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 with Cabinet colleagues of the potential merits of increasing the number of medicine places available at universities; and if he will make a statement.

The Government has funded an additional 1,500 undergraduate medical school places each year for domestic students in England - a 25% increase over three years. This expansion was completed in September 2020 and has delivered five new medical schools in England.

There are currently record numbers of medical students in training.

The Government has commissioned NHS England to develop a long-term plan for the NHS workforce and this will include independently-verified forecasts for the number of doctors, nurses and other professionals needed in five, ten and 15 years’ time.