Written questions by Morgan.

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.

Pursuant to the Answer of 9 October 2024 to Question 5803 on Local Transport Plans, what progress she has made on reviewing guidance for Local Transport Authorities on Local Transport Plans.

The Government is currently reviewing guidance for Local Transport Authorities on Local Transport Plans. The Government intends to publish updated Local Transport Plan guidance later this year.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Pursuant to Answer of 11 March 2025 to Question 35636 on Agriculture and Business: Inheritance Tax, if her Department will publish its modelling for an alternative clawback mechanism for agricultural property relief and business property relief.

The Office for Budget Responsibility only certifies costings for the Exchequer impact of the Government’s tax policies. In accordance with standard practice, the Government does not publish modelling of alternative tax proposals that are not Government policy.

What steps she is taking to reduce business rates for the owners and tenants of buildings containing market stalls.

Business rates are paid by the occupiers of commercial properties. In the event a property is unoccupied, the property owner is liable for the property’s business rates bill. To deliver our manifesto pledge, we intend to introduce permanently lower tax rates for qualifying retail, hospitality, and leisure (RHL) properties, including those on the high street, from 2026-27. Eligibility for these new RHL multipliers will broadly mirror the scope of the existing RHL relief scheme. During the interim period, for 2025-26, RHL businesses will receive a 40 per cent relief on their business rates up to a cash cap of £110,000 per business.

What steps he is taking to support small businesses with public procurement applications.

The Government is determined to ensure the £385 billion of public money spent on public procurement annually, delivers economic growth and supports small businesses. For too long, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and voluntary, community and social enterprises (VCSEs) have been held back by government procurement processes that are too slow, bureaucratic, and difficult to navigate. The National Procurement Policy Statement (NPPS) sets out the Government’s strategic priorities for public procurement and builds on measures in the Procurement Act including an expectation for all public bodies to maximise procurement spend with SMEs and VCSEs. In central government, we have also announced new rules to drive greater transparency and accountability for increasing numbers of SMEs and VCSEs delivering public contracts. From 1 April 2025 central government departments must set three-year targets for direct spend with SMEs, and from 1 April 2026 for VCSEs, and to publish progress annually. The Government will consult on further reforms to our public procurement processes to drive economic growth, support small businesses, and better support innovation.

What steps he is taking to increase the proportion of public procurement contracts awarded to small and medium sized businesses.

The Government is determined to ensure the £385 billion of public money spent on public procurement annually, delivers economic growth and supports small businesses. For too long, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and voluntary, community and social enterprises (VCSEs) have been held back by government procurement processes that are too slow, bureaucratic, and difficult to navigate. The National Procurement Policy Statement (NPPS) sets out the Government’s strategic priorities for public procurement and builds on measures in the Procurement Act including an expectation for all public bodies to maximise procurement spend with SMEs and VCSEs. In central government, we have also announced new rules to drive greater transparency and accountability for increasing numbers of SMEs and VCSEs delivering public contracts. From 1 April 2025 central government departments must set three-year targets for direct spend with SMEs, and from 1 April 2026 for VCSEs, and to publish progress annually. The Government will consult on further reforms to our public procurement processes to drive economic growth, support small businesses, and better support innovation.

Innovation and Technology, how many properties had been connected to full fibre under the North Shropshire Project Gigabit contract on 1 May 2025.

As part of Project Gigabit, Freedom Fibre was awarded a contract to deliver gigabit-capable broadband to premises in North Shropshire that were not expected to be reached by suppliers’ commercial rollout.As of 1 May 2025, Building Digital UK (BDUK) had received reports from the supplier confirming the delivery for 845 premises under this contract in the North Shropshire constituency.

Innovation and Technology, whether he has made and assessment of the suitability of Freedom Fibre to deliver the Project Gigabit contract in North Shropshire constituency since the termination of Freedom Fibre’s Project Gigabit contract for Cheshire.

The Project Gigabit contract for North Shropshire was awarded following a procurement which was compliant with the Public Contracts Regulations 2015.Officials in Building Digital UK (BDUK) meet regularly with Freedom Fibre to oversee its delivery of this contract.

Innovation and Technology, what assessment he has made of the progress of the Project Gigabit rollout in North Shropshire constituency since 1 January 2025.

As part of Project Gigabit, Freedom Fibre was awarded a contract to deliver gigabit-capable broadband to premises in North Shropshire that were not expected to be reached by suppliers’ commercial rollout.As of 1 May 2025, Building Digital UK (BDUK) had received reports from the supplier confirming the delivery for 845 premises under this contract in the North Shropshire constituency.

Innovation and Technology, what discussions he has had with Freedom Fibre on Project Gigabit contracts since 1 January 1 2025; and whether he will publish the minutes of those meetings.

As the executive agency responsible for delivering Project Gigabit, Building Digital UK (BDUK) holds regular meetings with suppliers, including Freedom Fibre, to discuss their progress with delivery of their Project Gigabit contracts. Ministers have had no such meetings with Freedom Fibre since 1 January 2025.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of the (a) cost and (b) complexity of public procurement applications on the capacity of small and medium-sized businesses.

The Government is determined to ensure the £385 billion of public money spent on public procurement annually, delivers economic growth and supports small businesses. For too long, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and voluntary, community and social enterprises (VCSEs) have been held back by government procurement processes that are too slow, bureaucratic, and difficult to navigate. The National Procurement Policy Statement (NPPS) sets out the Government’s strategic priorities for public procurement and builds on measures in the Procurement Act including an expectation for all public bodies to maximise procurement spend with SMEs and VCSEs. In central government, we have also announced new rules to drive greater transparency and accountability for increasing numbers of SMEs and VCSEs delivering public contracts. From 1 April 2025 central government departments must set three-year targets for direct spend with SMEs, and from 1 April 2026 for VCSEs, and to publish progress annually. The Government will consult on further reforms to our public procurement processes to drive economic growth, support small businesses, and better support innovation.