Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how long on average it has taken to fill a vacant GP post in every (a) local authority and (b) constituency in London in each year since 2010.

NHS England does not collect centralised data on the average time to fill general practitioner (GP) vacancies, which varies significantly depending on area.

Clinical commissioning groups are currently working on strategies and plans to address recruitment issues which will vary from area to area. These plans will be reflective of the General Practice Forward View and national initiatives to support recruitment and retention.

Information on spending on locum doctors is not held centrally. GPs are independent contractors who have discretion on the number and type of staff they employ in their practices to assist in the delivery of primary medical services.