Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will take steps to maintain the in-year budget for public health provision allocated by Southampton City Council.

On 4 June as part of wider Government action on deficit reduction announced by the Chancellor, the Department was asked to deliver in year savings of £200 million in 2015/16 through reductions to the Public Health Grant to local authorities.

The Department launched a consultation exercise on 31 July to engage with local authorities on how best to deliver these savings in a way that minimises any impact on services. As a result of the consultation, 6.19% savings was applied to all local authorities in year public health budgets.