Written questions by Morgan.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

With reference to the Answer of (a) 24 July 2024 to Question 835 and (b) 25 November 2024 to Question 15073 on Whitchurch (Shropshire) Station: Access, what progress she has made on providing step-free access at Whitchurch Railway Station in Shropshire.

Network Rail have completed an option selection report for step-free access at Whitchurch railway station. This will be reviewed alongside 49 other stations across Britain to determine which should progress.

Communities and Local Government, what support she is providing to local authorities which own buildings in need of repair due to the presence of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete.

The issues with reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) are longstanding and well known. All building owners are responsible for managing building safety and performance risks of all kinds in their buildings, including RAAC, in a proportionate, risk-based, and evidence-based manner, and acting where they deem necessary. To do so, they should continue to follow guidance published by the Institution of Structural Engineers (IStructE) to identify, assess, and manage RAAC. Local authorities are responsible for managing their own budgets and delivering on their responsibilities, including their duty as building owners.

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.

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.

Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 10 February 2025 to Question 29014 on Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Written Questions, when he plans to respond to Question 24518 on Farming Recovery Fund, tabled on 16 January 2025 by the hon. Member for North Shropshire.

Question 24518 was answered on 4 March 2025.

If he will make an estimate of the number of pharmacies that have been registered in each integrated care board area for each year since financial year 2021-22.

NHS England maintains the lists of National Health Service pharmacies in each Health and Wellbeing Board area. As high volumes of changes take place each month, the consolidated pharmaceutical list is produced and validated on a quarterly basis. Since the second quarter of 2022/23, the consolidated lists are published on the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) Open data portal, which is available at the following link:https://opendata.nhsbsa.net/dataset/consolidated-pharmaceutical-listThe following table shows the number of community pharmacies included in the fourth quarter consolidated pharmaceutical list for each integrated care board (ICB) between 2021/22 and 2023/24: ICB31 March 202231 March 202331 March 202431 December 2024Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire ICB146148138138Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes ICB158159151149Birmingham and Solihull ICB317312304301Black Country ICB280275267263Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire ICB167167156156Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West ICB264265249248Cambridgeshire and Peterborough ICB149151141140Cheshire and Merseyside ICB585578542540Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly ICB98999490Coventry and Warwickshire ICB196194184181Derby and Derbyshire ICB209206198197Devon ICB224225204203Dorset ICB144143138135Frimley ICB137137130129Gloucestershire ICB110110105105Greater Manchester ICB656653631626Hampshire and the Isle of Wight ICB305300284283Herefordshire and Worcestershire ICB122121118116Hertfordshire and West Essex ICB286286269266Humber and North Yorkshire ICB324323300297Kent and Medway ICB325323308305Lancashire and South Cumbria ICB395390368367Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland ICB228227222222Lincolnshire ICB117115112114Mid and South Essex ICB217214199198Norfolk and Waveney ICB182181171169North Central London ICB299295290290North East and North Cumbria ICB651648614613North East London ICB380382371368North West London ICB502500477475Northamptonshire ICB127126125125Nottingham and Nottinghamshire ICB227226221216Shropshire and Telford and Wrekin ICB83838279Somerset ICB1011009191South East London ICB336338326323South West London ICB292293278272South Yorkshire ICB310312305304Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent ICB240238233232Suffolk and North East Essex ICB170171162162Surrey Heartlands ICB176175162160Sussex ICB310311291290West Yorkshire ICB545543514505Source: NHSBSANote: The consolidated pharmaceutical list for the fourth quarter of 2024/25 will be published once the validation process is completed, so the third quarter data of 2024/25 has been provided instead.

Food and Rural Affairs, how the level of funding for the Rural England Prosperity Fund was decided for 2025-26.

The Department announced on 4th March that it would be providing an additional £33 million for the Rural England Prosperity Fund in financial year 2025-26. This announcement continues funding beyond the lifetime of the original scheme providing new money for new projects in rural areas. The Autumn Statement on 30 October confirmed Defra’s budgets for 2024-25 and 2025-26. Funding allocations for individual programmes have been determined through the departments business planning exercise. Future funding decisions remain subject to the government spending review.

What information his Department holds on the number of hours pharmacies were open in (a) 2015 and (b) 2024.

The Department does not hold opening hours data for pharmacies in 2015. Data for opening hours from 2022 is available at the following link:https://opendata.nhsbsa.net/dataset/consolidated-pharmaceutical-list

Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of the reduction of the Rural England Prosperity Fund in the 2025-26 financial year on rural areas.

The Department announced on 4th March that it would be providing an additional £33 million for the Rural England Prosperity Fund in financial year 2025-26. This announcement continues funding beyond the lifetime of the original scheme providing new money for new projects in rural areas. The Autumn Statement on 30 October confirmed Defra’s budgets for 2024-25 and 2025-26. Funding allocations for individual programmes have been determined through the departments business planning exercise. Future funding decisions remain subject to the government spending review.