Health and Social Care

Theo Clarke Excerpts

Tuesday 7th November 2023 Ministerial Corrections

[Maria Caulfield]

We announced in July that we would be rolling out baby loss certificates. They will be retrospective. Initially, only those who have experienced a loss since 1 September 2018 and are currently living in England will be eligible to apply for them.

Training of NHS Staff

The following is an extract from Health and Social Care questions on 17 October 2023.

[Theo Clarke]

What steps are the Government taking to increase the recruitment of midwives, given the closure of Stafford County Hospital’s freestanding midwifery birthing unit due to shortages, and how is the Secretary of State going to ensure that all midwives are trained to deal with birth injuries to reduce risk?

[Steve Barclay]

My hon. Friend raises an important point, and I know she has secured a debate in the House this week to further explore these issues. She will be aware that there has been a 13% increase in the number of midwifery programme place starters since two years ago. That is alongside the £165 million added to the maternity budget since 2021 and the key increase in midwifery places in the long-term workforce plan.

[Official Report, 17 October 2023, Vol. 738, c. 145.]

Letter of correction from the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, the right hon. Member for North East Cambridgeshire (Steve Barclay):

An error has been identified in my response to my hon. Friend the Member for Stafford (Theo Clarke). The correct response should have been: