HC Deb 20 January 2003 vol 398 cc116-7W
Mr. Hurst

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many students in the United Kingdom were training as doctors in(a) 1972, (b) 1982, (c) 1992 and (d) 2001. [84657]

Mr. Hutton

In autumn 2002, the United Kingdom medical school intake was 6,740, an increase of over 1,675 than in autumn 1997. This is an increase of 33 per cent, between 1997 and 2002. Intake is planned to be over 7,050 next autumn, the highest figure ever which would be an increase of 39.5 per cent, over 1997.

We do not have data relating to the total number of students in medical schools, training to qualify as doctors. We are able to provide the actual UK intake to medical schools, per academic year, for the years in question. This information is shown in the table:

Academic year UK intake
1972–73 13,123
982–83 4,154
1992–93 4,449
2001–02 6,115
1 In 1972–73, the figure is for Great Britain only. It excludes Northern Ireland.

Chris Grayling

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of amublance staff retired early due to ill health in the latest year for which figures are available. [85768]

Mr. Hutton

The information requested is not collected centrally, but may be available from individual National Health Service ambulance trusts.

The number of staff who have taken a retirement pension since the establishment of ambulance trusts, is 1,645, to November 2002. The number of ambulance staff in service at September 2001 was 16,920.

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