To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 20 June 2007, Official Report, column 1926W, on midwives: training, if he will make it his policy to collect data on the number of students who qualify as midwives each year; and if he will make a statement. (149858)

Collecting data on the number of health care graduates including those in midwifery is challenging and complex, as a result the Department has historically not collected this information.

However, the Department continues to improve its data sources in estimating the number of midwifery graduates in a given year. This includes analysing data from the Nursing and Midwifery Council, work force review team and the Higher Education Statistics Agency.

Since 1997, the number of midwives employed in the NHS has increased by 2,084 (9 per cent.) from 22,385 to 24,469 (in 2006).