Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent assessment he has made of the impact of the Government's public sector pay restraint policy on (a) the living standards of NHS staff and (b) recruitment and retention within the NHS.

My Rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State has made it 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.