Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he plans to take to reduce waiting times for autism assessments.

Lord Darzi’s independent review of the National Health Service, published in September 2024, highlighted the severe delays for accessing autism assessments and that demand for assessments for autism has grown significantly in recent years.

It is the responsibility of integrated care boards (ICBs) to make available appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population, including autism assessments and diagnosis, in line with relevant National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines. In doing so, ICBs should take account of waiting lists, considering how local funding can be deployed to best meet the needs of their local population.

The House of Lords has established an Autism Act 2009 Committee, which is holding an inquiry to look at the Autism Act, the autism strategy, and the statutory guidance, and which will make recommendations to the Government by 30 November 2025. The Government will consider any relevant findings from the House of Lords’ autism inquiry.