Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the removal of ringfenced funding for maternity services on (a) numbers of NHS midwives, (b) maternal safety and (c) infant safety.

The Government has instructed the National Health Service to improve maternity services, as part of a drive to improve quality, as a priority in the Medium‑Term Planning Framework.

While the ring-fenced funding for maternity services has been removed, the same level of funding is being delivered. This is to allow local healthcare system leaders more autonomy to meet the needs of their local population. The Government will continue to monitor integrated care board investment in maternity services.