Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues about (a) increasing the supply of key worker housing and (b) the potential benefits of NHS accommodation for newly qualified staff.

We have regular cross-Government discussions on key worker accommodation. Local organisations are responsible for determining the appropriate use of National Health Service estate, including surplus land. Key worker accommodation may maximise the effectiveness of the current estate and we are working with NHS England to test delivery models. NHS staff also have access to the national First Homes scheme, established in 2021, which enables key workers to purchase homes at a discount to the market value on new housing sites, paid for by developer contributions.