Asked by: Mike Martin (Liberal Democrat - Tunbridge Wells)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many internal meetings his Department held on the National Investigation Service between January 2020 and December 2022.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Regular meetings are a routine way of conducting departmental business. These are not tracked and recorded, so this information is not held in a reportable form by the Department for Business and Trade.
Asked by: Mike Martin (Liberal Democrat - Tunbridge Wells)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many newly qualified nurses have secured employment through the Graduate Guarantee scheme since its introduction; what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Graduate Guarantee scheme; and with reference to the forthcoming 10 Year Workforce Plan, what steps his Department is taking to align the number of nursing graduates with the availability of entry-level posts.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Supporting newly qualified nurses and midwives to move smoothly into employment is a key priority. The Graduate Guarantee, introduced in August 2025, is now being implemented across the National Health Service to ensure every newly qualified nurse and midwife is supported to secure appropriate employment. Early feedback from trusts and regions indicates that it is having a positive impact on the current recruitment cycle, with organisations recruiting ahead of turnover and creating additional entry-level posts.
We expect the recruitment cycle to be concluded by March 2026 for this cohort, and published workforce statistics will provide a transparent assessment of the current NHS workforce. The forthcoming Chief Nursing Officer professional strategy for nursing and midwifery, alongside the 10 Year Workforce Plan, will set out further details on future workforce needs.
Asked by: Mike Martin (Liberal Democrat - Tunbridge Wells)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure newly qualified nurses can access Band 5 roles in their local area; and what assessment he has made of the potential impact of (a) experience requirements and (b) internal-only job advertisements on newly qualified nurses' ability to secure employment.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Newly qualified nurses are an essential part of the National Health Service workforce, and it is important that they are able to access suitable Band 5 employment opportunities on qualification. The Graduate Guarantee, introduced in August 2025, is now being implemented across the NHS to ensure every newly qualified nurse and midwife is supported to secure appropriate employment. Early feedback from trusts and regions indicates it is having a positive impact on the current recruitment cycle, with organisations recruiting ahead of turnover and creating additional entry-level posts.
In parallel, all regions are working with providers and higher education institutions to ensure a smooth transition from training into employment for newly qualified nurses with students being invited to apply for local roles. NHS England has also reminded employers to ensure advertisements do not disadvantage newly qualified nurses seeking their first post.