Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the press release entitled New drugs pilot to tackle obesity and cut NHS waiting lists, published on 7 June 2023, what her Department's timetable is for launching the obesity drugs pilot.

The Government is committed to the safe introduction of the newest National Institute for Health and Care Excellence approved weight loss drugs into the National Health Service. NHS England is leading on the design and development of the pilots which will consider how to safely prescribe these treatments outside of a hospital setting, with wraparound support provided in the community or digitally. We are working with NHS England to finalise the pilots, and further details will be available in due course.