Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will set up a national network of rare-disease centres.

NHS England commissions over 70 highly specialised services for patients with rare diseases delivered and coordinated nationally through a small number of expert centres to ensure expertise and experience. The United Kingdom Rare Diseases Framework, was published in 2021, outlined a vision to improve the lives of those living with rare diseases over the next five years. Each of the four UK nations will publish action plans outlining how the Framework will improve patient outcomes, within two years of its publication. NHS England and NHS Improvement are working closely with the Department to develop an action plan for England.