Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 6 September 2024 to Question 2316 on Public Appointments and Special Advisers: Equality, what discussions he has had with the Minister for Women and Equalities on whether the socio-economic duty will apply to (a) NHS and (b) GP waiting lists.

There have been no meetings to date between my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, and the Minister for Women and Equalities on the socio-economic duty. The Government will enact the duty which will require public bodies, when making strategic decisions, to actively consider how their decisions might help to reduce the inequalities associated with socio-economic disadvantage.