To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 5 July 2007, Official Report, column 1183W, on general practitioners: conditions of employment, what his Department’s (a) highest and (b) lowest estimate was of the impact a new contract for general practitioners would have on (i) average salaries for general practitioners and (ii) annual additional costs to the public purse as part of the discussions prior to the 2002 Budget. (153457)

Government Departments make their assessment of the cost of pay contracts and these are scrutinised by HM Treasury. Estimates of the cost of the contract are available from the Department of Health.