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 impact of alterations to indefinite leave to remain rules on NHS staffing levels.

There have been no recent alterations to indefinite leave to remain rules. However, the Government has launched a consultation on proposals to reform the current settlement rules in favour of an “earned settlement” model, that considers factors such as contribution, integration, and conduct. The consultation, which runs until February 2026, seeks views on how these reforms should apply to different groups, including health and care workers. The consultation is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/earned-settlement