Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they expect to have completed the abolition of NHS England by March 2027.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The abolition of NHS England requires primary legislation, and as such is subject to the will of Parliament. We are working with the Leader of the House and business managers to ensure an appropriate schedule that enables us to work towards the two-year delivery timetable already announced.

Until such a time when appropriate changes are made, the Department and NHS England will continue to carry out their respective statutory functions. In the interim, teams will increasingly start working closely together under an interim joint leadership team.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what are the current functions of NHS England, and where those functions will be distributed after its abolition.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The functions of NHS England are set out in legislation, and these include, but are not limited to:

• commissioning services in the National Health Service;
• the establishment, oversight, and support of integrated care boards;
• the oversight and support of NHS trusts and foundation trusts;
• designing, developing, and operating national digital and technology products and services and disseminating data to support the health and care system;
• planning, recruiting, educating, and training the health workforce; and
• overseeing and promoting the use of research and innovation within the health service.

The proposed new Department is not simply a merger of the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England, where both organisations’ current functions are added together. Rather, it is a fundamental redesign of the size, shape, and role of the centre in relation to the rest of the health and care system. The proposed abolition of NHS England and associated transfer and modification of functions is subject to legislation and the will of Parliament.

Work is progressing at pace to develop the design and operating model for the new integrated organisation, to plan for the smooth transfer of people, functions, and responsibilities.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what staff reductions have been made as a result of their plan to abolish NHS England and restructure integrated care boards; and what reductions they expect to have made by (1) March 2026, (2) March 2027, and (3) March 2028.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government is committed to a large reduction in the headcount of the two organisations in order to invest more resources in frontline services. My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care set out the ambition of a 50% reduction over time, and the exact number and process will be agreed following careful design, deliberation, and consultation with staff, as would be rightly expected.

This is in the spirit of treating people fairly and making sure that how these organisations are set up is sustainable for the longer term.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the number of staff reductions by (1) headcount, and (2) full-time equivalent positions, after the completion of the abolition of NHS England and the restructure of integrated care boards.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government is committed to a large reduction in the headcount of the two organisations in order to invest more resources in frontline services. My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care set out the ambition of a 50% reduction over time, and the exact number and process will be agreed following careful design, deliberation, and consultation with staff, as would be rightly expected.

This is in the spirit of treating people fairly and making sure that how these organisations are set up is sustainable for the longer term.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government when they plan to introduce legislation to abolish NHS England and redistribute its functions.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The abolition of NHS England requires primary legislation, and as such is subject to the will of Parliament. We are working with the Leader of the House and business managers to ensure an appropriate schedule that enables us to work towards the two-year delivery timetable already announced.

Until such a time when appropriate changes are made, the Department and NHS England will continue to carry out their respective statutory functions. In the interim, teams will increasingly start working closely together under an interim joint leadership team.