Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent discussions he has had with the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service on the revision of sanctions banding for sexual misconduct cases.

The Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS) is a statutory committee of the General Medical Council (GMC), which is the independent regulator of all medical doctors, anaesthesia associates, and physician associates practising in the United Kingdom. The MPTS operates separately from the investigatory role of the GMC to make impartial decisions about whether doctors are fit to practise medicine. The MPTS is independent of the Government, and is accountable to the GMC and Parliament.

In September 2025, subject to approval from GMC Council, the MPTS will publish a new set of Guidance to MPTS Tribunals, which will replace the current Sanctions Guidance. This updated guidance includes a new decision-making methodology and new sanctions bandings, to improve transparency and support consistent decision making.

The UK's model of regulation for healthcare professionals is founded on the principle of regulators operating independently from the Government. My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has not had any recent discussions with the MPTS on the revision of sanctions banding for sexual misconduct cases.