay Review Body processes on the real terms value of wages in each year since 2010.

The table attached shows the estimated average increases to basic pay, where these were based on pay review body recommendations for members of the Hospital and Community Health Sector workforce in England, as well as the average consumer price index inflation for each year since 2010/11.

In 2011/12 and 2012/13, the pay review bodies were stood down. Between 2013/14 and 2017/18, the pay review bodies reported, but headline recommendations were determined by public sector pay policy.

As independent contractors, it is for general practice partners to determine uplifts in pay for themselves and their employees. As dental practices are similarly private businesses, it falls to them to set employee pay and conditions.

Each year, the Government sets out the funds available to the Department, and in reaching their conclusions, pay review bodies take careful account of economic and other evidence submitted by employers, the Government, unions, and others.