Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what representations he has received on the potential numbers for junior doctors who may leave the NHS should a new contract for that role be imposed.

The Government has received a number of representations from individuals and on behalf of organisations about the introduction of a new junior doctors contract.

The proposals are for a fairer contract that will maintain average earnings and will not require juniors to work longer. It will also put in place improved safeguards for patients and doctors that go beyond those in legislation (and go beyond those in the current contract) that will reduce maximum working hours which will not be the case in other countries. On 28 October, the Government also committed to protect the pay of all junior doctors working safe hours in the transition to a new contract, and appealed to the British Medical Association (BMA) to return to negotiations.