European Council

Paula Sherriff Excerpts

Tuesday 14th March 2017 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

My hon. Friend raises an interesting point. He will be aware that the Treasury has offered reassurances on the funds that are currently received from the European Union while we are still members of the European Union and, in some cases, thereafter as well. Leaving the European Union gives us an opportunity to look at how support can best be provided by the United Kingdom Government.

[Paula Sherriff (Dewsbury) (Lab)]

Last December, just 101 EU nurses came over to work in our NHS. That is a decrease of more than 90% from pre-referendum months. How does the Prime Minister intend to tackle that so we do not have any more hospital wards—like many in my own constituency—that are dangerously understaffed?

[The Prime Minister]

I recognise the contribution that nurses from the European Union have made to the NHS over the years, and that is one group of EU citizens whom we will be thinking of when we start those negotiations on EU citizens living here and their rights. The Government also recognise that there are many people here in the United Kingdom who wish to train as nurses but who have not been able to do so because of the cap on numbers. We have removed that cap, which will enable more to take up those training positions.