Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to the decision of the National Midwifery Council on the adequacy of the insurance arrangements of Independent Midwives UK, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that women have the ability to choose a midwife; and if he will make a statement.

The Government supports choice in maternity services, but this has to be a safe choice. It is therefore appropriate that registered midwives are required to have adequate indemnity insurance to cover their scope of practice.