To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what recent assessment has been made of the level of availability of bariatric surgery on the NHS (a) in each strategic health authority area, (b) in each primary care trust area and (c) nationwide; (310125)

The Department has not undertaken an assessment on the availability of bariatric surgery in the national health service. It is up to primary care trusts as local commissioners and providers of services to determine the most appropriate methods to deliver health care to their populations, based on clinical need and effectiveness, and following medical advice.

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) provides “Guidance on the prevention, identification, assessment and management of overweight and obesity in adults and children”, available at www.nice.org.uk/CG43. This guidance contains criteria for assessing whether to provide bariatric surgery for people who are obese.