Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much was paid from the public purse to (a) NHS trusts and (b) student midwives for clinical placements provided to student midwives in the last five years.
In the previous five financial years, £87 million was paid by NHS England to National Health Service trusts for clinical placements for midwifery students. Travel and accommodation expenses are the only element of financial support provided to students by the Government which specifically supports clinical placements. The total amount of this paid to students undertaking education and training that enables them to register as a midwife with the Nursing and Midwifery Council in the previous five financial years is £6.6 million.