Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they are funding or part-funding the General Medical Council's defence against the legal challenge to the registration of anaesthetist and physician associates; and if so, why.

The Government is funding the General Medical Council (GMC) to undertake the work required to introduce regulation for Anaesthesia Associates (AAs) and Physician Associates (PAs), to avoid doctors paying for this through their registrant fees.

A longstanding principle underpinning the introduction of statutory regulation for new professions is that all related-costs, including legal challenges to that work, should be funded by the Government, to avoid other professions cross-subsidising the work involved.

Once regulation of AAs and PAs becomes self-funding, the Government will cease funding the GMC.