Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the implications of devolution for the future of health services in the Liverpool City Region.

Devolution has the potential to support integration of health and social care, as well as catalyse collaboration between health and wider public services. As part of the second devolution deal agreed with Liverpool City Region in March 2016, the Government is committed to ongoing dialogue with the city region with regards to their health and social care system. The Government welcomes the publication of Liverpool City Region’s Case for Change which clearly set out the challenges faced by that health system and which necessitates a collective focus on prevention and early intervention. The Department and national partners continue to engage with Liverpool City Region with regards to next steps.