Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to Request for direction on independent sector contracting from NHS England Chief Executive Officer to Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, published on 12 January 2022, what discussions he has had with Ministerial colleagues in the Department for Health and Social Care in relation to the value for public money of the payments made to the independent health sector referred to in that letter.

The government is fully committed to supporting the NHS to respond to the Omicron variant.

As Chief Secretary to the Treasury, I regularly meet with Ministerial colleagues in the Department for Health and Social Care to discuss a wide range of issues, including spending within the NHS. HM Treasury works to ensure that taxpayer money is spent responsibly and delivers value for money for them.