Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many and what proportion GPs were not in General Practice in England one year after receipt of their Certificate of Completion of Training in each of the most recent five years for which data are available.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Thanks to actions taken by the Government, we have the highest number of fully qualified general practitioners (GPs) since 2015, at 30,038 full time equivalent in February 2026. Leaver rates also remain low by historical standards, at 7.5% in December 2024 to December 2025.

The following table shows the total and proportion of Specialty Trainee Year 3 (ST3) GPs not seen in the National Workforce Reporting Service (NWRS) within one year of the last appearance in the ST3 role, from March 2020 to December 2024:

Notes:

1. the quarter in which a GP was last seen in an ST3 role is an approximation for the date on which they qualified. This means that the figures will include some doctors who have not entered the qualified GP workforce as they discontinued their GP training in ST3, or have taken a leave of absence at ST3 level, for example for maternity/paternity leave or because they have failed their exams and do not qualify; and
2. fully qualified GPs in NWRS data are GP Partners, Salaried GPs, GP Regular Locums, and GP Retainers. Ad-hoc locums, locum or sessional GPs who typically work briefly at practices to cover for short-term or unexpected absences, are not included since information about them is captured in a different way to the rest of the workforce.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of currently-projected local authorities’ SEND deficits she expects to be covered from the central government funds when the Statutory Override ends at the end of 2027-28.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

We have set out plans to address local authorities’ high needs-related dedicated schools grant deficits up to the end of 2025/26, providing grants to cover 90% of each council’s deficit. Grants will be paid once councils have produced and received approval for a strong plan to drive sustained and energetic action in accordance with the department’s new system set out in the Schools White Paper, which will begin to improve outcomes for children and bring costs under control through effective early intervention stopping needs from escalating.

For deficits that arise in 2026/27 and 2027/28, local authorities can expect that we will continue to take a proportionate approach to such support, though it will not be unlimited. We will set out more details about our approach in due course.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the OBR’s Economic and fiscal outlook November 2025, page 122, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the absorption of SEND provision into existing RDEL limits from 2028-29 on the Core Schools Budget.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

To deliver these reforms, the department is putting more money into the education system, with £7 billion more being spent on special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) support compared to 2025/26. The department’s budgets will increase above previously planned funding at Autumn Budget 2025 by £3.5 billion in 2028/29 to support investment in the SEND system. In every year of this parliament, core funding for schools and SEND is expected to increase, subject to future Spending Reviews. As we invest in the system, we will update the SEND Code of Practice and legal requirements for support to be provided in all mainstream education settings from early years to post-16, thereby strengthening the law to make sure children and young people receive the help and support they need.

Found: Chair) Mr Bayo Alaba (Labour; Southend East and Rochford) Vicky Foxcroft (Labour; Lewisham North) Damian Hinds

Found: Chair) Mr Bayo Alaba (Labour; Southend East and Rochford) Vicky Foxcroft (Labour; Lewisham North) Damian Hinds

Found: Damian Hinds: You are sure? Ian France: Absolutely sure. Damian Hinds: Okay.

Found: Damian Hinds MP .

Found: Damian Hinds: You are sure? Ian France: Absolutely sure. Damian Hinds: Okay.