Kevin Foster Portrait

Kevin Foster

Conservative - Former Member for Torbay

First elected: 7th May 2015

Left House: 30th May 2024 (Dissolution)


Kevin Foster is not a member of any APPGs
6 Former APPG memberships
Armed Forces, Armed Forces Covenant, Longevity, Union, Western Rail Link to Heathrow, Working at Height
Backbench Business Committee
27th Nov 2023 - 30th May 2024
Investigatory Powers (Amendment) Bill [HL]
28th Feb 2024 - 7th Mar 2024
Media Bill
29th Nov 2023 - 12th Dec 2023
Backbench Business Committee
8th Nov 2022 - 26th Oct 2023
Hunting Trophies (Import Prohibition) Bill
18th Jan 2023 - 25th Jan 2023
Shark Fins Bill
16th Nov 2022 - 16th Nov 2022
Minister of State (Department for Transport)
7th Sep 2022 - 26th Oct 2022
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
16th Dec 2019 - 7th Sep 2022
Assistant Whip
4th Apr 2019 - 16th Dec 2019
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Wales Office)
4th Apr 2019 - 16th Dec 2019
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
4th Apr 2019 - 31st Oct 2019
Ecclesiastical Committee (Joint Committee)
31st Oct 2017 - 24th Apr 2019
Backbench Business Committee
13th Jun 2016 - 3rd May 2017
Ecclesiastical Committee (Joint Committee)
28th Oct 2015 - 3rd May 2017
Public Accounts Committee
7th Jul 2015 - 3rd May 2017
Backbench Business Committee
14th Dec 2015 - 12th May 2016


Division Voting information

Kevin Foster has voted in 1831 divisions, and 12 times against the majority of their Party.

9 Jul 2019 - Northern Ireland (Executive Formation) Bill - View Vote Context
Kevin Foster voted No - against a party majority and against the House
One of 65 Conservative No votes vs 105 Conservative Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 383 Noes - 73
27 Mar 2019 - EU: Withdrawal and Future Relationship Votes - View Vote Context
Kevin Foster voted Aye - against a party majority and against the House
One of 59 Conservative Aye votes vs 200 Conservative No votes
Tally: Ayes - 65 Noes - 377
27 Mar 2019 - EU: Withdrawal and Future Relationship Votes - View Vote Context
Kevin Foster voted No - against a party majority and in line with the House
One of 122 Conservative No votes vs 126 Conservative Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 139 Noes - 422
13 Mar 2019 - UK’s Withdrawal from the European Union - View Vote Context
Kevin Foster voted No - against a party majority and in line with the House
One of 66 Conservative No votes vs 149 Conservative Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 164 Noes - 374
31 Jan 2018 - Restoration and Renewal (Report of the Joint Committee) - View Vote Context
Kevin Foster voted Aye - against a party majority and against the House
One of 3 Conservative Aye votes vs 234 Conservative No votes
Tally: Ayes - 47 Noes - 410
31 Jan 2018 - Restoration and Renewal (Report of the Joint Committee) - View Vote Context
Kevin Foster voted Aye - against a party majority and in line with the House
One of 66 Conservative Aye votes vs 164 Conservative No votes
Tally: Ayes - 236 Noes - 220
31 Jan 2018 - Restoration and Renewal (Report of the Joint Committee) - View Vote Context
Kevin Foster voted Aye - against a party majority and in line with the House
One of 68 Conservative Aye votes vs 166 Conservative No votes
Tally: Ayes - 234 Noes - 185
27 Apr 2021 - Delegated Legislation - View Vote Context
Kevin Foster voted No - against a party majority and against the House
One of 77 Conservative No votes vs 222 Conservative Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 431 Noes - 89
22 Jun 2022 - Health and Personal Social Services - View Vote Context
Kevin Foster voted No - against a party majority and against the House
One of 61 Conservative No votes vs 106 Conservative Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 215 Noes - 70
7 Mar 2023 - Public Order Bill - View Vote Context
Kevin Foster voted Aye - against a party majority and against the House
One of 107 Conservative Aye votes vs 109 Conservative No votes
Tally: Ayes - 116 Noes - 299
4 Dec 2023 - Victims and Prisoners Bill - View Vote Context
Kevin Foster voted Aye - against a party majority and in line with the House
One of 22 Conservative Aye votes vs 238 Conservative No votes
Tally: Ayes - 246 Noes - 242
16 Jan 2024 - Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill - View Vote Context
Kevin Foster voted Aye - against a party majority and against the House
One of 58 Conservative Aye votes vs 262 Conservative No votes
Tally: Ayes - 68 Noes - 529
View All Kevin Foster Division Votes

All Debates

Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.

Department Debates
Home Office
(804 debate contributions)
Cabinet Office
(398 debate contributions)
Department for Transport
(180 debate contributions)
Department of Health and Social Care
(147 debate contributions)
View All Department Debates
View all Kevin Foster's debates

Latest EDMs signed by Kevin Foster

Kevin Foster has not signed any Early Day Motions

Commons initiatives

These initiatives were driven by Kevin Foster, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.

MPs who are act as Ministers or Shadow Ministers are generally restricted from performing Commons initiatives other than Urgent Questions.


Kevin Foster has not been granted any Urgent Questions

Kevin Foster has not been granted any Adjournment Debates

5 Bills introduced by Kevin Foster


A Bill to make provision about the regulation of small-scale radio multiplex services; and for connected purposes.

This Bill received Royal Assent on 27th April 2017 and was enacted into law.


A Bill to make provision in connection with the ratification by the United Kingdom of the Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction.

Commons - 20%

Last Event - 1st Reading
Monday 11th December 2023

A Bill to amend the Animal Welfare Act 2006 to increase the sentence available to the court for those convicted of a criminal offence related to animal fighting; and for connected purposes.

Commons - 20%

Last Event - 1st Reading: House Of Commons
Monday 4th July 2016

A Bill to make provision for the enforcement of noise limits for vehicles via automatic monitoring equipment; and for connected purposes.

Commons - 20%

Last Event - 1st Reading: House Of Commons
Monday 4th July 2016

A Bill to prohibit the use of wild animals in circuses; and for connected purposes.

Commons - 20%

Last Event - 1st Reading: House Of Commons
Monday 4th July 2016

Latest 50 Written Questions

(View all written questions)
Written Questions can be tabled by MPs and Lords to request specific information information on the work, policy and activities of a Government Department
2 Other Department Questions
19th Apr 2017
To ask the right hon. Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, what steps the Church of England is taking to support local projects tackling homelessness.

At parish and diocesan level the Church is closely involved in providing support to homeless people through night shelters and other activities, and raising funds and awareness. Recently in the House of Lords bishops supported the Homelessness Reduction Bill.

In the Torbay area the Vicar on the Streets initiative undertaken by Revd Gary Deighton of St George's Church, Goodrington, and the Winter Night Shelter run by local churches have both made a real difference to the issues of homelessness. The clergy and parishioners of Goodrington and Torbay have raised nearly five thousand pounds over the period of Lent to support the Shekinah Mission, which works across Devon to provide a safe space for people to develop their skills, regain their self-worth and go on to live independent and fulfilling lives.

8th Dec 2016
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, whether the six-month validity period for Gender Recognition Certificates will be reviewed as part of the commitment to review the Gender Recognition Act 2004.

We have committed to a review of the Gender Recognition Act to streamline and demedicalise the gender recognition process.

We have begun our programme of work on reviewing the gender recognition process, and we will provide an update on the Government’s progress in 2017.

12th Jun 2018
To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to her oral response of 6 June 2018, Official Report, column 307, to the hon. Member for Rayleigh and Wickford, whether terrorist murders in Northern Ireland are being investigated.

A number of terrorist murders from the Troubles are actively under investigation by the Police Service of Northern Ireland and other police forces. But I am clear that under current mechanisms for investigating the past there is a disproportionate focus on former members of the armed forces and the Police. The Government is committed to ensuring that all outstanding deaths in Northern Ireland should be investigated in ways that are fair, balanced and proportionate.

28th Feb 2023
What recent discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on energy costs for the hospitality and tourism sectors.

I would like to thank my hon Friend the Member for Torbay for his tireless work to support the hospitality and tourism sector across his constituency.

The Energy Bill Relief Scheme has provided much needed support with high energy costs over the winter. We continue to work closely with the sector, including through the newly-established Hospitality Sector Council and across Government to ensure a successful future for these important industries.

20th Nov 2018
What recent steps he has taken through the Industrial Strategy to increase the number of high-quality, well paid jobs.

High quality, well paid jobs are a crucial part of our economy and are underpinned by productivity. Our Industrial Strategy sets out a long-term plan to boost productivity by investing in skills, industries and infrastructure.

We have overseen the biggest increase in R&D funding in the last 40 years, committing £7 billion by 2023/2024; have the fastest growing infrastructure investment across the G7; and are providing £37bn of additional capital spending, all of which contribute to the creation of high-quality jobs across the UK.

19th Jan 2017
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether his Department plans to bring forward proposals to amend existing legislation as a result of the European Court of Justice judgment of 2006 on rolled-up holiday pay.

The Government has no plans to amend current legislation as a result of this judgment. However, clear guidance on the issue is available on the GOV.UK and ACAS websites.

4th Jun 2015
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what progress his Department has made on rolling out broadband coverage in Torbay.

Current superfast broadband coverage is over 80% of UK premises and the Government remains committed to providing 95% coverage to homes and businesses by December 2017. This is an increase from 45% coverage in 2010.


Commercial broadband delivery is expected to cover 44,575 premises in the Torbay constituency. By the end of the Connecting Devon and Somerset project, coverage is expected to have increased to 49,101 premises.

This data is included in the table in the House of Commons Library: http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/business-papers/commons/deposited-papers/?house=1&search_term=Department+for+Culture%2c+Media+and+Sport&itemId=122028#toggle-163

4th Jun 2015
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what progress his Department has made on broadband black-spots and harder to help areas in Torbay constituency.

Current superfast broadband coverage is over 80% of UK premises and the Government remains committed to providing 95% coverage to homes and businesses by December 2017. This is an increase from 45% coverage in 2010.


Commercial broadband delivery is expected to cover 44,575 premises in the Torbay constituency. By the end of the Connecting Devon and Somerset project, coverage is expected to have increased to 49,101 premises.

This data is included in the table in the House of Commons Library: http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/business-papers/commons/deposited-papers/?house=1&search_term=Department+for+Culture%2c+Media+and+Sport&itemId=122028#toggle-163

4th Jun 2015
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what support her Department is providing to the local council in Torbay to improve the supply and quality of local school places.

Local authorities are responsible for planning and securing sufficient school places in their area, and supporting them in doing so is one of this government’s top priorities.

Basic need funding is allocated to local authorities to support them in their work creating new school places. We use data provided by authorities to ensure funding is targeted according to levels of need in each area. Torbay has received £6 million of basic need funding for 2011-15, helping to create 147 new school places by the end of the academic year 2014-15, with many more in the pipeline. The 2015-18 basic need funding allocation for Torbay is £10 million.

The previous government published the first primary basic need scorecards to hold local authorities to account for the quality of the places they create. Torbay’s scorecard showed that as of summer 2013, 94% of primary places were created in ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’ schools.

17th Nov 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what support her Department is providing to the fishing industry in (a) Devon and (b) Cornwall.

In England, the Fisheries and Seafood Scheme invests at least £6 million in the sector annually. Last year, it approved around 240 projects worth almost £4 million in Devon and Cornwall investing in health and safety, limiting the environmental impact of fishing and improving the value and quality of fisheries products. Wider support via the £100 million United Kingdom Seafood Fund is also available.

23rd Jan 2018
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when his Department next plans to review the use of electronic shock collars for dogs.

We have made clear in the recently updated statutory Code of Practice for the Welfare of Dogs that the use of any training method that includes physical punishment may cause can cause pain, injury and distress, lead to aggressive responses and worsen the problems they aim to address. However, we keep legislation in this area under review.

30th Nov 2017
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the issue of whaling was discussed during his visit to Iceland in August 2017.

During his visit to Iceland in August, the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs raised the UK's continued opposition to commercial whaling with the Icelandic Prime Minister.

1st Nov 2017
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when he plans to introduce legislation to increase the maximum sentence for animal cruelty offences to five years' imprisonment.

We hope to publish draft legislation for consultation around the turn of the year, as announced on 30 September.

17th Jul 2017
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the opportunities available for the fishing industry in the South West after the UK leaves the EU.

On leaving the EU, the UK will under international law become an independent coastal state with responsibility for controlling and managing its Exclusive Economic Zone. This will provide an opportunity to reach new fairer agreements on access and quota arrangements which will benefit West Country fishermen. .

28th Feb 2018
What steps her Department has taken in response to the recent outbreak of plague in Africa.

DFID supported the World Health Organisation to send 114 experts, mobilise 1.2 million doses of antibiotics and establish nine treatment centres to assist the Government of Madagascar, where the plague outbreak occurred. Three experts from the UK’s Public Health Rapid Support Team also provided vital support to contain the outbreak.

Harriett Baldwin
Shadow Minister (Business and Trade)
14th Mar 2019
What progress his Department has made on proposals for the scrutiny of future free trade agreements.

  • On 28 February we published further proposals on transparency and scrutiny of FTAs. We confirmed we will publish our approach to negotiations, including objectives and initial economic analysis, and progress reports after each negotiating round.

  • We announced our intention to work closely with a parliamentary committee to put in place measures to ensure effective parliamentary scrutiny throughout the process.
4th Dec 2017
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, if he will make it his policy to seek the cessation of Icelandic whaling as part of any future trade negotiations with Iceland.

The UK has long supported the promotion of our values globally and this will continue as we leave the EU. The UK government’s position on the hunting of cetaceans is clear; we remain strongly opposed to it and strongly support the global moratorium on commercial whaling. We have committed publically on a number of occasions to raising the UK’s opposition to whaling with the relevant nations at every appropriate opportunity. We are exploring all options in the design of future bilateral trade and investment agreements and we want to ensure economic growth and environmental protection go hand-in-hand.

30th Mar 2017
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the legislative basis is for enforcement agencies to measure the noise level being emitted from a motor vehicle.

Anyone who uses a vehicle in such as manner as to cause excessive noise, but which is avoidable through reasonable driver care, is guilty of an offence under Regulation 97 of the Road Vehicles (Construction & Use) Regulations 1986, as amended. Enforcement Authorities also have powers to address noise nuisance under the Police Reform Act 2002 and the Crime and Disorder Act 1998.

27th Jan 2017
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the timetable is for the completion of the dualling programme for the A30/A303 link road.

The Road Investment Strategy announced Government’s intention to upgrade the remaining sections of the A303 between the M3 and the A358 near Ilminster to dual carriageway standard, together with creating a dual carriageway link from the M5 at Taunton to the A303. It also set aside funding for smaller-scale improvements to the A303/A30 section between Ilminster and Honiton, for which Highways England has commissioned a study.

Three major schemes have commenced, including improvement of the section past Stonehenge between Amesbury and Berwick Down. Highways England launched a consultation on the Stonehenge tunnel proposal on 12 January 2017.

Implementation of the programme to transform the A303 route will run beyond the first Road Period (2015-2020) and subsequent Road Investment Strategies will fund the remaining improvements.

1st Dec 2016
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when the Arriva-CrossCountry Trains franchise agreement for the Manchester to Birmingham to Devon route ends.

The CrossCountry Direct Award commenced on 16 October 2016 and expires on 13 October 2019. The Manchester to Birmingham to Devon route would then be considered as part of the next franchise.

1st Dec 2016
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether officials of his Department are in negotiations with Arriva-CrossCountry Trains on renewing that company's franchise on the Manchester to Birmingham to Devon route.

As the CrossCountry franchise has recently been awarded, officials are not in negotiation with CrossCountry about renewing the franchise for the Manchester to Birmingham to Devon route.

1st Dec 2016
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what mandatory requirements his Department places on train operating companies to conduct public consultations on reductions to services.

The Franchise Agreement specifies the minimum requirements for train operators to conduct public consultations on significant alterations to train services (which can be additions or reductions). These are usually aligned to timetable change dates in May and December each year and are associated with major changes to the Timetable, with length of consultation related to the nature of the complexity of any proposed changes. Major proposed changes to the permanent train service specification (and associated timetable) require longer periods for consultation with stakeholders (usually at least 12 weeks) and must include bodies statutorily defined within the Railways Act 2005, such as Transport Focus.

Temporary, short-term changes to the timetable, due to restrictions of use imposed by the need of Network Rail to undertake engineering work (planned and unplanned) to the rail network, are not subject to consultation requirements. However, the Franchise Agreement specifies requirements upon train operating companies to advise passengers of amended timetable information well in advance to enable them to plan their journeys accordingly.

13th Sep 2016
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make plans to introduce number plates for all mobility scooters to ensure that such scooters could be traced in the event of a collision with a pedestrian.

Mobility scooters have to comply with the prescribed conditions and requirements set out in the ‘Use of Invalid Carriages on Highways Regulations 1988’ which divides them into two main categories.

The Class 2 type can travel at 4mph and is primarily intended for use on the footway or footpath. 4 mph is considered appropriate for pavement use as it is akin to a brisk walking pace.

The Class 3 type can travel on the road at up to 8 mph, but must have the facility via a limiter to be driven at no more than 4 mph when used on the footpath.

Users of new or second hand Class 3 vehicles are required to register their vehicles with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) for use on public roads. However, there is currently no requirement to display the vehicle registration number on the scooter and I have no plans to change this.

4th Jun 2015
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress his Department has made on improving the resilience of the railway to Torbay and the South West.

Network Rail spent £40 million repairing and strengthening the line at Dawlish after the severe weather in 2014, and in order to try prevent the kind of damage to the railway that happened in 2014 from happening again, £31 million is also going into improving the resilience of the Great Western route.

Options for maintaining a resilient rail service to the Southwest Peninsula were presented by Network Rail to the Secretary of State in July 2014. The options will influence the next industry plan in 2016 and inform the Government’s rail investment strategy for 2019-2024.

Network Rail is progressing work on the existing rail route via Dawlish to ensure that future route failure is avoided.

4th Jun 2015
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions his Department has had with Network Rail and First Great Western on improving the rail service to Torbay and the South West.

Since December 2013, services on the 20 minute journey from Newton Abbot to Paignton have operated approximately every half an hour, an improvement on the previous hourly service with an additional 12 trains per day. The additional service was promoted by Torbay and Devon County Council and part funded by an EU grant.

There are long standing aspirations to maintain and expand this service supported by recommendations in Network Rail’s Route Utilisation Strategy (RUS). The Department’s Rail Executive is in ongoing discussions with First Great Western and Network Rail about the continuation and expansion of this service and responses to our 2014 Great Western consultation showed strong support for this.

In addition, Network Rail continues to focus on the ongoing work as to whether a new or reopened inland route should be constructed to provide a more resilient railway for the South West, in addition to what works are ongoing to improve Dawlish itself.

Options for maintaining a resilient rail service to the Southwest Peninsula were presented by Network Rail to the Secretary of State in July 2014. The options will influence the next industry plan in 2016 and inform the Government’s rail investment strategy for 2019-2024.

Network Rail is progressing work on the existing rail route via Dawlish to ensure that future route failure is avoided.

7th Nov 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent progress he has made on repairing the Torquay temporary jobcentre; and what his planned timetable is for when the work will be completed.

DWP announced the decommissioning of the Torquay Temporary Jobcentre on 17 May 2023. Customers and staff exited the site by June. The Department is in the process of preparing the site ready to hand back to the landlord.

We sincerely apologise that this work has taken so long. Since this issue was brought to our attention, we have escalated this to ensure the contractor completes the work as a matter of urgency.

The Department has provided the honourable member with a letter from DWP Estates with further information and a full explanation of the delay, which resulted from a combination of supplier failure and the transition to decommissioning this site.

We can confirm that replacement glazing units have been ordered and the Department will ensure installation is completed as quickly as possible.

Mims Davies
Shadow Minister (Women)
30th Mar 2017
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what his Department's most recent conversion rates are for cases moving from disability living allowance to personal independence payments in Torbay constituency.

Statistics on Personal Independence Payment (PIP) Award Rates split by Parliamentary Constituency and Re-assessment indicator can be found in published statistics in data table 4Ci of: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/personal-independence-payment-statistics

2nd Sep 2016
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether there is provision to ensure that both parents in a separated couple receive financial assistance for their children when joint custody has been approved.

Where a separated couple have joint custody for their children, only one of them will receive financial assistance for those children through Universal Credit. The separated couple may jointly nominate which of them that will be. The parent who receives financial support is the one whom the child normally lives with, but if the child normally lives with both, then it is the parent who has main responsibility for the child. This is to be decided by the parents, or failing that, the Secretary of State if the parents cannot agree or if the Secretary of State does not think that the nomination accurately reflects the arrangement. HM Revenue & Customs administer Child Tax Credit and Child Benefit and the rules similarly require that payment is directed towards the person who is mainly responsible for the child, so that at any one time, only one person can be entitled to receive payments in respect of a particular child.

2nd Sep 2016
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what forms of medical evidence his Department accepts for personal independence payments claims from a person suffering from (a) myalgic encephalopathy and (b) other illnesses with variable symptoms that permit part-time work.

Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is a non-means-tested, non-taxable cash benefit that is paid regardless of the employment status of the claimant. It has been designed to take full account of fluctuating and variable conditions.

The Department encourages claimants to provide as much relevant evidence as necessary to support their claim. The “How your disability affects you” form and accompanying guidance sets out the range of information that can help the Department reach a decision. The guidance for Health Professionals also sets out sources of further evidence which could help inform their advice to the Department (Section 2.3 Further Evidence); this includes family members, carers or anyone else who supports them.

This guidance can be accessed on the gov.uk website:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/547146/pip-assessment-guide.pdf

24th Jun 2015
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to support claimants of benefits find employment in Torbay.

Jobcentre Plus work coaches are delivering a personalised service to best meet the needs of the claimant and the local labour market. The flexible model of support available through the Jobcentre Plus offer includes, Sector Based Work Academies, New Enterprise Allowance, Work Experience and access to skills provision.

In addition, the Work Programme offers tailored support to those people who are at risk of becoming long-term unemployed.

Priti Patel
Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs
16th Jun 2015
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he plans to take to help people with disabilities into work and training.

We have extended Access to Work to support disabled people take up supported internships and traineeships. We are launching Specialist Employability Support to provide intensive back to work support for more disabled people. We will continue to work with employers to ensure that they understand the benefits of recruiting and retaining disabled people.

18th Apr 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what data the Office for Veterans' Affairs holds on the number and proportion of veterans who have informed their GP that they served in the armed forces.

The information requested is not held centrally. Integrated care boards are encouraged to work with health providers in their area, including general practice (GP) surgeries, to ensure patient needs are met. The 2024/25 GP contract will introduce a requirement that GPs must have due regard for the requirements, needs, and circumstances of Armed Forces Veterans, when offering services and making onward referrals. In addition, the Veteran Friendly GP Practices, launched in 2018, is a voluntary scheme which enables GPs to deliver the best possible care and treatment for veterans and their families, including signposting and referrals to specialist services. As of March 2024, 85% of primary care networks have a veteran-friendly accredited GP in their area, and 83% of acute trusts have been accredited as veteran-aware.

7th Oct 2016
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the effect of the new junior doctors' contract on the average pay of junior doctors.

The average pay of junior doctors will not change. The cost neutrality of the new contract means that the contract cannot in anyway be used to save money – it maintains the current spend for the current number of full-time equivalent doctors working the current average working week. The British Medical Association itself acknowledged this commitment and communicated it to its junior doctor members before the vote on the contract. Any growth in the junior doctor workforce/commitment will be funded from outside that envelope and the same average pay would apply to new juniors working the same working patterns.

7th Oct 2016
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what additional earnings above base pay are received by consultants by decile.

Relevant information is shown in the following table. This includes deciles of total National Health Service earnings and non-basic pay per person received by consultants for the 12 months ending December 2015. These figures use the earnings of only those staff who worked all 12 months in this period and will not include consultants’ private income.

Decile

Total non-basic pay

Total earnings

1

£2,987

£76,700

2

£7,011

£87,675

3

£12,194

£95,849

4

£17,540

£103,212

5

£22,881

£110,180

6

£28,942

£117,916

7

£36,531

£126,950

8

£47,066

£139,056

9

£64,759

£158,935

10

£481,287

£577,147

The following table sets out mean annual NHS earnings and mean annual non-basic pay NHS earnings per person received by consultants for the 12 months ending December 2015.

Mean non-basic pay

Mean earnings

£29,225

£113,569

Source: NHS Digital, Provisional NHS Staff Earnings Estimates, Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC). NHS Digital is the trading name for HSCIC.

Notes:

  1. Mean annual non-basic pay per person is the mean amount, over and above of basic pay, paid to an individual in a 12 month period, regardless of the contracted full time equivalent (FTE) and including additional programmed activities.
  2. Figures in the table are provisional NHS Staff Earnings estimates.
  3. As expected with provisional data, some figures may be revised prior to the next publication as issues are uncovered and resolved.
  4. Figures rounded to the nearest pound.
  5. These figures represent payments made using the Electronic Staff Record (ESR) system to NHS staff who are employed and directly paid by NHS organisations.
  6. Figures based on data from all English NHS organisations who are using ESR (two Foundation Trusts do not use ESR).
  7. These figures include all payments made through the ESR.
  8. NHS Digital seeks to minimise inaccuracies and the effect of missing and invalid data but responsibility for data accuracy lies with the organisations providing the data.
  9. Methods are continually being updated to improve data quality. Where changes impact on figures already published, this is assessed but unless it is significant at national level figures are not changed. Impact at detailed or local level is footnoted in relevant analyses.
7th Oct 2016
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, based on today's values, what the expected lifetime earnings are for a junior doctor starting in training in August 2016 if they become (a) a consultant, (b) a GP and (c) remain a junior doctor; and what assessment his Department has made of how those earnings compare to other (i) public and (ii) private sector professionals.

The career earnings of a doctor will depend on many factors and are therefore highly specific to individual circumstances. They will depend on decisions around gap years and career breaks, part-time working, the choice between general practice and other specialties, when they leave the National Health Service or retire and on the speed of progression through training. However, indications can be provided by constructing a hypothetical career based on reasonable assumptions in-line with current data.

It is estimated that assuming a 40 year full time career from Foundation Programme up to consultant or partner in General Practice, a junior doctor starting training in August 2016 could expect to earn around £4 million or an average of around £100,000 per year in 2016/17 prices.

Comparisons of pay across industries and sectors are notoriously difficult, capturing differences in pressures and working patterns is particularly complicated. Comparison of recent earnings growth for doctors compared with other high-earning occupations shows that doctors remain one of the very highest-earning occupations in the United Kingdom.

13th Sep 2016
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a comparative estimate of the level of proposed average pay under the new junior doctor's contract for a junior doctor working (a) part-time, (b) full-time and (c) as a full-time trainee.

Under the new contract, which is based on the principle of equal pay for work of equal value and pay for hours worked, full time trainees working at the same level of responsibility will receive the same basic pay and will be paid the same unsocial hours and weekend allowances depending on how many they work. Less than full time trainees working at the same level of responsibility will receive equal pay to full timers pro-rated to the number of hours that they work. Weekend and on-call allowances are also pro–rated.

Those trainees working at ST4 and above will continue to be paid under the terms of the old contract, under transitional arrangements.

At the British Medical Association’s request, it was agreed that there would be four levels of responsibility within the junior doctor training path for pay purposes.

9th Sep 2016
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a comparative assessment of the earning distribution of hospital and community health service doctors to the earning distribution of workers in professional occupations.

The best available comparison, for 2015, is shown in the table below. The Hospital and Community Health Service (HCHS) Doctors figures relate to the earnings of doctors employed by the NHS Hospital and Community Health Service in England, and are based on NHS Earnings Estimates published by NHS Digital. General practitioners are not included. The All Professional Occupations figures represent the earnings of all employees nationally in Professional Occupations, as published by the Office for National Statistics.

Percentile

All Professional Occupations

HCHS Doctors

10

£15,331

£45,000

20

£22,168

£52,500

30

£26,557

£61,500

40

£30,465

£73,500

Median

£34,076

£87,500

60

£37,467

£99,500

70

£41,675

£110,500

80

£47,506

£124,000

90

£59,320

£144,500

Sources: All Professional Occupations earnings statistics published by the Office for National Statistics, from its 2015 Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings.

HCHS Doctors earnings figures based on statistics published by NHS Digital, from NHS Electronic Staff Record data, in NHS Staff Earnings Estimates to December 2015. The NHS Electronic Staff Record is the HR and Payroll system used by almost all National Health Service trusts and foundation trusts in England.

Both sets of figures are the estimated total earnings in 2015 of employees who worked for the full year, regardless of their working hours (i.e. this includes both full-time and part-time workers).

The All Professional Occupations group covers occupations whose main tasks require a high level of knowledge and experience in the natural sciences, engineering, life sciences, social sciences, humanities and related fields. The main tasks consist of the practical application of an extensive body of theoretical knowledge, increasing the stock of knowledge by means of research and communicating such knowledge by teaching methods and other means.


Most occupations in this major group will require a degree or equivalent qualification, with some occupations requiring postgraduate qualifications and/or a formal period of experience-related training.

9th Sep 2016
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what proportion of consultants earn above (a) £100,000, (b) £125,000, (c) £150,000 and (e) £175,000 per annum.

The figures for 2015 are shown below.

These relate to the earnings of consultants employed by the NHS Hospital and Community Health Service in England, and are based on NHS Earnings Estimates published by NHS Digital.

Annual Earnings

Percentage Earning More

£100,000

66%

£125,000

33%

£150,000

14%

£175,000

5%

Source: Consultants’ earnings figures are based on statistics published by NHS Digital, from NHS Electronic Staff Record data, in NHS Staff Earnings Estimates to December 2015. The NHS Electronic Staff Record is the HR and Payroll system used by almost all National Health Service trusts and foundation trusts in England.

The figures are based on the total earnings in 2015 of consultants in the NHS hospital and community health services who worked for the full year, regardless of their working hours, i.e. includes both full-time and part-time workers. Equivalent figures are not available for general practitioners, because most provide services through commissioning rather than direct employment.

9th Sep 2016
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the average earning rate is of graduates who studied medicine 10 years after graduation; and if he will make a comparative assessment of that level of earning with the average earning rate of (a) all, (b) mathematics and computer science, (c) law, (d) economics and (e) nursing, midwifery and physiotherapy graduates.

A study by the Institute for Fiscal Studies in April 2016 looked at graduate earnings 10 years after graduation.

Only economics and medicine graduates are outliers with much higher earnings than would be expected given A-level performance as compared with their peers in other subjects.

Selected graduate earnings (£000s) by subject of degree (includes those without earnings)

Female

Male

Percentile

Percentile

20th

50th

90th

20th

50th

90th

Medicine

23.7

45.4

68.8

33.0

55.3

84.7

Maths and computer science

3.3

22.0

53.3

6.4

26.8

57.5

Law

4.8

26.2

62.8

3.5

30.1

79.5

Economics

20.3

38.2

93.9

6.6

42.0

121.4

Subjects allied to medicine

4.2

22.1

40.6

7.1

27.9

49.1

9th Sep 2016
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many guardians of safe working have been appointed to NHS organisations; and what the responsibilities will be of those roles.

177 out of 217 trusts had appointed Guardians of Safe Working Hours as at 4 September 2016, with interim arrangements in place in a further 14 trusts; meaning 88% have arrangements in place. NHS Improvement is aiming for appointments or interim arrangements to be in place for all 217 shortly.

The Guardian of Safe Working Hours will act as the champion of safe working hours for doctors in approved training programmes and ensure that action is taken to ensure that the working hours within the trust are safe. They will provide assurance to the trust board or equivalent body that doctors are safely rostered and are working hours that are safe and in compliance with the Terms and Conditions of Service (TCS). The Guardians will also record and monitor compliance with the restrictions on working hours stipulated in the TCS, through receipt and review of all exception reports in respect of safe working hours.

9th Sep 2016
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a comparative assessment of the level of proposed weekend pay under the new junior doctors' contract with weekend pay for (a) prison officers, (b) fire fighters, (c) police officers, (d) call centre workers, (e) consultants and (f) nurses, midwives and physios.

Junior doctors already work weekends, and they will continue to be fairly rewarded for work undertaken at the weekend using the weekend allowance proposed by the British Medical Association negotiators. Comparative rates are set out in the attached table.

Because of the allowance based approach to weekend working, the effective hourly rate juniors are paid will vary depending on how many hours they work over how many weekends. In almost all cases junior doctors will receive weekend pay better than other National Health Service professional staff.

A typical rota for a junior doctor involves an average of 6.5 hours a week being worked at weekends. (i.e. they work two long shifts of 13 hours every four weekends). This is split evenly over Saturdays and Sundays and includes night work.

For working those weekend hours the percentage hourly supplement across all the hours worked for different groups of NHS staff would be

- 66% for a junior doctor (37% for night work plus an additional 7.5% weekend allowance set as a percentage of basic pay)

- 56% for a band 3 Health Care Assistant (37% for Saturday, 74% for Sunday)

- 45% for a nurse (30% for Saturday, 60% for Sunday)

- 33% for a consultant


9th Sep 2016
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much basic pay will increase for each grade under the proposed new junior doctors' contract.

Pay for Foundation 1 doctors will be 15% higher than the current basic starting salary.

Pay for Foundation 2 doctors will be 8% higher than the current basic starting salary.

The new basic starting salary for Specialty Registrars at ST1 will be 19% higher than the current basic starting salary.

The salary for those at ST3 will be 32% higher than the current pay point for those progressing through training without delay.

The overall increase for all juniors is over 10%.

9th Sep 2016
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of the proposed new junior doctors' contract on ensuring safe working hours.

The new contract includes stronger limits on working hours and patterns of work and a robust oversight mechanism to ensure that prompt action is taken if needed. This will be an integral part of how trusts meet their statutory obligations to keep staff and patients safe. Required action includes a review of work schedules to ensure safe working, payment for additional work done and fines where the limits in the contract are breached. There are no such protections under the current contract. For instance, at present, junior doctors can be asked to work up to 91 hours a week, up to seven night shifts in a row and every weekend under the current contract. The Guardian of Safe Working Hours will be tasked with ensuring that rotas reflect the hours that juniors work and they are within the new contractual limits.

These limits under the new contract are a maximum of 72 hours per week (compared to 91 currently), and the limit on average weekly hours will remain 48 hours (and be limited to 56 hours where a doctor opts out of the Working Time Regulations).

9th Sep 2016
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of the proposed new junior doctors' contract on reducing rota gaps.

The new contract is part of the solution to rota gaps. It contains protections that mean that safe working hours will be enforced and light will be shone on rota gaps by the Guardian of Safe Working Hours reporting to the Board of each trust. Where action is not taken, this will be escalated to the Care Quality Commission, the General Medical Council and Health Education England. These protections simply do not exist in the current contract. In terms of covering rota gaps, no junior doctor can be asked to work more than an average of 48 hours a week and cannot work more than an average of 56 hours a week if they opt out from the Working Time Directive. The new contract rules for instance on rest periods and consecutive night shifts also apply to any additional work done.

9th Sep 2016
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a comparative assessment of the level of the proposed night time premium under the new junior doctors' contract with the night time premium for (a) airline pilots, (b) fire fighters, (c) police officers, (d) consultants and (e) nurses, midwives and physios.

Under the new contract the night time premium proposed for junior doctors means that they will be paid a higher supplement rate than consultants and nurses in the National Health Service and significantly more than other public sector employees.

Night Window

Payment

Junior doctors

9pm-7am or until the end of the night shift up to 10am

Time + 37%

Consultants

7pm-7am

4 hour Programmed Activity is reduced to 3 hours, effectively time + 33%

Nurses

8pm-6am

Time + 30%

Airline Pilots*

1am-7am

Time + 14-17% for captain

Police Officers*

8pm-6am

Time + 10%

Firefighters *

n/a

Shift duty covers shifts 24 hours, 7 days. No premia

*Income Data Services study

9th Sep 2016
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will estimate how many consultants earn more than the Prime Minister.

It is estimated that 8,000 consultants earn more than £142,500. This figure relates to the earnings of consultants employed by the NHS Hospital and Community Health Service (HCHS) in England, and is based on NHS Earnings Estimates and Workforce Statistics published by the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC).

Sources: HCHS Consultants earnings figures based on statistics published by the HSCIC, from NHS Electronic Staff Record data, in NHS Staff Earnings Estimates to December 2015. The NHS Electronic Staff Record is the HR and Payroll system used by almost all National Health Service trusts and foundation trusts in England. HCHS Consultant numbers published by the Health and Social Care Information Centre in NHS Workforce Statistics.

3rd Nov 2015
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what value of NHS property has been (a) acquired and (b) sold in each (i) parliamentary constituency and (ii) clinical commissioning group area in each of the last five years.

Information about the value of property and land sales for the National Health Service is held centrally only for 2013-14 and 2014-15. We do not hold information by clinical commissioning group or parliamentary constituency. Information about acquisitions of property by the NHS is not recorded centrally.

(a) Value of property sold:


2013-14

2014-15

NHS Trusts and Foundation Trusts

£179.9 million

£155.8 million

NHS Property services

£24.9 million

£57.8 million


(b) Value of property acquired. We do hold this information for NHS Property Services and this is shown below:


2013-14

2014-15

NHS Property Services

£3.0 million

£18.1 million

NHS Trusts/Foundation Trusts

Not recorded

Not recorded