To ask the Minister of Health for his assessment of whether the non-means tested element of the nursing and midwifery bursary of £430.42 per month is adequate for student nurses who work approximately 36.5 hours per week during placement.

For several years now, the ongoing financial pressures facing my Department have made any increase in the general, non means-tested element of the bursary support for nursing and midwifery students, unaffordable.

I am, however, aware of the increasing challenges of the current system. I am therefore exploring with my officials possible future changes to the financial support provided to students on pre-registration healthcare programmes commissioned by my Department, including in the nursing and midwifery fields.