Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether a letter of comfort has been given by the NHS Business Authority to the Airedale NHS Foundation Trust to enable NHS staff who transfer to its proposed wholly owned subsidiary company to be able to continue to access the NHS Pension Scheme.

The NHS Business Services Authority has not provided a letter of comfort to Airedale NHS Foundation Trust. The Authority has written to Airedale NHS Foundation Trust requesting further information about the proposed transfer but to date this has not been supplied. A letter of comfort can be considered upon receipt of this information.