Written questions by Morgan.

What steps the government is taking to attach conditions to public research and development funding to ensure (a) equitable and (b) affordable access to the end products.

The Department invests over £1.6 billion each year on research through its research delivery arm, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). NIHR research contracts require recipients of NIHR funding to promote the dissemination of the intellectual property arising from NIHR research to maximise patient and public benefit. Any commercialisation of NIHR research must take due consideration of my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care’s position regarding access to essential health related technologies, including medicines, in the developing world. In addition, the NIHR has made research inclusion a condition of its funding. Applicants to domestic research programmes are required to demonstrate how inclusion is being built into all stages of the research lifecycle. Applicants are also required to provide details of how their research contributes towards the NIHR’s mission to reduce health and care inequalities.

What steps the government is taking to implement the provisions agreed in the Pandemic Agreement at the World Health Assembly in May 2025.

After three years of negotiations, the Government welcomes the historic adoption of the Pandemic Agreement by the World Health Assembly (WHA), the World Health Organization’s (WHO) main decision-making body. The agreement should ensure that member states of the WHO take comprehensive action, together, to better prevent pandemics and improve disease surveillance so we can detect and respond to emerging pandemic threats promptly. The Government has worked hard to secure it. The sovereignty of member states is one of the guiding principles of the Pandemic Agreement. It does not include any provisions that would give the WHO powers to impose domestic public health decisions on the United Kingdom, such as potential lockdowns.The Pandemic Agreement will not be binding on the UK as a matter of international law until the Government has ratified it in accordance with our own constitutional process. This would involve laying the agreement as a treaty before Parliament for scrutiny in the usual way. As part of that process, the Government would consider what domestic implementation is required ahead of ratification. The Pandemic Agreement will not be open for signature and ratification until follow-up negotiations on the annex to the agreement, on the Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing system, have successfully concluded and it has been adopted by the WHA. These negotiations will soon begin and member states of the WHO have agreed to report on the outcome within one year.

If he will publish his Department's risk assessments of (a) the abolition of NHS England and (b) the 50% cost reductions required by Integrated Care Boards.

It is only right that with such significant reform, we commit to carefully assessing and understanding the potential impacts, as is due process. These assessments will inform our programme as appropriate. Furthermore, the Government is committed to transparency and will consider how best to ensure the public and parliamentarians are informed of the outcomes and impact of both the abolition of NHS England and the reduction in workforce.NHS England has asked integrated care boards (ICBs) to act primarily as strategic commissioners of health and care services and to reduce the duplication of responsibilities within their structure, with the expectation of achieving a reduction in their running cost allowance.NHS England has shared a draft of the Model ICB Blueprint to help ICBs shape future plans. An update on the development of the Model ICB Blueprint, and the draft Model ICB Blueprint are available, respectively, at the following two links: https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/update-on-the-draft-model-icb-blueprint-and-progress-on-the-future-nhs-operating-model/ https://www.digitalhealth.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Model-Integrated-Care-Board-%E2%80%93-Blueprint-v1.0.pdf The blueprint confirms their critical role as strategic commissioner, with their core functions centred in population health management, including understanding local context, developing a long-term strategy, allocating resources, and evaluating impact. Ministers and the Department will work with the new transformation team at the top of NHS England, led by Sir Jim Mackey, to ensure ICBs continue to fulfil their future functions effectively within the running costs cap and unlock the benefit of working at scale to deliver better care for patients.

How many families subject to No Recourse to Public Funds are (a) in receipt of Healthy Start and (b) have had their application for Healthy Start rejected.

The Department transferred the Healthy Start Extension Scheme to the NHS Business Services Authority at the beginning of April 2025.As of the 19 June 2025, the number of those subject to no recourse to public funds, with a British child aged under four years old, in receipt of the Healthy Start Extension Scheme is 75.Since April 2025 and as of the 19 June 2025, the number of applications for the Healthy Start Extension scheme that have been rejected is 51.

With reference to the Spending Review 2025, published on 11 June 2025, how the savings in the NHS were calculated.

Details of the efficiency plan were published alongside the Spending Review, and are available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/departmental-efficiency-delivery-plansThe savings are derived by applying the productivity target for each sector to the level of associated spending. Improving National Health Service productivity is backed by a nearly 50% increase to NHS technology and transformation spend since 2025/26, with a total investment of up to £10 billion by 2028/29.The plan will deliver efficiencies across all healthcare services, such as electives, urgent and emergency care, community health, mental health, primary care, and other services, primarily through the combined impact of operational and clinical improvements, technology and digital transformation, and workforce initiatives.These efficiencies will be reinvested back into the NHS and will support the transformation in the 10-Year Health Plan.

Pursuant to Answer of 13 June 2025 to Question 58291 on Tomography: Waiting Lists, whether his Department has set a target date by which all patients referred for diagnostic scans in North Shropshire will be seen within six weeks.

The 2025/26 operational planning guidance set out, in line with our Elective Reform Plan, the ambitions for National Health Service providers to deliver 65% RTT performance with a minimum improvement of 5% from 2024/25. We are clear that improvements in diagnostic performance will be critical in enabling systems to meet this ambition.While there is no formal target date set out for when all patients will be seen within six weeks of a referral, the Government is clear through expectations in operational planning guidance on 18-week performance and on time to first outpatient appointment that providers must prioritise diagnosing, seeing, and treating patients sooner. A rigorous performance management process has been put in place to support and monitor this.Providers are being supported to improve their diagnostic performance through capital investment in new capacity and productivity generating digital approaches. Scaling best practice and peer support is also being utilised to improve performance and optimise demand.The Plan for Change commitment is backed by £6 billion of additional capital investment over five years for diagnostic, elective and urgent and emergency care. This will support making progress on the return to the 18-week standard by the end of the Parliament and protecting capacity in emergency departments.

How many officials in his Department are assigned to work on the social care review.

There are 11 officials currently assigned by the Department to work on the independent commission into adult social care, chaired by Baroness Louise Casey. This includes Baroness Casey’s independent secretariat team and a small departmental sponsorship function.

What steps he is taking to reduce waiting times for diagnostic scans in North Shropshire constituency.

In March 2025, the diagnostic waiting list at the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust was 14,808, 3,229 of which, or 21.8%, were waiting over six weeks. This compares to a waiting list of 12,771 in March 2024, where 3,165 people, or 24.8%, were waiting over six weeks.To date, the Shropshire Telford and Wrekin Integrated Care Board (ICB) has taken a number of steps to reduce waiting times for diagnostic tests. The Shrewsbury Telford and Wrekin Community Diagnostic Centre (CDC) in Telford is providing additional capacity to see patients away from hospital sites, reducing unnecessary hospital visits. This fully operational, standard CDC is providing cardiorespiratory services, which include echocardiograms, spirometry, and electrocardiograms, as well as radiology, which includes computed tomography, x-ray, ultrasound, and magnetic resonance imaging scans, phlebotomy, and teledermatology services. The CDC is providing capacity for approximately 13,000 diagnostic tests each month.In addition to the CDC, there are currently two mobile magnetic resonance imaging scanners on site at the Princess Royal Hospital, and an additional room for scanning non-obstetric ultrasound patient referrals has been opened. Through the introduction of this additional capacity, imaging waiting lists have reduced by 41% from the end of January 2025 across the Shropshire Telford and Wrekin ICB. In January, 58% of imaging patients had a scan within six weeks of referral and, in May, 87% of patients had a scan within six weeks of referral.The Shropshire Telford and Wrekin ICB recognises that there is further to go in reducing diagnostic waiting times, and the system is now looking to extend opening hours at the Shrewsbury Telford and Wrekin CDC, in order to provide additional diagnostic capacity across all radiology services, alongside current magnetic resonance imaging services that are already open 12 hours a day, seven days a week. This will be supported by continuing work with the independent sector, through the outsourcing of reporting, to ensure scan results are available in a timely manner. Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin are committed to sustaining the improvements they are making to ensure patients are having the tests and scans they need at the right time.NHS England is also engaging with the Shropshire Telford and Wrekin ICB as part of the process to identify the most appropriate locations for new CDCs, and therefore there is the possibility of a second CDC for the population of Shropshire. This process considers that any new CDC will be positioned in a location that addresses local need and health inequalities. Details of future CDCs will be communicated in due course.

With reference to his Department's guidance entitled Estates Safety Fund: 2025 to 2026, updated on 30 May 2025, whether the site for the funding allocated to the Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is correct.

The published list for the Estates Safety Fund has been updated to reflect the correct allocations for the Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin Integrated Care Board (ICB). Further information is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/estates-safety-fund-2025-to-2026We apologise for the confusion caused and thank you for drawing this error to our attention.The following table shows the value of the estate infrastructure work, along with the site location and a short description of the work, for the Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin ICB:RegionICBTrustValueSiteDescription of worksMidlandsShropshire, Telford and WrekinShropshire Community Health NHS Trust£500,000Bridgnorth Community Hospital, Whitchurch Community HospitalImprovements to electrical systems and ventilation systems. Nurse call system replacement. Lift upgrade or replacement.MidlandsShropshire, Telford and WrekinThe Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Foundation Trust£400,000The Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic HospitalImprovements to ventilation systems.MidlandsShropshire, Telford and WrekinThe Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust£6,797,000The Princess Royal Hospital, Royal Shrewsbury HospitalImprovements to electrical systems and energy systems. Lift upgrade or replacement. Nurse call system replacement.

What steps he is taking to ensure that integrated care boards are sufficiently resourced to carry out their statutory child safeguarding duties following changes to their level of funding.

NHS England has asked the integrated care boards (ICBs) to act primarily as strategic commissioners of health services and to reduce the duplication of responsibilities within their structure. NHS England provided additional guidance to ICBs, National Health Service trusts, and NHS foundation trusts in a letter on 1 April 2025, where ICBs were tasked with developing plans setting out how they will manage their resources to deliver across their priorities. This letter is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/working-together-in-2025-26-to-lay-the-foundations-for-reform/NHS England is actively engaging with safeguarding professionals across the system, including those in local government, ICBs, and provider organisations, to ensure that safeguarding responsibilities are not compromised. This engagement is being supported by the NHS Safeguarding Accountability and Assurance Framework 2024 and the National Safeguarding Steering Group ICB Safeguarding Protocols, which outline the roles, accountabilities, responsibilities, and expectations for safeguarding across NHS-funded care. NHS England is also setting up a joint working group with the Local Government Association to carefully consider issues relating to safeguarding.Ministers and the Department will work with the new transformation team at the top of NHS England, led by Sir Jim Mackey, to ensure that ICBs continue to fulfil their functions effectively within the running costs cap and unlock the benefit of working at scale to deliver better care for their population.

What steps he is taking with NHS England to ensure (a) patient safety and (b) the maintenance of the NHS’ statutory functions following changes to the level of funding for to integrated care boards.

NHS England has asked integrated care boards (ICBs) to act primarily as strategic commissioners of health and care services and to reduce the duplication of responsibilities within their structure, with the expectation of achieving a reduction in their running cost allowance. NHS England provided additional guidance to ICBs, National Health Service trusts, and NHS foundation trusts in a letter on 1 April 2025. This letter is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/working-together-in-2025-26-to-lay-the-foundations-for-reform/These changes will form part of a package of measures, including the forthcoming 10-Year Health Plan, that positively impact patient care and safety by driving quality of care, productivity, and innovation in the NHS. ICBs will continue to deliver their statutory responsibilities and will work with the new transformation team at the top of NHS England, led by Sir Jim Mackey, to ensure this is done effectively and within the running costs allowance, and that the savings will be reinvested in frontline services to deliver better care for patients.

Whether NHS England has provided guidance to integrated care boards on sequencing cost reduction to avoid operational disruption.

NHS England provided guidance to integrated care boards (ICBs), National Health Service trusts, and NHS foundation trusts in a letter on 1 April 2025, where ICBs were tasked with developing plans setting out how they will manage their resources to deliver across their priorities. This letter is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/working-together-in-2025-26-to-lay-the-foundations-for-reform/NHS England has also circulated a draft of The Model ICB - blueprint document to all ICBs to assist them in shaping their future plans, including which functions they should focus on.These ICB reforms are not about reductions to front line services. We are clarifying the role of ICBs to focus on strategic commissioning and reduce duplication. ICBs have submitted their plans to deliver these changes, and NHS England is currently reviewing these plans, including implementation.

Whether NHS England has (a) issued and (b) waived guidance to integrated care boards on redundancy policies since 1 April 2025.

NHS England expects integrated care boards (ICBs) to manage any change programmes within their local policies. Where two or more ICBs come together, we will expect them to apply a consistent change policy approach, as agreed with local unions.

Whether his Department has approved a national redundancy scheme for the 50% integrated care board cost reduction target; and whether he has allocated funds allocated to meet exit costs.

There are significant workforce implications following the Prime Minister’s announcement of the integration of the Department and NHS England, and the associated reduction in size, as well as the subsequent announcement of integrated care board and National Health Service trusts corporate cost reductions. These reforms will deliver a more efficient, leaner centre, and will also free up capacity and help deliver significant savings of hundreds of millions of pounds a year, which will be reinvested in frontline services to cut waiting times through the Government’s Plan for Change. Through the 2025 Spending Review, we are working with NHS England and HM Treasury on how the costs of restructuring will be met. Those discussions have not yet concluded. NHS England expects to launch a national scheme shortly.

If he will publish the template issued by NHS England to Integrated Care Boards for completing their cost reduction plans by 31 May 2025.

NHS England has asked integrated care boards (ICBs) to act primarily as strategic commissioners of health and care services and to reduce the duplication of responsibilities within their structure with the expectation of achieving a reduction in their running cost allowance. NHS England provided additional guidance to ICBs, National Health Service trusts, and NHS foundation trusts in a letter on 1 April 2025. This letter is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/working-together-in-2025-26-to-lay-the-foundations-for-reform/NHS England has circulated the document, Model Integrated Care Board – Blueprint v1.0, to all ICBs to assist them in shaping their plans. The document identifies the functional changes that ICBs will have to manage and indicates the responsibilities they may look to grow, adapt, or review for transfer, including the functions and activities that might be safely transferred to other parts of the system over time, such as national bodies, regional teams, or providers.NHS England’s transformation team will continue to work with ICBs to develop their plans, including how the key functions will be delivered within the revised running cost allocations, ensuring a focus on delivering NHS statutory functions in line with the legislation.

If he will list (a) all functions identified for (i) transfer and (ii) decommissioning in the NHS England Model Integrated Care Board Blueprint and (b) the designated receiving organisations for each function.

NHS England has asked integrated care boards (ICBs) to act primarily as strategic commissioners of health and care services and to reduce the duplication of responsibilities within their structure with the expectation of achieving a reduction in their running cost allowance. NHS England provided additional guidance to ICBs, National Health Service trusts, and NHS foundation trusts in a letter on 1 April 2025. This letter is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/working-together-in-2025-26-to-lay-the-foundations-for-reform/NHS England has circulated the document, Model Integrated Care Board – Blueprint v1.0, to all ICBs to assist them in shaping their plans. The document identifies the functional changes that ICBs will have to manage and indicates the responsibilities they may look to grow, adapt, or review for transfer, including the functions and activities that might be safely transferred to other parts of the system over time, such as national bodies, regional teams, or providers.NHS England’s transformation team will continue to work with ICBs to develop their plans, including how the key functions will be delivered within the revised running cost allocations, ensuring a focus on delivering NHS statutory functions in line with the legislation.

On what statutory basis NHS England has required Integrated Care Boards to reduce their running cost allowances by 50% by Quarter 3 of the 2025-26 financial year.

The National Health Service Act 2006, as amended by The Health and Care Act 2022, grants NHS England powers to establish integrated care boards (ICBs) as statutory bodies for commissioning the majority of health and care services in England. The National Health Service Act 2006 also grants NHS England powers to ensure that expenditure incurred by ICBs does not exceed the aggregated sum allocated to them in a financial year.

What plans he has to bring forward legislative proposals to to transfer (a) statutory duties and (b) functions from Integrated Care Boards to other bodies.

NHS England has asked the integrated care boards (ICBs) to act primarily as strategic commissioners of health and care services and to reduce the duplication of responsibilities within the health and care structure.To deliver on this commitment, NHS England rapidly convened a group of ICB leaders, including clinical representatives, in order to start developing the blueprint. The work was split into three areas: defining a vision and the future functions of ICBs; mapping functions and duties across the system; and managing a safe transition.We recognise that not all function transferrals can be done this year, particularly those rooted in ICB statutory duties. For the areas which will be reviewed for transfer, we recognise that further work and engagement is required, and we acknowledgment that, even with this flexibility, transferring functions requires careful consideration of interdependencies with other functions and the readiness of partner organisations to receive the function.The Department is working with NHS England and the ICBs to develop these plans to ensure the timely implementation of the changes, whilst expecting ICBs to continue to deliver on their statutory responsibilities.

Whether NHS England has set formal (a) criteria and (b) guidance on the key functions Integrated Care Boards will be expected to provide under the proposed cost envelope.

NHS England has asked integrated care boards (ICBs) to act primarily as strategic commissioners of health and care services and to reduce the duplication of responsibilities within their structure with the expectation of achieving a reduction in their running cost allowance. NHS England provided additional guidance to ICBs, National Health Service trusts, and NHS foundation trusts in a letter on 1 April 2025. This letter is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/working-together-in-2025-26-to-lay-the-foundations-for-reform/NHS England has circulated the document, Model Integrated Care Board – Blueprint v1.0, to all ICBs to assist them in shaping their plans. The document identifies the functional changes that ICBs will have to manage and indicates the responsibilities they may look to grow, adapt, or review for transfer, including the functions and activities that might be safely transferred to other parts of the system over time, such as national bodies, regional teams, or providers.NHS England’s transformation team will continue to work with ICBs to develop their plans, including how the key functions will be delivered within the revised running cost allocations, ensuring a focus on delivering NHS statutory functions in line with the legislation.

Whether he plans to personally meet with cross-party representatives to discuss social care reform.

Building a cross-party consensus is fundamental to the national conversation that the Prime Minister has tasked Baroness Louise Casey of Blackstock to facilitate.The commission is independent and Baroness Casey has the full support of my Rt. Hon. friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, in taking this work forward and deciding how best to engage other political parties and in building cross-party consensus.