Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many NHS staff have been in receipt of an income tax and national insurance refund through the NHS Widening Access Training scheme; and how many claims for such a refund are outstanding.

HM Revenue and Customs has made just under 31000 refunds since the introduction of the NHS Widening Access Training scheme in 1999. Not all of these will include a refund of national insurance contributions but all will include a refund of income tax. Currently there are around 700 claims waiting to be processed.