Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of plans to reform the immigration settlement system on the number of anaesthetists working in the health service.

No assessment has been made of the potential impact of plans to reform the immigration settlement system on the number of anaesthetists working in the health service.

The Government has launched a consultation on proposals to reform the current settlement rules in favour of an “earned settlement” model, that considers factors such as contribution, integration, and conduct. The consultation, which runs until February 2026, seeks views on how these reforms should apply to different groups, including health and care workers.