Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with relevant stakeholders on ensuring a (a) safe environment, (b) culture of mutual respect and (c) continuous learning and improvement in NHS maternity services.

We will continue to work with all National Health Service trusts to ensure that safe and compassionate maternity services are provided. The Department and the NHS have established a working group chaired by the Royal College of Midwifery and the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists to guide the implementation of recommendations to improve maternity services. The independent working group consists of stakeholders including the Royal Colleges of Paediatrics and Child Health and Anaesthetists, the Obstetric Anaesthetists Association and the British Association of Perinatal Medicine.

NHS England has invested £127 million in NHS maternity workforce and to improve neonatal care. Of this, approximately £34 million will be invested in local maternity systems, in culture and leadership development programmes and in supporting staff retention