Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the 2023 2023 UK surgical workforce census report compiled by the Royal College of Surgeons, what steps he is taking to expand surgical training capacity in the context of bottlenecks in posts.

The 10-Year Health Plan, published on 3 July, set out that over the next three years we will create 1,000 new specialty training posts with a focus on specialties where there is the greatest need.

The plan also sets out that we will work across Government to prioritise United Kingdom medical graduates for foundation training, and to prioritise UK medical graduates and other doctors who have worked in the National Health Service for a significant period for specialty training. We will set out next steps in due course.