Oral question asked in the House of Commons, by Nicholas Winterton (Conservative). It was answered on Tuesday, 26 June 2007 on behalf of the Department of Health.

Midwives

Question: The Royal College of Midwives, of which I am an honorary vice-president, has clearly stated that if ““Maternity Matters””, which is a Government policy, is to be fully, properly and effectively implemented, there will need to be 22,000 whole-time equivalent midwives in England’s NHS in the relatively near future. Currently, there are 18,949 midwives. Would not the Minister—this is a non-party political question to him—support my hon. Friend the Member for Kettering (Mr. Hollobone) in saying that we need to give encouragement to the independent midwives if this service is to be properly managed and effective, and that they must therefore have some—

Answer: If we are to make a reality of choice for women throughout the country, which we are committed to do by the end of 2009—home birth, midwife-led birth and consultant-led birth—there will undoubtedly be a need for more midwives in some parts of the country, possibly including the great place of Macclesfield. It has been made absolutely clear to every local health economy that that is the expectation. May I ask the hon. Gentleman, as a grandee, how he feels about the belated decision of the hon. Member for Grantham and Stamford (Mr. Davies) to say ““It’s time for Labour””?

Secondary information