Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

Her Majesty's Government what progress has been made to date in implementing their plan to provide 10,000 additional nursing student places by 2020; and how much additional funding has been provided to universities as part of this plan.

Ministers routinely meet nursing leaders and discuss a range of issues, including recruitment and retention of nurses and midwives.

The Government remains committed to reforming nursing, midwifery and allied health pre-registration education and increasing the number of places available for students so that two in three nursing applicants are no longer turned down for a place; at the same time ensuring these students have more money available to them while they study.

Health Education England is confident that the National Health Service will have the required number of students it needs starting courses this year and will continue to work with the education sector to deliver these reforms successfully for the longer term.