Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to improve maternity services.

The Government recognises the significant issues within maternity services. We are determined to ensure all women and babies receive safe, personalised, and compassionate care.

We are committed to providing support to trusts failing on maternity care, which includes tailored support for those trusts to make rapid improvements using hands-on intensive support through the Maternity Safety Support Programme.

We are working to address workforce issues, including committing to recruit thousands of new midwives. NHS England is boosting the midwifery workforce through undergraduate training, apprenticeships, postgraduate conversion, return to midwifery programmes, and international recruitment.

We are continuing to work with the National Health Service as it delivers its three-year maternity and neonatal plan to grow our maternity workforce, develop a culture of safety, and ensure all women, babies and families receive more equitable care.