Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to (a) help tackle midwifery shortages and (b) improve recruitment and retention in the NHS in (i) Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency, (ii) Hertfordshire and (c) England.

The Government is committed to tackling the issues facing the maternity workforce, to make sure we have the right people in the right place at the right time. NHS England is leading a range of initiatives to boost retention of existing staff and to ensure that the National Health Service remains an attractive career choice for new recruits. This includes building a compassionate and inclusive culture, supporting staff wellbeing, and promoting flexible working opportunities.

NHS England has invested in a range of measures, such as unit-based retention leads, a midwifery and nursing retention self-assessment tool, mentoring schemes, and investment in workforce capacity. This has resulted in an increase in retention and a reduction in vacancy, leaver, and turnover rates. As of March 2025, there are a record 25,000 full time equivalent midwives in post, which is over 1,400, or 6.1%, more full-time equivalent midwives in the maternity.