Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, for what reasons hon. Members have not been allowed formally to engage in the discussions of those bodies forming sustainability and transformation plans.

We expect all local leaders to be regularly talking to members of the public and stakeholders, including hon. Members. It is vital that people are able to shape the future of their local services. No changes to the services people currently receive will be made without local engagement and, where required, consultation. There are longstanding assurance processes in place to make sure this happens. NHS England, with other national health and care bodies, released guidance to the local areas developing Sustainability and Transformation Plans entitled ‘Engaging local people’ in September 2016 which can be found on their website.