Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions his Department has had with (a) NICE and (b) NHS England and NHS Improvement on setting levels of ambition in the NICE Methods Review.

Departmental Ministers and officials regularly discuss a range of matters with colleagues in the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and NHS England and NHS Improvement, including the NICE methods review. However, NICE is an independent body and is therefore responsible for its own methods and processes.

NICE is currently engaging with stakeholders and exploring options. However it is too soon to comment on the potential outcomes and any changes to its methods.