Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of NHS Foundation Trusts selling off, in whole or in part, to the private sector, wholly owned subsidiaries providing services directly to those Trusts.

No such assessment has been made and no such sales have been brought to the attention of the Department. National Health Service organisations have a duty to operate efficiently and economically and are responsible for putting in place the most effective structures they need to deliver services to their patients within available resources.