Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent discussions she has had with the General Dental Council on the adequacy of the international registration process for dental professionals.

We have had regular engagement with the General Dental Council (GDC) in developing and consulting on legislative proposals to allow greater flexibility to amend its existing international registration processes and explore alternative registration pathways. The resulting draft order was laid in Parliament for debate on 11 October. Subject to Parliamentary approval, we aim to introduce the legislative changes later this year.