Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential effect on staff of different working conditions between staff directly employed by the NHS and those employed by new wholly-owned subsidiary companies in the NHS.

It is for National Health Service foundation trusts to assess the potential impact of different working conditions between directly employed staff and those employed by new wholly owned subsidiaries.

In setting up wholly owned subsidiaries and in making decisions about the working conditions for their staff, foundation trusts need to ensure that they comply with employment law and carry out relevant impact assessments. This should ensure that, having followed due process, they are best able to recruit and retain the staff they need to deliver services in the most efficient and effective way within available resources.