Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, a) how much has been spent by each ICB on clustering arrangements, b) which ICBs have suspended their plans for merger at the direction of NHS England, and c) which ICBS are expected to end their current clustering arrangements as a result of the need to align ICB boundaries with emerging strategic authority boundaries.

Integrated care board (ICB) clustering saves, rather than costs, ICBs money, through sharing senior leaders and forming joint teams. ICBs currently clustering will continue to do so through 2027/28. Current clusters are shown in the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/integratedcare/integrated-care-in-your-area/more-about-each-integrated-care-system/#clustering

I also refer the Hon Member to the Written Ministerial Statement of 14 October 2026 on ICB boundary changes, which is available at the following link:

https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2026-10-14/hcws379