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Maternity Services: Foreign Nationals

Asked by Steve BarclayConservativeDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled Answered 25 February 2025UIN 30625

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many individual cases of overseas visitors' debt have been written off by NHS Trusts in respect of maternity care in the last 12 months; and if he will make an estimate of the potential cost to the public purse of this.

Answered by Karin Smyth

This information is not held in the format requested. The consolidated National Health Service provider accounts for 2023/24 were published by NHS England, and recorded £44 million as written-off from overseas visitors.

The information requested regarding written-off debt for maternity care is not held centrally, and there are no current plans to make an estimate. The consolidated NHS provider accounts for 2023/24 are available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/consolidated-nhs-provider-accounts-annual-report-and-accounts-2023-to-2024

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