Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make it his policy to implement a pay award for nursing staff in line with the retail price index.

The Government makes its determinations on pay awards informed by recommendations from the independent NHS Pay Review Body (NHS PRB).

The Retail Price Index was discontinued as a national statistic. Consumer Price Inflation (CPI) is a standard measure for understanding changes in earnings in the context of inflation. It is used widely to determine a measure of the real value of earnings and is used by the Bank of England for its 2% inflation target. CPI is an internationally recognised inflation tracker which the independent Pay Review Body also recognise.

We look forward to receiving this year's NHS PRB report shortly.