Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 27 February 2017 to Question 64314, on NHS: finance, if he will make an assessment of (a) the total annual cost of proposed business rates changes to the NHS and (b) the potential effect of those costs on the delivery of patient services.

Individual National Health Service organisations are responsible for ensuring their current rating assessments are correct, challenging them if necessary and seeking transitional relief. The Department does not routinely collect data from NHS organisations on their business rate charges in order to make an overall national assessment of changes. Business rate changes will be reflected in individual organisation financial plans. We expect plans to balance within the overall NHS budget, and to continue to deliver patient services in line with the objectives of the NHS England Mandate.

An existing Government transitional relief scheme provides £3.6 billion of support for the minority of properties which face an increase in rates as a result of the 2017 revaluation, and applies equally to public bodies such as the NHS.