Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the cost has been of implementing the Health and Social Care Act 2012.

The main provisions of the Health and Social Care Act 2012 came into effect on 1 April 2013. They reshaped the National Health Service so that is more patient-centred, led by health professionals and focussed on delivering world-class health outcomes.

My Rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced the costs in his Written Ministerial Statement of 22 July 2014 official report, column 119WS.

These have been more than covered by the savings arising from the Health and Social Care Act which, up to 31 March 2014, were approximately £4.9 billion, and the NHS will see recurrent savings of £1.5 billion per year as a result of the reforms. This money will be available for reinvestment in future patient care.