Asked by: Jessica Toale (Labour - Bournemouth West)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions her Department has had with stakeholders in (a) higher education, (b) University and College Union, (c) Universities UK and (d) Bournemouth University on recent staffing reductions; and what steps she is taking to ensure that staff are adequately protected in accordance with employment laws.
Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
This government welcomes international students who enrich our university campuses, forge lifelong friendships with our domestic students and become global ambassadors for the UK. The government expects the UK to remain a highly attractive study destination. We have a world class higher education (HE) sector with four universities in the top 10 and 15 in the top 100, alongside a wide array of high quality institutions which can offer a fulfilling and enjoyable experience to international students from around the world.
The department recognises that the Office for Students (OfS), which is responsible for monitoring and reporting on the financial sustainability of English HE providers, has identified reliance on international student fee income as a risk. In its most recent update on the sector’s financial health, published in November 2024, the OfS found that international recruitment is significantly below the sector’s previous expectations. While we agree with the OfS’ assessment that more providers will need to adapt their business models to protect their financial stability, we are clear that high quality international students are welcome in the UK.
While the sector is autonomous and independent, the government is determined to secure the future of our world leading HE sector. That is why we have taken decisive action to support providers in moving towards a more stable financial footing.
In March, Professor Edward Peck was appointed as substantive Chair of the OfS. Professor Peck will continue the excellent work of interim Chair, Sir David Behan, focusing on the sector’s financial sustainability and increasing opportunities in HE. The department continues to work closely with the OfS in order to better understand the sector’s changing financial landscape.
Moreover, in November, my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education announced the difficult decision to increase tuition fee limits in line with forecast inflation. The maximum fee for a standard full-time undergraduate course in the 2025/26 academic year will increase by 3.1%, from £9,250 to £9,535. In return for the increased investment we are asking students to make, we expect the sector to deliver the very best outcomes, both for those students and for the country.
The government also recognises the impact that financial pressures are having on the HE workforce. We are aware that some providers, including Bournemouth University and the Arts University Bournemouth, are making difficult decisions around staffing in order to safeguard their financial sustainability. Given universities are independent, they are responsible for pay and provision of staff and the government does not have a role in intervening. However, we expect providers to work with staff, using their knowledge and experience to help identify how best to reduce unnecessary spend. All efficiency measures taken by the sector should provide better long term value both for students and the country.
This government is determined to build a HE system fit for the future. Ministers and departmental officials remain dedicated to engaging with the OfS, HE unions, the employer body and the wider sector. Regular discussions are being held to gain a deeper understanding of the issues impacting HE providers, students, and staff. This collaborative effort will contribute to the development of the department’s plan for HE reform, which we will publish in the summer.
Asked by: Jessica Toale (Labour - Bournemouth West)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of visa policies on university finances.
Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
This government welcomes international students who enrich our university campuses, forge lifelong friendships with our domestic students and become global ambassadors for the UK. The government expects the UK to remain a highly attractive study destination. We have a world class higher education (HE) sector with four universities in the top 10 and 15 in the top 100, alongside a wide array of high quality institutions which can offer a fulfilling and enjoyable experience to international students from around the world.
The department recognises that the Office for Students (OfS), which is responsible for monitoring and reporting on the financial sustainability of English HE providers, has identified reliance on international student fee income as a risk. In its most recent update on the sector’s financial health, published in November 2024, the OfS found that international recruitment is significantly below the sector’s previous expectations. While we agree with the OfS’ assessment that more providers will need to adapt their business models to protect their financial stability, we are clear that high quality international students are welcome in the UK.
While the sector is autonomous and independent, the government is determined to secure the future of our world leading HE sector. That is why we have taken decisive action to support providers in moving towards a more stable financial footing.
In March, Professor Edward Peck was appointed as substantive Chair of the OfS. Professor Peck will continue the excellent work of interim Chair, Sir David Behan, focusing on the sector’s financial sustainability and increasing opportunities in HE. The department continues to work closely with the OfS in order to better understand the sector’s changing financial landscape.
Moreover, in November, my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education announced the difficult decision to increase tuition fee limits in line with forecast inflation. The maximum fee for a standard full-time undergraduate course in the 2025/26 academic year will increase by 3.1%, from £9,250 to £9,535. In return for the increased investment we are asking students to make, we expect the sector to deliver the very best outcomes, both for those students and for the country.
The government also recognises the impact that financial pressures are having on the HE workforce. We are aware that some providers, including Bournemouth University and the Arts University Bournemouth, are making difficult decisions around staffing in order to safeguard their financial sustainability. Given universities are independent, they are responsible for pay and provision of staff and the government does not have a role in intervening. However, we expect providers to work with staff, using their knowledge and experience to help identify how best to reduce unnecessary spend. All efficiency measures taken by the sector should provide better long term value both for students and the country.
This government is determined to build a HE system fit for the future. Ministers and departmental officials remain dedicated to engaging with the OfS, HE unions, the employer body and the wider sector. Regular discussions are being held to gain a deeper understanding of the issues impacting HE providers, students, and staff. This collaborative effort will contribute to the development of the department’s plan for HE reform, which we will publish in the summer.
Asked by: Jessica Toale (Labour - Bournemouth West)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what progress her Department has made on developing a sustainable long-term financial model for higher education.
Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
This government welcomes international students who enrich our university campuses, forge lifelong friendships with our domestic students and become global ambassadors for the UK. The government expects the UK to remain a highly attractive study destination. We have a world class higher education (HE) sector with four universities in the top 10 and 15 in the top 100, alongside a wide array of high quality institutions which can offer a fulfilling and enjoyable experience to international students from around the world.
The department recognises that the Office for Students (OfS), which is responsible for monitoring and reporting on the financial sustainability of English HE providers, has identified reliance on international student fee income as a risk. In its most recent update on the sector’s financial health, published in November 2024, the OfS found that international recruitment is significantly below the sector’s previous expectations. While we agree with the OfS’ assessment that more providers will need to adapt their business models to protect their financial stability, we are clear that high quality international students are welcome in the UK.
While the sector is autonomous and independent, the government is determined to secure the future of our world leading HE sector. That is why we have taken decisive action to support providers in moving towards a more stable financial footing.
In March, Professor Edward Peck was appointed as substantive Chair of the OfS. Professor Peck will continue the excellent work of interim Chair, Sir David Behan, focusing on the sector’s financial sustainability and increasing opportunities in HE. The department continues to work closely with the OfS in order to better understand the sector’s changing financial landscape.
Moreover, in November, my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education announced the difficult decision to increase tuition fee limits in line with forecast inflation. The maximum fee for a standard full-time undergraduate course in the 2025/26 academic year will increase by 3.1%, from £9,250 to £9,535. In return for the increased investment we are asking students to make, we expect the sector to deliver the very best outcomes, both for those students and for the country.
The government also recognises the impact that financial pressures are having on the HE workforce. We are aware that some providers, including Bournemouth University and the Arts University Bournemouth, are making difficult decisions around staffing in order to safeguard their financial sustainability. Given universities are independent, they are responsible for pay and provision of staff and the government does not have a role in intervening. However, we expect providers to work with staff, using their knowledge and experience to help identify how best to reduce unnecessary spend. All efficiency measures taken by the sector should provide better long term value both for students and the country.
This government is determined to build a HE system fit for the future. Ministers and departmental officials remain dedicated to engaging with the OfS, HE unions, the employer body and the wider sector. Regular discussions are being held to gain a deeper understanding of the issues impacting HE providers, students, and staff. This collaborative effort will contribute to the development of the department’s plan for HE reform, which we will publish in the summer.
Asked by: Jessica Toale (Labour - Bournemouth West)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what data his Department holds on the number of people who were diagnosed with HIV/AIDS in (a) Bournemouth and (b) South West England for each of the past five years.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The following table shows the number of HIV diagnoses, and the number of those diagnoses that were first diagnosed in the United Kingdom, for Bournemouth and the South West region, from 2019 to 2023:
Year | Bournemouth | South West region | ||
| All HIV diagnoses | Of which first diagnosed in UK | All HIV diagnoses | Of which first diagnosed in UK |
2019 | 27 | 19 | 244 | 167 |
2020 | 23 | 14 | 168 | 110 |
2021 | 21 | 12 | 135 | 83 |
2022 | 28 | 18 | 221 | 102 |
2023 | 48 | 15 | 447 | 165 |
Further information on the number of people diagnosed with HIV by local authority and health region is publicly available at the following link:
Asked by: Jessica Toale (Labour - Bournemouth West)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to reduce HIV/AIDS transmission in (a) Bournemouth West constituency, (b) the South West and (c) areas with high prevalence of HIV.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The HIV Action Plan was published in 2022 and sets out steps to reduce HIV transmission between 2019 and 2025, including the importance of HIV testing, access to pre-exposure prophylaxis, and for those who test positive, rapid access to treatment. A new HIV Action Plan will be published in 2025.
The HIV Action Plan was written to be implemented at both the national and local level. The HIV Action Plan is available at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/towards-zero-the-hiv-action-plan-for-england-2022-to-2025
Asked by: Jessica Toale (Labour - Bournemouth West)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what progress his Department has made on ending new HIV transmissions by 2030.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The HIV Action Plan was published in 2022 and sets out steps to reduce HIV transmission between 2019 and 2025, including the importance of HIV testing, access to pre-exposure prophylaxis, and for those who test positive, rapid access to treatment. The HIV Action Plan is available at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/towards-zero-the-hiv-action-plan-for-england-2022-to-2025
Between 2019 and 2023, the number of new HIV diagnoses increased slightly from 2,801 to 2,810, an increase of 0.3%. However, there was a 35% fall in new diagnoses in gay and bisexual men, from 1,242 in 2019 to 811 in 2023.
A monitoring and evaluation framework was published on 1 December 2024 to summarise progress, and this framework is available at the following link:
A new HIV Action plan will be published by the end of 2025.
Asked by: Jessica Toale (Labour - Bournemouth West)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to increase the availability of mental health services in Bournemouth West constituency.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
It is the responsibility of the NHS Dorset Integrated Care Board to make available adequate and appropriate provision to meet the mental health needs of the people in Bournemouth.
Nationally, we know that too many people are not receiving the mental health care they need, and that waits for mental health services across England are too long.
As part of our mission to build a National Health Service that is fit for the future, we will provide access to a specialist mental health professional in every school in England, introduce open access Young Futures hubs in communities, and recruit an additional 8,500 mental health workers to cut wait times and provide faster treatment.
Despite the challenging fiscal environment, the Government has chosen to prioritise funding to deliver expansions of NHS Talking Therapies and Individual Placement and Support schemes, demonstrating our commitment to addressing the root cause of mental health issues and providing support for people with severe mental illness to contribute to the economy by remaining in or returning to work.
We have also committed £26 million in capital investment to open new mental health crisis centres, reducing pressure on the busy mental health and accident and emergency services, and ensuring people have the support they need when they need it.
Asked by: Jessica Toale (Labour - Bournemouth West)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of trends in the level of regional inequalities of access to mental health services.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Severe Mental Illness Profile, developed by the Department, aims to help develop an understanding of severe mental illness at a regional and local level. It provides a set of metrics that allow planners, providers, and stakeholders to profile their area and benchmark against similar populations. Further information is available at the following link:
https://fingertips.phe.org.uk/profile-group/mental-health/profile/severe-mental-illness
The profile shows that new referrals to secondary mental health services increased from 5,960 per 100,000 population in 2017/18, to 6,897 per 100,000 in 2019/20, an increase of 15.7%. In 2019/20, rates varied from 5,618 per 100,000 in the South East, to 8,429 per 100,000 in the West Midlands. Across the three-year period, the greatest increase was seen in the West Midlands, at 22.3%.
Attended contacts with community and outpatient mental health services increased from 26,899 per 100,000 in 2017/18, to 30,674 per 100,000 in 2019/20, an increase 14.1%. In 2019/20, rates varied from 24,950 per 100,000 in the South East, to 45,016 per 100,000 in the North East. Across the three-year period, the greatest increase was again seen in the West Midlands, at 19.9%. The East Midlands region had the lowest increase, of 4.6%.
Inpatient stays in secondary mental health services increased from 239 per 100,000 in 2017/18, to 241 per 100,000 in 2019/20, an increase of 1.2%. In 2019/20, rates varied from 186 per 100,000 for the South West, to 276 per 100,000 in the London region. Across the three-year period, the greatest increase was seen in the East Midlands, at 10.5%. The London region had a decrease of 3.5%. Data for the following years is expected to be published this year.
Asked by: Jessica Toale (Labour - Bournemouth West)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many and what proportion of patients received urgent cancer treatment within 62 days of a GP referral in Dorset integrated care board since October 2023.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
There were 642 diagnoses of cancer within Bournemouth West constituency between January 2024 and December 2024. Between October 2023 and December 2024, within the Dorset Integrated Care Board (ICB), there have been 7,157 patients treated. Across this time, 69.2% of those treated were within the 62-day target. Performance as of December 2024 for Dorset ICB is 73.2% and exceeding the 70% recovery target.
Asked by: Jessica Toale (Labour - Bournemouth West)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many cases of cancer were diagnosed within Bournemouth West constituency in the most recent year for which data is available.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
There were 642 diagnoses of cancer within Bournemouth West constituency between January 2024 and December 2024. Between October 2023 and December 2024, within the Dorset Integrated Care Board (ICB), there have been 7,157 patients treated. Across this time, 69.2% of those treated were within the 62-day target. Performance as of December 2024 for Dorset ICB is 73.2% and exceeding the 70% recovery target.