HC Deb 19 July 1994 vol 247 cc215-6W
Mr. Sims

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps she is taking to provide for the retraining and redeployment of nurse teachers who are displaced as a result of the proposed reduction in the number of nursing students.

Mr. Sackville

This is a matter for individual employers.

Mr. Sims

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the total cost of the changes in nurse education since 1989 which result from the introduction of Project 2000.

Mr. Sackville

Between 1989–90 and 1994–95, the Government have invested £431 million to introduce Project 2000 in England.

Mr. Sims

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will provide a breakdown of the spending on nurse education and training for the years 1990–91 to 1993–94 identifying the spending allocated to(a) pre-registration education; (b) post-registration education and (c) nurse teacher training and support.

Mr. Sackville

Figures for the total expenditure by regional health authorities on nurse education and training for 1991–92 and 1992–93 are shown in the table. A breakdown in the requested categories was not available centrally in those years. Information for 1990–91 was not collected centrally, figures for 1993–94 are currently being collected.

£ million
1991–92 1992–93
Total Annual Expenditure by RHAs on Nurse Education and training 476.837 521.637

Mr. Sims

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what provision was made in allocations for regional health authorities for nurse education in each of the last three financial years; how much was spent by regional health authorities in each of those years; and how she treats funds so allocated but not spent for the purpose of nurse education.

Mr. Sackville

For 1991–92 and 1992–93, the following allocations towards the cost of pre-registration nurse education and nurse teacher training were made to the English National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting; and to regional health authorities in respect of Project 2000 costs. For 1993–94, funds for pre-registration nurse education were transferred to regional health authorities. Funds allocated to the board are returnable to the Department to the extent that they are not used for the purposes specified. Those allocated to regions may be used for other education and training purposes if the demand for pre-registration nurse education and training has been met in full.

£ million
Allocations 1991–92 1992–93 1993–94
National Board 132 138 10
Regional Health Authorities 62 87 238