§ Mr. BurdenTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will detail new costs associated with establishing local pay arrangements in the national health service.
§ Mr. MaloneA major support programme has been mounted by the National Health Service Executive to assist trusts to prepare for establishing local pay arrangements. The estimated expenditure on this support programme in 1994–95 is £500,000. Any additional costs for individual trusts and other employing authorities will be more than offset by savings which they can expect from increased flexibility in the use of staff. Local pay will enable NHS employers to target rewards more closely to improvements in the quality and quantity of healthcare.