To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 12 March 2010, Official Report, column 574WA, on NHS finances, for what reason primary care trusts are being asked to ensure that two per cent. of their funding is committed non-recurrently. (323832)

The NHS Operating Framework for 2010-11 stated that strategic health authorities must ensure that primary care trusts do not recurrently commit the totality of their recurrent funding in their 2010-11 plans, such that at least 2 per cent. of recurrent funding at the aggregate regional level is only ever committed non-recurrently.

The reason primary care trusts need to do this is to ensure that they have flexibility in their spending plans to provide the capability to manage risk and volatility.