To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made in implementing the Social Partnership Forum’s action plan to maximise employment opportunities for newly qualified health care professionals; and if he will make a statement. (177824)

Since the Partnership Agreement was launched in February 2007, the Social Partnership Forum has overseen the development and promulgation of work supporting the maximisation of graduate employment opportunities and launched an action plan in April 2007.

NHS Employers is responsible for monitoring progress against each of the action plan recommendations.

The Social Partnership Forum considered a draft interim report in November 2007, which will be published in due course.

Since July 2007, the Department has monitored the number of candidates registered in the newly qualified health care professional pools. There has been a 19 per cent. reduction registered between 11 July 2007 and 7 January 2008.