To ask the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety (i) whether he will publish the Public Health Agency's Consultation Plan for the proposed changes to Lifeline, outlining (a) the pre-consultation undertaken; (b) information analysis; (c) options appraisal; (d) Contact NI evaluation of existing services; and (d) the budget for the consultation; and (ii) whether he intends to make a statement on the process of the consultation.

The Public Health Agency has published its pre-consultation report on its website. The information analysis and options appraisal, carried out as part of the consultation process, together with details on the Strategic Outline Business Case are also available on the Agency’s website. If ContactNI has carried out an evaluation of its existing services, it is for that organisation to decide if it will publish the findings. There is no set budget for the consultation exercise; spend to date has been £1,389. I do not intend to make a statement on the process of the consultation being undertaken by the Public Health Agency.