Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what fiscal steps he is taking to ensure the adequacy of funding for the NHS over winter 2020-21.

The Government announced £3 billion of additional funding in July to support the National Health Service this winter. This includes ensuring Nightingale hospital surge capacity is available during winter, that the NHS has ongoing access to additional independent sector capacity and funding to support the safe discharge of patients from NHS hospitals.

A further £2.7 billion will go directly to Integrated Care Systems and sustainability and transformation partnerships through the rest of the financial year to help manage ongoing COVID-19 pressures and resume routine activity.

To upgrade accident and emergency departments ahead of winter, the Government has also committed £450 million to expand waiting areas, create more treatment cubicles and improve infection control.