Part 1: Health Service in England: Integration, Collaboration and Other Changes NHS Foundation Trusts Section 65: NHS foundation trusts: mergers, acquisitions and separations
This section amends sections 56 (mergers), 56A (Acquisitions) and 56B (Separations), of the NHS Act 2006.
	Subsection (2) amends section 56(2) to remove the previous requirement that an application to merge a Foundation Trust with another Foundation Trust or an NHS Trust established under section 25 of the NHS Act 2006, must be supported by the Secretary of State where one of the parties is an NHS Trust.
	The amendment to section 56(4) places a duty on NHS England to grant the application if it satisfied that necessary steps have been taken to prepare for the dissolution and the establishment of the new trust and the Secretary of State approves the grant of the application or otherwise must refuse the application.
	Subsection (3)(a) amends section 56A(3) to remove the requirement that an application to acquire a Foundation Trust or an NHS Trust established under section 25 of the NHS Act 2006, must be supported by the Secretary of State where one of the parties to be acquired is an NHS Trust.
	Subsection (3)(b) amends subsection 56A(4), placing a duty on NHS England to grant the application if it is satisfied that necessary steps have been taken to prepare for acquisition and the Secretary of State approves the grant of the application or otherwise must refuse the application.
	Subsection (4) amends section 56B(4) (separations) placing a duty on NHS England to grant the application if it is satisfied that necessary steps have been taken to prepare for the dissolution of the trust and the establishment of each of the proposed new trusts and the Secretary of State approves the grant of the application or otherwise must refuse the application.