Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to The Health and Social Care Act 2012, Section 23 The NHS Commissioning Board: further provision, when he plans to publish and lay before Parliament the NHS mandate for 2019-20; and if he will make a statement.

For 2019-20, the Government has combined the mandate to NHS England and the remit for NHS Improvement into a single Accountability Framework with both arm’s length bodies. This reflects their shared role in leading the National Health Service to take forward its Long Term Plan, with 2019-20 being a critical year as the NHS transitions into full Plan implementation. We will lay and publish the document at the earliest practical opportunity.