Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what account will be taken of NICE's clinical guidelines on levels of patient access in setting the budgets devolved by NHS England to clinical commissioning groups for obesity surgery from April 2016.

NHS England would expect commissioners to take account of this guidance when commissioning services.

Any transfer of budget from NHS England to devolved areas will be on the basis of existing contractual activity.

Before the transfer of services, NHS England will complete a data capture exercise, working with providers through the specialised commissioning hubs, to collect the current activity level. This will provide the basis for the transfer of the budget. Governance sign off will then be agreed at NHS England Board level.