Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has made an estimate of the cost of hiring new staff due to changes in employer National Insurance contributions for GP practices in (a) Fylde constituency and (b) Lancashire.

We have made necessary decisions to fix the foundations of the public finances in the 2024 Autumn Budget. Resource spending for the Department will be £22.6 billion more in 2025/26 than in 2023/24, as part of the Spending Review settlement. The employers’ National Insurance rise was implemented in April 2025.

General practice providers are valued independent contractors. Each year, we consult with the sector both about what services they provide, and the money providers are entitled to in return under their contract. Operating costs, such as staffing, for these providers are considered as a part of this process.