Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of an increase in employers national insurance contributions on GP surgeries' finances.

Primary care providers, for instance general practices (GPs), dentists, pharmacies, and eye care, are valued independent contractors who provide nearly £20 billion worth of services within the National Health Service. Every year we have discussions with each sector both about what services they provide, and what their pay will be. In accordance with the usual process, this issue will be dealt with as part of those discussions. We will shortly begin negotiations on the annual GP contract.