The shadow health secretary today sought a cast iron guarantee from Jeremy Hunt that junior doctors will not lose out under government plans to give them a new working contract.

Heidi Alexander demanded a yes or no answer from the Health Secretary.

The Labour frontbencher said: "Junior doctors are key to the delivery of a seven day NHS and I know that the Health Secretary has recently said, and I quote, 'I don't want to see any junior doctor have their pay cut'.

"Can he now guarantee that no junior doctor will get paid less as a result of his proposed new contract? Yes or no?"

Mr Hunt replied: "Let me be absolutely clear about the commitment that we have made to junior doctors which is that we will not cut the junior doctor pay bill.

"What we do need to change are the excessive overtime rates that are paid at weekends that give hospitals a disincentive to roster as many doctors as they need at weekends which lead to those 11,000 excess deaths."

Mrs Alexander said junior doctors would "make their own minds up" about Mr Hunt's response.

The Government has said it plans to impose a new contract on doctors up to consultant level next year.

The contract will reclassify doctors' normal working week to include Saturdays and up to 10pm every night of the week except Sunday.

Medics argue they will lose out financially as evenings and Saturdays will be paid at the standard rate rather than a higher rate.