Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate her Department has made of the number of NHS maternity units at risk of suspension or closure due to insufficient staffing levels.

National Health Service commissioning bodies are responsible for the delivery, implementation and funding decisions for local services. This ensures that decisions are made locally and tailored to local population needs.

However, as the Hon Member knows from the unacceptable situation in his own constituency, it is too often the case that short-term, unexpected fluctuations in staffing can affect the safety and viability of local maternity services, which would not necessarily be foreseen or planned for in advance. That is why the Secretary of State said in departmental oral questions on 20 October that we need proper recruitment and workforce plans in place for maternity services, especially in more rural and remote areas, and this will be a focus of the work she is leading through the Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce.