Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help ensure NHS ambulance trusts have sufficient funding to recruit newly qualified paramedics.

No estimate has been made of the number of newly qualified paramedics unable to secure employment in National Health Service ambulance trusts.

Decisions on the employment of newly qualified paramedics are a matter for individual NHS trusts which manage their recruitment at a local level, ensuring they have the right number of staff in place, with the right skill mix, to deliver safe and effective care.

As set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, we are working closely with NHS England, employers, and educators to improve transition into the workforce.