Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact the absence of the Northern Ireland Health Minister will have on the delivery of health and social care services in Northern Ireland this winter; and what steps they intend to take to ensure the safe delivery of critical services.

The Government is acutely aware of the pressures facing the health service in Northern Ireland. The absence of a functioning Executive is exacerbating the severe challenges that the healthcare system in Northern Ireland is facing.

People in Northern Ireland deserve locally-elected decision-makers who are working for them to address these important issues. That is the best way to progress the necessary long term solutions to healthcare and make best use of the substantial UK Government funds announced in the Autumn Statement which will see the budget to the Northern Ireland Executive increase by £650m over two years.

In the absence of an Executive, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland outlined to Parliament on Wednesday 9 November, and which I shared with the House on 14 November, his intention to introduce legislation to enable Northern Ireland Departments to maintain delivery of all vital public services including health and social care.