Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans for voluntary hospices to be able to access the additional government funding being set aside to fund the proposed NHS pay increases.

National Health Service trades unions are currently consulting their members on the proposed Agenda for Change pay framework, which includes contract reform and pay awards over three years. We expect the outcome of the consultation exercise by early June.

We are considering carefully the impact of any agreement on non-NHS organisations such as hospices that may be affected by the proposed deal; however no decisions have been made.

Staff in hospices do a fantastic job in delivering world-class care and the Department remains fully committed to improving palliative and end of life care.