Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of midwife training with respect to (a) pay and (b) conditions and (i) the impact to the profession and (ii) the care that expectant parents receive.

In addition to the student loans system, there is supplementary financial support available from the Department to midwifery students through the NHS Learning Support Fund (LSF). The LSF provides eligible midwifery students with a non-repayable training grant of £5,000 per academic year, with further financial support depending on personal circumstances. The Government keeps the funding arrangements for all healthcare students under close review to strike a balance between ensuring that students are financially supported during their studies and delivering maximum value for money for the taxpayer. Apprenticeship opportunities are also available for those for whom a full-time university course is not practical or preferred, as well as postgraduate conversions and return to midwifery programmes.

Approved Education Institutions and practice partners are responsible for developing the content and design of academic and practice-based learning programmes in line with the standards of proficiency, conduct, and performance of midwives, as set out by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). The NMC approves these programmes and ensures the quality of practice placements for students. It would not be appropriate for the Government to intervene in this process, and we respect the independence and expertise of universities and regulators in designing standards that ensure public safety, including the safety of expectant parents.