Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has had discussions with Cherwell District Council and the Oxfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group on providing additional GP services for new housing proposed in the Cherwell Local Plan.

The National Planning Policy Framework makes it clear that strategic policies should make sufficient provision for community facilities, such as health, education and cultural infrastructure.

The National Planning Practice Guidance states that:

- Strategic policy-making authorities should work with public health leads and health organisations to understand and take account of the current and projected health status and needs of the local population, including the quality and quantity of, and accessibility to, healthcare and the effect any planned growth may have on this; and

- the views of the local clinical commissioning group (CCG) and NHS England should be sought regarding the impact of new development which would have a significant or cumulatively significant effect on health infrastructure and/or the demand for healthcare services.

Oxfordshire CCG have advised us they are working with Cherwell District Council and local practices to understand the population growth in its district council area.