Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of (a) funding for palliative care services and (b) the commissioning of palliative care services by integrated care boards.

No assessment has been made. Palliative and end of life care is commissioned locally by integrated care boards (ICBs) in response to the needs of their local population and an assessment would need to be done at local level. NHS England formally oversees ICBs and has a legal duty to annually assess and publish the performance of each ICB. In addition, Care Quality Commission system assessments provide an independent assurance to the public and Parliament.