§ Mr. LawsTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what his target is for the number of(a) nurses and (b) doctors in the NHS for each of the next five years; and if he will make a statement. [5688]
§ Mr. HuttonWe have not set annual workforce targets. The National Health Service Plan targets are for 20,000 more nurses, 7,500 more consultants, 2,000 more general practitioners and 6.500 more therapists and other health professionals between 1999 and 2004. We have now rolled forward these commitments to provide 20,000 additional nurses and 10,000 additional doctors between 2000 and 2005.