Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the publication by NHS England entitled Reforming elective care for patients, published on 6 January 2025, whether he has had recent discussions with General Practitioners on the potential impact of changes to the legal framework on advice and guidance pathways.

The Department and NHS England started consultation with the General Practitioners Committee in England, of the British Medical Association, on the 2025/26 GP Contract on 19 December, and will consider all proposed policy changes, including advice and guidance arrangements. Final changes will be announced in the usual way, following the close of the consultation in 2025.