Asked by: Nadia Whittome (Labour - Nottingham East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what consideration his Department has given to introducing transitional arrangements for the implementation of UK graduate prioritisation in medical specialty recruitment for the 2025–26 recruitment cycle; and whether he will review the decision to assess applicants’ immigration or settlement status at the point of application rather than at the point of job offer, in cases where applicants will have Indefinite Leave to Remain by the time offers are made.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government does not plan to introduce transitional arrangements for the implementation of the Medical Training (Prioritisation) Bill.
For 2026 specialty training posts we have used immigration status as a reasonable proxy for National Health Service experience. Subject to parliamentary passage, the bill prioritises applicants at offer stage based on their immigration status at that point. Applicants will be able to update their application status where it has changed since they made their application. For specialty training posts starting from 2027 onwards, the immigration status category will not apply automatically. Instead, we will be able to make regulations to specify any additional groups who will be prioritised by reference to criteria indicating significant experience as a doctor in the health service, or by reference to immigration status. We will set out next steps on these regulations in due course.
Asked by: Nadia Whittome (Labour - Nottingham East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential benefits of including inflammatory bowel disease on the list of medical conditions which are entitled to a medical exemption certificate.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
There are currently no plans to add inflammatory bowel disease to the list of medical conditions that entitle someone to apply for a medical exemption certificate which exempts the holder from paying the National Health Service prescription charge.
Asked by: Nadia Whittome (Labour - Nottingham East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking to help ensure UK-registered charities can continue operating in Palestine under Palestinian Authority registration.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Regarding the registration of non-governmental organisations to operate in Gaza, I refer the Hon Member to the statement I made to the House on 5 January, and to the joint statement made by the Foreign Secretary and a number of her counterparts on 30 December, which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/jointstatementon-the-gaza-humanitarian-response.
Asked by: Nadia Whittome (Labour - Nottingham East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions she has had with her (a) Chinese and (b) Japanese counterpart on the maintenance of peace and international law in East Asia.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign Secretary has emphasised the importance of regional stability in her discussions with Chinese and Japanese counterparts. The Prime Minister also recently visited China and Japan and held relevant discussions on regional security with both leaders.