Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent steps he has taken to make beds available for operations.

As part of robust preparations ahead of winter, the National Health Service, with local government partners, is working to reduce delayed transfers of care and free up 2,000-3,000 beds.

This has been supported by additional Government investment of £2 billion in adult social care, of which £1 billion is available during 2017-18, which as well as meeting adult social care needs and supporting the local social care market will help to reduce pressures on the NHS by supporting more people to be discharged from hospital when they are ready.