Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, a) how much has been spent by each ICB on clustering arrangements, b) which ICBs have suspended their plans for merger at the direction of NHS England, and c) which ICBS are expected to end their current clustering arrangements as a result of the need to align ICB boundaries with emerging strategic authority boundaries.

The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.