Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that midwifery education, training and clinical practice do not prioritise physiological birth over patient safety, informed consent and individual clinical need.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government is committed to making pregnancy and maternity and neonatal care safer, supporting families through every stage of that journey, and giving every child the best possible start in life.

The Department, NHS England and the Nursing Midwifery Council are urgently working to ensure that midwifery training consistently delivers modern maternity care that respects a woman’s choice and individual circumstances.

The National Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce, which is comprised of family representatives, clinicians and other experts, and chaired by my Rt. Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, will oversee the development of a single, national action plan to drive systemic and sustained improvement across maternity and neonatal care. We will publish the action plan by the end of the year. Once published, the taskforce will hold the system to account for implementing the action plan and improving outcomes and experiences for women, babies and families, as well as staff.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when she plans to respond to correspondence dated 13 January 2026 from the hon. Member for Daventry regarding Isham Bypass, reference ST1066.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

I will ensure a response is sent as soon as possible.

Found: from the boards of foundation trusts21 • removing local authority representatives from ICBs22 Stuart Andrew