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 end any NHS pay restraints.

My Rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State has made clear that the support and welfare of National Health Service staff is a top priority as they do a fantastic job. The Government is committed to ensuring they can continue to deliver world-class patient care.

At Summer Budget 2015, it was announced that the Government will fund public sector workforces for an average annual pay increase of 1% for the four years from 2016-17 onwards. At the time, the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) estimated that this policy will protect 200,000 public sector jobs.