Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the (a) findings, (b) conclusions and (c) recommendations of the report entitled, Duty of care: midwives' experience of the NHS charging regime, published on 9 September 2019 by Maternity Action; and if he will make a statement.

The Department has no plans to suspend The National Health Service (Charges to Overseas Visitors) Regulations in relation to charges for maternity care, as recommended in the report ‘Duty of care?: The impact on midwives on NHS charging for maternity care.’

The Department is committed to considering evidence it receives in relation to the Regulations, including evidence set out in the report. The Department also works closely with NHS England and NHS Improvement to support NHS providers in the delivery of the charging regime; and to ensure that providers understand the guidance and how it should be properly and consistently implemented. This includes ensuring NHS Trusts fully understand that all maternity treatment must be provided to any chargeable woman, regardless of her ability to pay, and that they must not be discouraged from receiving it.