Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with NHS England on how strategic planning to combat female genital mutilation will take place after the decision was taken to disband the specialist team focused on that issue.

The Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) Prevention Programme funded by the Department and partnered with NHS England concluded on 31 March 2018 – it was always the intention that the Programme would conclude at this point.

Governance, monitoring and planning was built into the FGM Prevention Programme framework since its launch in 2014, including plans to conclude the Programme and arrangements for the work to be taken forward after April 2018. Since its launch, the Programme has worked closely with regional safeguarding teams across England, and these teams will be carrying on the work to tackle FGM across the National Health Service in England. Discussions, coordination and multi-agency work between the NHS and various partner agencies will also continue, now that the Programme has ended.