Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether he has had recent discussions with the Northern Ireland Executive on the number of people on hospital waiting lists in Northern Ireland.

Improving health outcomes across the UK is a priority mission for this Government. Although health is devolved in Northern Ireland, the Government wants to work with the Northern Ireland Executive to transform its public services and improve outcomes for people in Northern Ireland.

The Government regularly engages with Executive Ministers, including the Northern Ireland Health Minister, to discuss plans to improve public services. I have engaged extensively with stakeholders across the Northern Ireland health service to discuss how the Government can work with the Executive to tackle its shared health challenges, including waiting lists.