Hansard

NHS: Finance

Volume 480: debated on Thursday 16 October 2008

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Mike Penning

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much of the increase in the total NHS settlement for 2007-08 was spent on additional or increased salaries. (226863)

Ann Keen

The requested statistics are given in the table.

Proportion of the increase in the NHS expenditure on pay

£ million

Total NHS expenditure

Total pay bill

2006-07 out-turn

80,561

35,312

2007-08 estimated out-turn

89,217

36,685

Increase

8,656

1,373

Notes:

1. Total expenditure is calculated as the sum of revenue and capital expenditure net of non-trust depreciation and impairments. This is in line with HMT guidance.

2. Total pay bill comprises all NHS staff in England only and excludes agency; includes estimates for foundation trusts.

3. Pay bill figures are taken from final NHS financial returns for 2006-07.

4. The forecasts of pay for 2007-08 are consistent with those supplied as part of the written evidence to pay review bodies.

Mike Penning

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will break down the NHS Settlement for 2007-08 as allocated to centrally-funded initiatives by main budget heading; and if he will make a statement. (226864)

Mr. Bradshaw

The requested information is contained in the Department of Health’s departmental report 2008 in tables 9.18 and 9.19, page 160, which has been placed in the Library.

Norman Lamb

To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the budgets of NHS organisations have been top-sliced in 2008-09; whether the top-sliced amounts held by the strategic health authorities at the end of 2007-08 have been returned to the organisations; and if he will make a statement. (227455)

Mr. Bradshaw

The 2008-09 national health service (NHS) operating framework confirms that strategic health authorities (SHAs) may agree arrangements with the primary care trusts (PCTs) in their area which allow the voluntary transfer and lodgement of revenue resources with the SHA, provided that such transfer is within the limit of the overall SHA planned surplus. The Department does not expect SHAs to require an involuntary top slice of PCT revenue allocations.

Audited NHS accounts for 2007-08 report the net value of the top-sliced revenue resources transferred to, and paid back, by SHAs during the year, and the balance remaining with SHAs at the year-end. This information has already been placed in the Library.