§ Dr. GodmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what is the capacity for expansion of existing medical schools to accommodate the additional medical places required by the NHS; and if he will make a statement; [75455]
(2) what assessment he has made of the Medical Workforce Standing Advisory Committee evaluation of the capacity for clinical positions for students at existing medical schools; and if he will make a statement. [75453]
§ Mr. DenhamThe third Medical Workforce Standing Advisory Committee report did not include a detailed evaluation of the scope for the expansion of student intake at existing medical schools.
The Government have announced that medical school intake in the United Kingdom will be increased by about 1,000 places by the year 2005, to about 6,000. Because of the current distribution of medical school places, the increase will principally affect student intake in England and Wales.
In England, all universities and their National Health Service partners have been invited to submit proposals for a share of the increase in medical student intake by 12 March 1999. The Joint Implementation Group appointed to oversee the increase will consider all proposals, and make recommendations to the Higher Education Funding Council for England, which will announce the allocations later in the year.