§ Mr. Arthur Lathamasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what proportion of newly-qualified nurses remain in the United Kingdom when their training has been completed.
§ Mr. DeakinsI regret the information is not available.
§ Mr. Arthur Lathamasked the Secretary of State for Social Set vices in how many instances hospital personnel are travelling overseas or across the Irish Channel to recruit new student nurses.
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§ Mr. DeakinsInformation is not available centrally about individual hospitals' practices in recruiting students nurses. If such travel occurs, I would expect it to be exceptional at the present time.
§ Mr. Arthur Lathamasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what response hospitals are receiving to their endeavours to recruit new student nurses.
§ Mr. DeakinsI understand that courses in general nursing due to start this autumn are well subscribed, but there are still vacancies for courses in psychiatric and mental handicap nursing.
§ Mr. Arthur Lathamasked the Secretary of State for Social Services to what extent difficulty is being experienced in recruiting new student nurses from overseas because of restrictions on their settlement in the United Kingdom once they have qualified.
§ Mr. DeakinsI am not aware that health authorities are seeking to recruit student nurses from overseas to any degree. Numbers of such students have declined since 1973. Student nurses from overseas have no claim to stay here subsequently in employment.