To ask the Secretary of State for Health what she expects the estimated change in costs to the NHS to be of implementing the new consultants' contract in each of the years to 2011-12. (135771)

The new consultant contract was implemented over three years from 2003-04 to 2005-06. Around 90 per cent. of consultants are now on the new contract, and all new appointments will be to the new contract. The funding invested included a recurrent addition of £250 million to meet the additional costs of consultant pay that are a consequence of having implemented the new contract.