§ Mr. HoyleTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many sponsored places for health visiting students there have been in each of the past 10 years; and what steps he is taking to ensure that health visiting training is adequately funded and that there is sufficient sponsorship of students.
§ Mrs. Virginia Bottomley[holding answer 2 July 1991]: The number of sponsored places is not collected centrally. Details of the number of student health visitors and those entering training can however be found in "The NHS Workforce in England 1991", a copy of which is in the Library. It is for health authorities to determine their own manpower plans, including training needs. Regional health authorities have, however, been advised that post-registration professional training, including health visitor training, should, for the time being, be funded from a separate and protected regional budget, and they have been asked to identify current investment in such training.