§ Mr. KidneyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what research he has(a) commissioned and (b) evaluated into the relationship between student debt and recruitment of medical students. [36442]
§ Mr. HuttonThe Department has not commissioned any research into the relationship between student debt and recruitment of medical students. It has however funded a study of trends in applications to medical school. The study report will review educational and population statistics from 1996 to 2000, and current literature examining the issue of medical student debt.
The Department is currently discussing with the Higher Education Funding Council for England the possibility of jointly commissioning research evaluating the expansion of medical schools, which may also include examination of the issue of student debt. The Department is aware of the British Medical Association Medical Students Committee's surveys of medical students' finances.
During the first four years of their training, undergraduate medical students are supported under the Department for Education and Skills' student support regulations. The Department of Health has introduced special support arrangements for medical and dental students in recognition of the longer length of medical 1013W and dental training programmes, and the limited opportunities that such students have to supplement their income due to their heavier study commitments. At the same time the issue of medical student debt needs to be considered against the background that doctors, on qualification, have a higher earning potential than most other professions.
§ Mr. KidneyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what proposals he has to amend the arrangements for financial support for medical students. [36443]
§ Mr. HuttonThe Department currently has no plans to amend the support arrangements for medical students. However, we take a close interest in the effective operation of student support arrangements to ensure that they continue to support our plans to deliver the increased number of staff the service needs.
On 3 October 2001, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Department for Education and Skills announced plans for a review of student support arrangements. The Department of Health will be working with DfES to ensure that the needs of health professional students are taken fully into account in the design of any new arrangements. They will consider carefully what implications the changes have for the support which the national health service provides directly through the NHS bursary scheme.
§ Mr. KidneyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what public funding is available to medical students who are training to become doctors. [36440]
§ Mr. HuttonIn recognition of the longer length of medical and dental degree courses and the need to guarantee the future supply of staff, special arrangements have been introduced for undergraduate medical and dental students. English domiciled pre-registration medical and dental students who joined their courses from 1 September 1998 onwards will qualify for NHS bursaries in their fifth and any subsequent years of study.
NHS bursaries are also available to English domiciled students undertaking the new four-year graduate entry medical courses introduced following the recommendations of the Third Report of the Medical Workforce Standing Advisory Committee in December 1997. These students qualify for NHS-funded support in years 2-4 of the course.
NHS funded students (including medical and dental students) on degree level courses receive their support in the form of a means tested bursary supplemented by reduced rate, repayable, student loans. All NHS-funded students have their liability for a tuition fee contribution (currently £1,075) met in full on their behalf and without means testing. Additional allowances are available to take account of the additional weeks that health professional students are required to attend their course, and also for older students, single parents and others with dependants. During the first four years of undergraduate medical and dental courses, and the first year of the four-year graduate entry programme, students are supported under the Department for Education and Skills' student support regulations.