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NHS Federated Data Platform — [Dame Siobhain McDonagh in the Chair]
16 April 2026
Lead MP
Martin Wrigley
Newton Abbot
Lib Dem
Responding Minister
Zubir Ahmed
Tags
NHSEconomyStandards & EthicsLocal Government
Word Count: 12780
Other Contributors: 16
At a Glance
Martin Wrigley raised concerns about nhs federated data platform — [dame siobhain mcdonagh in the chair] in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.
Key Requests to Government:
I ask the Minister to review the contract and reject extending it, as it is not in the national interest. I also request that the Government consider using the contract renewal point to work towards a staged exit with retendering for British companies to build a replacement for Palantir.
How the Debate Unfolded
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said:
Lead Contributor
I am concerned about the NHS Federated Data Platform contract with Palantir, which has cost over £330 million but has delivered no tangible benefits. The platform is not owned by the NHS and lacks transparency, leading to technical lock-in and a single point of failure. Additionally, there are issues with trust in Palantir due to its controversial history and lack of healthcare experience before the pandemic.
Andrew George
Lib Dem
St Ives
He briefly asked for further clarification or inform [6D [K information from Danny Chambers, but no specific content of his interventio [11D [K intervention is provided in the transcript.
Mitcham and Morden
I agree entirely with the hon. Member, particularly [K regarding the need to clarify the secret meeting between Boris Johnson, Dom [3D [K Dominic Cummings, and Peter Thiel that initiated this project.
Danny Chambers
Lib Dem
Winchester
He highlighted concerns over trusting NHS data to a [K US corporation with ties to Donald Trump, emphasizing ethical standards exp [3D [K expected from doctors and nurses. He argued that the contract should be scr [3D [K scrutinized more thoroughly due to its heavy redaction.
Gideon Amos
Lib Dem
Taunton and Wellington
He agrees that accountability is key regarding contr [5D [K contracts, echoing concerns about assurances turning into different future [K relationships or companies.
Ian Byrne
Lab
Liverpool West Derby
Ian Byrne reiterates his concerns about Palantir's c [1D [K contract with the NHS, noting ethical issues and human rights abuses linked [6D [K linked to the company. He mentions constituent fears and calls for the Gove [4D [K Government to terminate the contract in 2027 and develop an ethically groun [5D [K grounded approach to data handling.
Iqbal Mohamed
Ind
Dewsbury and Batley
Palantir's CEO stated pride in disrupting systems, e [1D [K even those he cannot talk about. Palantir has contracts with US Immigration [11D [K Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Israeli Ministry of Defence, wh [2D [K which raise ethical concerns. NHS staff have been warned against criticisin [10D [K criticising Palantir or working on alternative systems. He intervened to discuss health inequality for ethni [5D [K ethnic minorities in the NHS, questioning whether systems supplied by Palan [5D [K Palantir are unethical and racist based on their termination by New Orleans [7D [K Orleans and Los Angeles police departments due to racial bias. Requested an intervention from the Minister.
Jeremy Corbyn
Ind
Islington North
He is concerned about the £330 million contract with [4D [K with Palantir and calls for a publicly owned, accountable system in the NHS [3D [K NHS. He argues that Palantir's involvement poses risks to patient data priv [4D [K privacy and ethical concerns due to its links to controversial projects.
Jim Shannon
DUP
Strangford
The DUP Member raised concerns about trust, local co [2D [K control and accountability, security compromise, and patient empowerment in [2D [K in the context of the federated data platform. He emphasised that each hosp [4D [K hospital trust must remain the controller of its own data and called for ro [2D [K robust privacy-enhancing technology to protect personal identities.
Luke Taylor
Lib Dem
Sutton and Cheam
The Liberal Democrat MP criticised the Government's [K engagement with Palantir, describing it as 'shameful' due to the company's [K association with Peter Thiel. He warned against the dangers of Palantir's o [1D [K opaque software leading to dependency on a foreign entity and urged for an [K investigation into unethical lobbying by Palantir within NHS. Asked for an intervention on a point raised previous [8D [K previously.
Navendu Mishra
Lab
Stockport
The Labour Member discussed ethical implications of [K using Palantir technology, mentioning concerns raised by constituents about [5D [K about human rights abuses linked with the company. He advocated for investi [7D [K investing in domestic technological capabilities and suggested retendering [K the federated data platform to address security issues.
Neil Shastri-Hurst
Conservative [13D [K (Conservative
Solihull West and Shirley
The NHS federated data platform is necessary to impr [4D [K improve care for patients, but concerns exist over staff engagement, public [6D [K public trust, reliance on Palantir, resilience to cyber-attacks, and govern [6D [K governance after the abolition of NHS England. The speaker asked how the Go [2D [K Government will ensure genuine competition in procurement, maintain system [K resilience, and clarify accountability for the FDP.
Olly Glover
Lib Dem
Didcot and Wantage
He expressed concerns about the process and governan [8D [K governance around appointing Palantir to UK NHS contracts, highlighting its [3D [K its controversial background and ethical issues. He cited a YouGov poll ind [3D [K indicating that nearly half of adults would opt out of sharing health data [K with the NHS if Palantir was involved, due to privacy and democratic accoun [6D [K accountability concerns.
Rachael Maskell
Lab Co-op
York Central
The Labour MP highlighted the risks of Palantir's ac [2D [K access to sensitive data, citing examples from Switzerland and the United S [1D [K States where Palantir has been used for targeting vulnerable individuals. S [1D [K She urged the Government to terminate the contract with Palantir in the int [3D [K interest of public health and accountability. Highlighted the issue of patient trust, noting that [K over 50% of the public do not have confidence in sharing vital health infor [5D [K information with clinicians. Asked if this point would be included in the c [1D [K consultation.
Samantha Niblett
Lab
South Derbyshire
The FDP could help transform the NHS but Palantir's [K character and political views raise serious concerns. The company's co-foun [7D [K co-founder, Peter Thiel, is openly hostile to the NHS, which makes it quest [5D [K questionable whether they should hold sensitive health data. Initial contra [6D [K contract details were heavily redacted.
Seamus Logan
Scottish [K National Party
Aberdeenshire North and Moray East
He criticises the £330 million deal with Palantir, h [1D [K highlighting issues of trust in the NHS due to Palantir's ties with controv [7D [K controversial agencies. He urges the Government to use a break clause in 20 [2D [K 2027 and invest in UK tech solutions. Asked the Minister to address questions about a revi [4D [K review of the break clause next year.
Shockat Adam
Ind
Leicester South
As a practising optometrist, Shockat Adam supports b [1D [K better health data sharing but raises concerns about Palantir's involvement [11D [K involvement with the NHS. He highlights ethical issues related to Palantir' [9D [K Palantir's co-founders' anti-democratic views and their company's contracts [9D [K contracts in conflict zones, arguing that the hands holding such powerful t [1D [K tools must be carefully chosen.
Government Response
Zubir Ahmed
Government Response
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Dame Siobhain. I thank the hon. Member for Newton Abbot for securing this debate and welcoming the hon. Member for Solihull West and Shirley to his place on the Front Bench. The NHS Federated Data Platform (FDP) is an NHS construct consisting of multiple contracts awarded to consortia including Palantir, Accenture, PwC, Carnall Farrar, and others. It aims to improve patient outcomes and clinical efficiency through better use of data. Independent estimates suggest the FDP could generate savings worth up to £2 £2.4 billion, with a commissioned study by Imperial College further examining its economic impact. The minister notes that the FDP is not synonymous with single patient records or the NHS app but rather part of an infrastructure to improve service delivery. He highlights successful implementations in North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust, where OPTICA has reduced long stays by a third despite a 7% increase in admissions, and at Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, where it has streamlined surgery lists. Since the FDP's go-live date in March 2024, more than 100,000 additional patients have been supported to undergo procedures, nearly 94,000 people have been helped on their cancer journey with a 7% reduction in diagnosis time, and there has been a 14% decrease in delays for discharging patients staying longer than seven days. The minister assures that the contract includes break clauses for value-for-money evaluations and vendor lock-in measures allow migration to other providers if necessary. Data security is paramount; a separate company IQVIA provides privacy-enhancing technology, ensuring data controllership remains with NHS organisations. He emphasizes the FDP's importance for delivering better patient care through efficient use of data while acknowledging concerns about digital sovereignty and public confidence.
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About Westminster Hall Debates
Westminster Hall debates are a chance for MPs to raise important issues affecting their constituents and get a response from a government minister. Unlike Prime Minister's Questions, these debates are more in-depth and collaborative. The MP who secured the debate speaks first, other MPs can contribute, and a minister responds with the government's position.