Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help reduce the NHS backlog of medical procedures in West Yorkshire.

We have made £1 billion available this year to the National Health Service to increase activity and tackle waiting lists. Trusts in West Yorkshire can access this funding as they increase their activity levels. In May, the NHS announced a £160 million accelerator initiative to rapidly trial further innovations and interventions to boost activity. The findings will be shared across all regions, providing a blueprint for elective recovery. There is support at a national and regional level for all systems, including the West Yorkshire and Harrogate Health and Care Partnership, to support them to reduce their waiting lists and deliver care to patients.