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Health Services Safety Investigation Body and Healthwatch England

Asked by Dr Caroline JohnsonConservativeDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled Answered 16 July 2026UIN 17381

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what information his Department holds on the likely cost of abolition of (a) HealthWatch England, (b) Health Service Safety Investigation Body (HSSIB) and (c) the development and enactment of transfer schemes in connection with the transfer of HSSIB’s functions to the Care Quality Commission.

Answered by Preet Kaur Gill

An impact assessment on patient safety measures has been undertaken and published alongside the introduction of the Health Bill 2026. This document contains the following impact assessments, including sections on current estimates of transfer costs: Abolishing Healthwatch England and Local Healthwatch; transfer of the Health Services Safety Investigation Body functions into the Care Quality Commission; and Care Quality Commission: extending the statute of limitations. The impact assessment can be viewed at the following link:

https://bills.parliament.uk/bills/4124/publications

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