Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the future role of Physician Associates and Anaesthesia Associates has been within the scope of discussions (a) he and (b) his Department have had with the British Medical Association in relation to potential strike action.

My rt. Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, and Departmental officials regularly discuss a wide range of matters with the British Medical Association (BMA) in relation to the working conditions of doctors and specifically in relation to the current dispute with the Resident Doctors Committee. The BMA has raised the issue of the differential in starting salaries between some resident doctors and physician associates and anaesthesia associates both in discussions and publicly.