Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking under the NHS Long Term Plan to increase the number of learning disability nurses employed in NHS trusts in England.

In March 2020 the Chief Nursing Officer for England launched an 'All-England action plan for learning disability nursing'. The plan, delivered in partnership with Health Education England, sets a mandate for increasing and enhancing the number of people choosing a career in learning disability nursing.

The Universities and Colleges Admissions Service figures for 2020 show a 20% increase in the number of acceptances to learning disability nursing courses in England compared to 2019. In September 2020, the Government introduced a new training grant of at least £5,000 a year for all eligible new and continuing nursing and midwifery and allied health professions students on pre-registration courses at English universities. There will be up to a further £3,000 to support eligible students including an additional £1,000 to support those studying a shortage specialism which includes new students on learning disability nursing courses.