Recruitment

To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 9 January 2007, Official Report, column 148, on recruitment, what the evidential basis is for the statement that 16,000 people completed training last year; and if she will place in the Library the results of the survey from which the statement that 60 per cent. of graduates have found jobs was derived. (115554)

The Department has collected data from strategic health authorities on the employment position of graduates in 2006. The table shows the number of graduates who completed training between May 2006 and September 2006 and the estimated number who had secured a post by 30 November 2006.

*Employment position of graduates completing training, May 2006 to September 2006*
	Number completing training May 2006 to September 2006	Number estimated to have found jobs as at 30 November 2006	Percentage of graduates estimated to have found work
Nurses	11,220	7,005	62.4
Midwives	1,030	682	66.2
All allied health professionals	4,436	2,792	62.9
of which:
physiotherapists	1,619	630	38.9
Total	16,686	10,479	62.8
Source: SHA returns, November 2006.

Volume 456: debated on Tuesday 6 February 2007