Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Merron on 9 February (HL13391), what was the legal basis for the compulsory redundancy of the chief executive of the South Yorkshire Integrated Care Board and then filling that role immediately on an interim basis; and what changes were made to the job description of the redundant role for the interim role.

The compulsory redundancy of integrated care board (ICB) chief executives in August 2025 arose from a structural re-organisation following the reduction in the number of ICBs from 42 to 26. Where an ICB was abolished or merged, the Chief Executive office role ceased to exist, and affected postholders were therefore eligible for redundancy in line with their contractual terms and conditions of service.

Employment decisions, including management and restructuring, redundancy and any interim arrangements, sit with ICBs as statutory and independent employers. The redundancy decision in respect of the South Yorkshire ICB Chief Executive was based on the removal of the role and pre-dates any subsequent arrangements for interim leadership cover. Any interim appointment made following restructuring is a separate matter from the redundancy decision and must be managed in accordance with relevant national frameworks including the Very Senior Manager Pay Framework. The Department does not hold centrally collated information on changes to individual job descriptions, as these are determined locally by ICBs.