Sir Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent assessment he has made of progress with and the effectiveness of the Sustainability Transformation Fund; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Philip Dunne, Minister of State for Health: The £1.8 billion Sustainability and Transformation Fund (STF) has been created to help improve National Health Service trusts’ financial position and incentivise improved efficiency and performance management. All payments from the fund will benefit trusts’ bottom line.

Results so far have been very encouraging. 227 trusts (95%) have signed up to the finance and performance criteria to allow for eligibility to the fund.

At the end of Quarter 2, 196 trusts (82%) have met the finance criteria, and 152 (64%) met STF performance targets. And as a result, a total of £690 million has been paid out so far this year to trusts.

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