Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent progress her Department has made on (a) reviewing the timing and appointment process for the NHS pay review bodies, (b) increasing NHS Staff Council input into NHS pay review bodies and (c) implementing the other non-pay elements of the 2023-24 NHS pay agreement relating to the future pay-setting process.

The Government is committed to ensuring that the pay setting process and the NHS Pay Review Body (NHSPRB) operates effectively. As part of non-pay commitments from the Agenda for Change deal, we are working with stakeholders to explore four themes: the timing of rounds; the interaction between the Staff Council and the NHSPRB; common data sources between stakeholders; and how appointments are made to the NHSPRB.

The work to review these elements of the process is currently underway, and the outcomes will be agreed in due course. The Government will continue to engage constructively with trade unions and employers to deliver all of the non-pay commitments to support the National Health Service workforce, including the pay-setting process.