Written questions by Morgan.

If he will make an assessment of the potential merits of taking legislative steps to ensure there is an allied health professional on the boards of NHS (a) integrated care boards and (b) hospital trusts.

Allied health professionals play an important role in diagnosing, treating, and caring for patients, often requiring specialised training and certification.There are no statutory limitations on allied health professionals being board members of integrated care boards, National Health Service trusts, or NHS foundation trusts. The Health and Care Act 2022 promotes integration and joint working across NHS providers and local authorities to provide the best health and care services for their local population. Currently, there are no plans to take legislative steps in this area.NHS England has published an NHS leadership competency framework for board members. The framework is for chairs, chief executives, and all board members in NHS systems and providers, as well as serving as a guide for the aspiring leaders of the future. It is designed to support the appointment of diverse, skilled, and proficient leaders.

With reference to his oral statement of 13 March 2025 on NHS England Update, Official Report, column 1284, what steps his Department plans to take to implement the mandate to NHS England, published on 30 January 2025, after NHS England is abolished.

Ministers will work with the new transformation team at the top of NHS England, led by Sir Jim Mackey, to lead this transformation. NHS England will have to comply with their legislative functions until the transformation is complete, which includes delivery against their mandate objectives.The abolition of NHS England will strip out the unnecessary bureaucracy and cut the duplication that comes from having two organisations doing the same job. This will streamline processes and empower staff to focus on delivering better care for patients, driving productivity up and getting waiting times down.

With reference to his oral statement of 13 March 2025 on NHS England Update, Official Report, column 1284, what plans his Department has to support hospital trusts under the NHS Oversight Framework after NHS England is abolished.

Ministers will work with the new transformation team at the top of NHS England, led by Sir Jim Mackey, to lead this transformation. Work has begun immediately to start bringing teams in NHS England and the Department together, and over the next two years, NHS England and the Department will combine to form a new joint centre.NHS England will continue to carry out its statutory duties until Parliamentary time allows for legislation to be brought forward to amend the Department’s responsibilities.The abolition of NHS England will strip out the unnecessary bureaucracy and cut the duplication that comes from having two organisations doing the same job. We will empower staff to focus on delivering better care for patients, driving productivity up, and getting waiting times down.

Whether he is taking steps to use on-framework staffing agencies to reduce the number of unfilled nursing shifts.

Trusts manage their own procurement processes and must align with framework and procurement regulations, to uphold fairness and deliver value for money. Any breaches of framework rules, including price cap violations, are closely monitored by NHS England through the Temporary Staffing Efficiency Programme.NHS England will continue to review framework applications as they are submitted, and will continue to communicate outcomes to framework operators and providers, including any updates to the list of approved framework agreements. A list of approved framework agreements can be found on NHS England’s website, at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/reducing-expenditure-on-nhs-agency-staff-rules-and-price-caps/agency-rules-list-of-approved-framework-agreements-for-all-staff/

What assessment he has made of the potential merits of banning the use of off-framework staffing agencies by the NHS.

The planning guidance for 2024/25 set out the expectation that trusts should end off-framework agency use. The National Health Service is now operating at the lowest levels of off-framework use on record.The planning guidance for 2025/26 sets out, for the first time, in its Revenue Finance and Contracting Guidance, the ambition of eliminating agency spend altogether, and the expectation that trusts should reduce their agency spend by a minimum of 30% in 2025/26.The merits of eliminating off-framework agencies would be to increase procurement compliance, value for money, safeguarding measures, workforce productivity, and to provide a ring fence of governance to improve patient safety. A list of approved framework agreements can be found on NHS England’s website, at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/reducing-expenditure-on-nhs-agency-staff-rules-and-price-caps/agency-rules-list-of-approved-framework-agreements-for-all-staff/

What the average cost to the public purse is of one band 5 nursing hour supplied by (a) On-framework staffing agencies and (b) Off-framework staffing agencies to the NHS in each year since 2019.

The Department does not hold the data requested.The Government is committed to reducing off-framework agency use, the cost of which is at a premium, above the agreed framework rates. Additionally, staff hired through off-framework agencies are not subject to the same pre-employment checks as those carried out by on-framework agencies. Off-framework use is actively monitored through NHS England’s governance mechanisms, with additional oversight applied to trusts with recurring non-compliance.The NHS Planning Guidance 2025/26 states that trusts should reduce their agency spend by a minimum of 30%, and the accompanying Revenue Finance and Contracting Guidance sets the ambition that agency spend should be eliminated in the coming years.

If he will make an estimate of the average cost to the public purse of one band 5 nursing hour supplied by (a) On-framework staffing agencies and (b) Off-framework staffing agencies at the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust in each year since 2019.

The Department does not hold the data requested.The Government is committed to reducing off-framework agency use, the cost of which is at a premium, above the agreed framework rates. Additionally, staff hired through off-framework agencies are not subject to the same pre-employment checks as those carried out by on-framework agencies. Off-framework use is actively monitored through NHS England’s governance mechanisms, with additional oversight applied to trusts with recurring non-compliance.The NHS Planning Guidance 2025/26 states that trusts should reduce their agency spend by a minimum of 30%, and the accompanying Revenue Finance and Contracting Guidance sets the ambition that agency spend should be eliminated in the coming years.

What steps he took to raise awareness of the consultation on the proposed 2025/26 NHS Payment Scheme.

NHS England is following standard procedure in its consultation on the NHS Payment Scheme. While the consultation’s objection thresholds apply only to commissioners and providers of National Health Service funded services, the consultation accepts responses from any interested parties and members of the general public.On publication, all providers and commissioners affected by the proposals were sent details of the consultation, and were asked to respond.As well as publishing the documents on NHS England’s website, the consultation was also publicly available on NHS England’s consultation hub, which is available at the following link:https://www.engage.england.nhs.uk/An email to highlight the consultation was also sent to over 4,300 people, including those from representative bodies, charities, and other voluntary, community, and social enterprise organisations, who had registered for updates about the payment system or had joined the Payment System Support FutureNHS. A reminder was also sent out a week before the consultation closed.NHS England also promoted the consultation alongside the consultation on the NHS Standard Contract, contacting approximately 2,000 people from NHS organisations, local authorities, voluntary sector organisations, and other interested parties. Of the responses that were received regarding the consultation, 621 were from the general public, namely individuals who did not specify an organisation.

How many members of the public were consulted as part of the stakeholder engagement on changes to the NHS payment scheme.

NHS England is following standard procedure in its consultation on the NHS Payment Scheme. While the consultation’s objection thresholds apply only to commissioners and providers of National Health Service funded services, the consultation accepts responses from any interested parties and members of the general public.On publication, all providers and commissioners affected by the proposals were sent details of the consultation, and were asked to respond.As well as publishing the documents on NHS England’s website, the consultation was also publicly available on NHS England’s consultation hub, which is available at the following link:https://www.engage.england.nhs.uk/An email to highlight the consultation was also sent to over 4,300 people, including those from representative bodies, charities, and other voluntary, community, and social enterprise organisations, who had registered for updates about the payment system or had joined the Payment System Support FutureNHS. A reminder was also sent out a week before the consultation closed.NHS England also promoted the consultation alongside the consultation on the NHS Standard Contract, contacting approximately 2,000 people from NHS organisations, local authorities, voluntary sector organisations, and other interested parties. Of the responses that were received regarding the consultation, 621 were from the general public, namely individuals who did not specify an organisation.

Pursuant to the Answer of 14 March 2025 to Question 37331 on Whitchurch (Shropshire) Station: Access, what her Department's timetable is for its review of the option selection reports on step-free access at stations produced by Network Rail.

The feasibility work for Whitchurch station is underway and we expect all 50 of the feasibility studies announced last year to be complete in the spring. We expect to be able to confirm which stations will move forward over the summer. The Access for All programme continues to be heavily oversubscribed. We remain committed to improving the accessibility of the railway and recognise the valuable social and economic benefits this brings to communities.

What steps action he is taking to help reduce waiting times for mental health treatment in (a) Shropshire and (b) England.

The latest NHS Talking Therapies data for England show that as of December 2024, 91.2% of people completing treatment waited less than six weeks for their first appointment, against a target of 75%. Additionally, 98.4% of people completing treatment waited less than 18 weeks, against a target of 95%.Waiting times data for NHS Talking Therapies are not held at constituency or county level but are available at integrated care board (ICB) level through the NHS Mental Health Dashboard, which is available at the following link: https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/nhs-mental-health-dashboard/Despite the challenging fiscal environment, the Government has chosen to prioritise the funding to deliver expansions of NHS Talking Therapies and Individual Placement & Support schemes, demonstrating our commitment to addressing the root cause of mental health issues and providing support for people with severe mental illness to contribute to the economy by remaining in or returning to work.

What proportion of savings from cuts to NHS England and ICB running costs will be directed to (a) primary care, (b) secondary care and (c) social care.

Ministers will work with the new transformation team at the top of NHS England, led by James Mackey, to ensure that the expected hundreds of millions of pounds worth of savings made will be reinvested in frontline services to deliver better care for patients.

Whether he plans to ask ICBs to reduce running costs by half.

As part of the necessary changes to support the National Health Service to recover, NHS England has indicated that integrated care boards (ICBs) should reduce running costs. The Government is supportive of NHS England taking the action needed to get the NHS back on its feet.The reduction in ICB running costs is a necessary step to ensure that more funding is directed toward frontline health services, where it is needed most. These changes will streamline commissioning and administrative costs so we can prioritise patient care and improve health outcomes. This decision reflects our commitment to delivering the best possible services while using resources responsibly.

What proportion of savings from changes to (a) NHS England and (b) Integrated care boards running costs will go the consolidated fund.

Ministers will work with the new transformation team at the top of NHS England, led by James Mackey, to ensure that the expected hundreds of millions of pounds of savings made will be reinvested in frontline services to deliver better care for patients.

What steps he is taking to help ensure that elective service changes to the NHS Payment Scheme comply with legislation on the NHS Right to Choose.

Patients will continue to have the right to choose their provider as set out in legislation. The proposed NHS Payment Scheme does not and cannot change this.The Government is committed to patients having the right to choose their provider when referred to consultant-led treatment, or to a mental health professional, for their first appointment as an outpatient. Further information on the choices available for patients can be found on the NHS Choice framework, which is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-nhs-choice-framework

What information his Department holds on the amount of money clawed back by NHS England from primary care NHS dental practices in England that had not met their contractual targets in each year since the 2020-21 financial year.

The NHS Business Services Authority publishes the details of each National Health Service dental contract, with associated contract delivery data, annually. This information includes additional NHS dental payments and deductions each year since 2015. NHS England contracts with dentists to deliver NHS dental services, with the amount of NHS dental care to deliver and financial value specified in each contract. Deductions to this amount include where a dentist does not deliver the contracted amount of NHS dental care. These publications are available at the following link:https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/dental-data/nhs-payments-dentists

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of proposed changes to (a) elective and (b) activity-based payments on (i) access to (A) (1) ADHD and (2) other medication and (B) other treatments and (ii) the timeframe in which NHS England patients who opt to use Right to Choose will receive their treatment.

As required by law, NHS England has assessed the impact of the proposed NHS Payment Scheme. This is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/25-26-NHSPS-Consultation-notice-C-impact-assessment.pdfThis impact assessment includes consideration of the impact on patient choice, as well as an assessment of the impact on patients, in line with NHS England’s public sector equality duty.Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) patients will continue to benefit from the Right to Choose their provider at the point of referral. None of the proposed changes to the NHS Payment Scheme included in the consultation would change this.Local integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for planning service provision in their local area, including for ADHD assessments. In planning local services, ICBs should take account of waiting lists. It is important that local National Health Service systems live within their means and manage their finite resources, prioritising the specific health needs of their local population.NHS England has established an ADHD taskforce which is working to bring together those with lived experience with experts from the NHS, education, charity, and justice sectors. The taskforce is working to get a better understanding of the challenges affecting those with ADHD, including timely and equitable access to services and support, with the final report expected in the summer.The consultation on the proposed NHS Payment Scheme closed on 28 February 2025. The outcome of the consultation will be published shortly once all responses received have been fully considered and any decisions made about the final Payment Scheme.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of elective services changes in the NHS payment scheme on (a) patients and (b) people with (i) ADHD and (ii) other disabilities.

As required by law, NHS England has assessed the impact of the proposed NHS Payment Scheme. This is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/25-26-NHSPS-Consultation-notice-C-impact-assessment.pdfThis impact assessment includes consideration of the impact on patient choice, as well as an assessment of the impact on patients, in line with NHS England’s public sector equality duty.Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) patients will continue to benefit from the Right to Choose their provider at the point of referral. None of the proposed changes to the NHS Payment Scheme included in the consultation would change this.Local integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for planning service provision in their local area, including for ADHD assessments. In planning local services, ICBs should take account of waiting lists. It is important that local National Health Service systems live within their means and manage their finite resources, prioritising the specific health needs of their local population.NHS England has established an ADHD taskforce which is working to bring together those with lived experience with experts from the NHS, education, charity, and justice sectors. The taskforce is working to get a better understanding of the challenges affecting those with ADHD, including timely and equitable access to services and support, with the final report expected in the summer.The consultation on the proposed NHS Payment Scheme closed on 28 February 2025. The outcome of the consultation will be published shortly once all responses received have been fully considered and any decisions made about the final Payment Scheme.

If she will hold discussions with rail companies on reopening of the Oswestry to Gobowen railway line.

The Chancellor’s statement of 29 July 2024 confirmed that the Restoring Your Railway programme would be brought to a close, which included the proposed scheme to reopen the line between Oswestry and Gobowen. Proposals from the former Restoring Your Railway programme will be considered in the current Spending Review. There are no proposals to consult with rail operators on schemes whilst the Spending Review is ongoing.

Communities and Local Government, if she will provide capital funding to support the regeneration of Whitchurch Civic Centre.

I understand the difficulties constituents are facing due to the closure of the building. The building is owned by Shropshire Council. The Council is responsible for managing their own budgets and delivering on their responsibilities. This includes their duty as building owners to assess their buildings and keep them safe. Councils are independent, democratic bodies who are best placed to understand what is needed to deliver local priorities and are accountable to local people.