Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what his Department's policy is on the level of consultation required before approval of a sustainability and transformation plan.

All footprints submitted an updated plan in October. Many have been published and we expect the remainder to be published before the end of the year. Many footprints are already publishing patient-facing summaries as part of a wider engagement programme.

We expect all local leaders to be talking to the public and stakeholders regularly – it is vital that people are able to shape the future of their local services.

No changes to the services people currently receive will be made without local engagement and, where required, consultation. There are longstanding assurance processes in place to make sure this happens.