Asked by: Baroness Shawcross-Wolfson (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether the report into young people and work will examine the reasons behind the number of young people claiming health and disability benefits.
Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
We recognise that some young people are struggling to find their place in work, education or training.
The report into young people and work will seek to:
The Right Honourable Alan Milburn will author the report and will be supported by a range of voices with expertise from the labour market and health spheres.
Asked by: Baroness Shawcross-Wolfson (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what is the present, and planned intake for (1) medical school places, (2) GP trainees, (3) nursing trainees, (4) nursing associate trainees, (5) midwifery trainees, (6) pharmacist trainees, and (7) dentist trainees in (a) 2025, (b) 2026, (c) 2028, and (d) 2031.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
In England, the Office for Students (OfS) sets the maximum fundable limit for medical school and dental school places on an annual basis. For the 2025/26 academic year, the OfS has published its intake target at 8,126 for medical school places and 809 for dental school places. The latest published medical and dental intake data is available on the OfS website. The number of dental and medical school places taken is as follows:
The data above is initial data from 2024 and so may change. General practice training places are set out annually by NHS England.
Undergraduate training places for nurses, nurse associates, midwives, and pharmacists are not centrally commissioned by the Government. Instead, they are determined by local employers and education providers who decide the number of learners they admit based on learner demand and provider capacity funding. The number of acceptances for nursing and midwifery is:
The above data is from 2025, was taken 28 days after A-level results day, and is not final data. Further information is available on the UCAS website. The number of entrants to pharmacy courses was 3,880, as per data from 2023. Further information is available on the Higher Education Statistics Agency website, in an online only format. Data is not available for nurse associates
The Government is committed to publishing a 10 Year Workforce Plan which will ensure the National Health Service has the right people in the right places, with the right skills to care for patients, when they need it.
Asked by: Baroness Shawcross-Wolfson (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the total cost of redundancy as a result of the plan to abolish NHS England and restructure integrated care boards; and what redundancy costs have been incurred as a result of those plans to date.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Following the Prime Minister’s announcement of the abolition of NHS England, we have been clear on the need for a smaller centre, as well as on the need to scale back integrated care board (ICB) running costs and National Health Service provider corporate costs, in order to reduce waste and bureaucracy.
Good progress is being made, with the Department and NHS England having announced voluntary exit and expressions of interest respectively.
In the case of ICBs, ahead of asking the NHS to commence a multi-year planning round we are now carefully reviewing how the settlement is prioritised, including making provision for redundancy costs.
Asked by: Baroness Shawcross-Wolfson (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they expect to have completed the abolition of NHS England by March 2027.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The abolition of NHS England requires primary legislation, and as such is subject to the will of Parliament. We are working with the Leader of the House and business managers to ensure an appropriate schedule that enables us to work towards the two-year delivery timetable already announced.
Until such a time when appropriate changes are made, the Department and NHS England will continue to carry out their respective statutory functions. In the interim, teams will increasingly start working closely together under an interim joint leadership team.
Asked by: Baroness Shawcross-Wolfson (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what are the current functions of NHS England, and where those functions will be distributed after its abolition.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The functions of NHS England are set out in legislation, and these include, but are not limited to:
The proposed new Department is not simply a merger of the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England, where both organisations’ current functions are added together. Rather, it is a fundamental redesign of the size, shape, and role of the centre in relation to the rest of the health and care system. The proposed abolition of NHS England and associated transfer and modification of functions is subject to legislation and the will of Parliament.
Work is progressing at pace to develop the design and operating model for the new integrated organisation, to plan for the smooth transfer of people, functions, and responsibilities.
Asked by: Baroness Shawcross-Wolfson (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what staff reductions have been made as a result of their plan to abolish NHS England and restructure integrated care boards; and what reductions they expect to have made by (1) March 2026, (2) March 2027, and (3) March 2028.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is committed to a large reduction in the headcount of the two organisations in order to invest more resources in frontline services. My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care set out the ambition of a 50% reduction over time, and the exact number and process will be agreed following careful design, deliberation, and consultation with staff, as would be rightly expected.
This is in the spirit of treating people fairly and making sure that how these organisations are set up is sustainable for the longer term.
Asked by: Baroness Shawcross-Wolfson (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the number of staff reductions by (1) headcount, and (2) full-time equivalent positions, after the completion of the abolition of NHS England and the restructure of integrated care boards.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is committed to a large reduction in the headcount of the two organisations in order to invest more resources in frontline services. My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care set out the ambition of a 50% reduction over time, and the exact number and process will be agreed following careful design, deliberation, and consultation with staff, as would be rightly expected.
This is in the spirit of treating people fairly and making sure that how these organisations are set up is sustainable for the longer term.
Asked by: Baroness Shawcross-Wolfson (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government when they plan to introduce legislation to abolish NHS England and redistribute its functions.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The abolition of NHS England requires primary legislation, and as such is subject to the will of Parliament. We are working with the Leader of the House and business managers to ensure an appropriate schedule that enables us to work towards the two-year delivery timetable already announced.
Until such a time when appropriate changes are made, the Department and NHS England will continue to carry out their respective statutory functions. In the interim, teams will increasingly start working closely together under an interim joint leadership team.