To ask the Minister for the Economy to detail (i) what steps she has taken to encourage more students from Northern Ireland to pursue courses or careers in the medical professions; and (ii) what conversations she has had with the Minister of Health in relation to the above issue.

The Department’s Careers Service provides an independent advice service to all people, including students, when they are considering their career choices. This would include advice on opportunities across the broad range of health and medical careers.

However, my Department does not have specific responsibility for encouraging people to pursue courses or careers in the medical professions. At the higher education level, the Minister for Health has sole responsibility for quota-controlled courses in subjects allied to Medicine. For this reason, I have not had any conversations with him on this matter.