Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of standardising the number of NHS-funded In Vitro Fertilisation cycles available to patients across England.

Funding decisions for health services in England are made by integrated care boards (ICBs), based on their population’s clinical needs. We are working with NHS England to understand and improve the offer around National Health Service-funded fertility services, including how best to support further research and data collection.

Revised NICE fertility guidelines are due for publication in Spring, setting clear expectations for commissioners. These guidelines will establish a national standard for consistent provision of fertility services across England.

We expect ICBs to commission fertility services consistent with these new guidelines, ensuring equal access to treatment across England.