Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to paragraph 1.2 of Refreshing NHS Plans for 2018/19, published by NHS England and NHS Improvement on 2 February 2018, from which of his Department’s budgets he is making a further £540 million available to the NHS through the Mandate; and if he will make statement.

The additional £540 million will be made available by the Department from the increase in the migrant surcharge, other income, and some reprioritisation within its own Departmental budget. NHS England will receive this funding through the Mandate in 2018-19, and will invest it in core frontline services such as mental health and primary care.

The business planning process looked at the prioritisation of the Departmental budget. Whilst most of the additional funding into NHS England is being funded through additional income in 2018-19, the majority of the remainder has been found through the removal of contingencies in administration budgets and demand led budgets, ensuring that available funding is prioritised to support frontline National Health Service activity.