Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the Local Authority (Public Health, Health and Wellbeing Boards and Health Scrutiny) Regulations 2013, what discussions he has had with the Independent Reconfiguration Panel on improving the referral system from local authority health scrutiny committees.

The Department remains committed to ensuring the highest standards of public involvement in, and local democratic oversight of, the development of NHS services. We therefore maintain a regular dialogue with the Independent Reconfiguration Panel (IRP), and other bodies to ensure that our systems and processes support effective scrutiny. The IRP publishes advice and guidance to support local decision making and scrutiny, as well as providing advice to interested parties. Further information can be found on the IRP website.