To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to encourage an increase in the number of people in the thoracic surgical workforce in the NHS. (301630)

Local national health service organisations are best placed to decide what staff they need to deliver services to best meet the needs of the local populations, whether that is clinical staff such as thoracic surgeons, nurses and doctors, or non-clinical support staff including managers to help plan local services more effectively.