Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will take steps to ensure that the updated 2017-18 deliverables under the Government's Mandate to NHS England include specific actions to reduce autism diagnosis waiting times.

The current mandate for 2016-17 was published in December 2015, and sets out NHS England’s objectives and budget to 2020 to provide stability and support the National Health Service to plan more effectively to deliver our long-term aims.

The Secretary of State must publish a mandate each year, which allows the Government to ensure it remains current and to agree new annual deliverables. The Department will consult on any significant changes that may be necessary, including to the mental health, learning disability and autism objective and deliverables. The mandate for 2017-18 will be published and laid before Parliament in the autumn.