Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help ensure that the pathway into paramedicine is accessible to (a) mature students and (b) career changers, in the context of the requirement for new paramedics to hold a BSc qualification.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Paramedicine students are able to access the Learning Support Fund (LSF), a non-repayable grant of £5,000 per academic year. Further financial support is available for childcare, travel, and dual accommodation costs while on clinical placements. Students studying paramedicine as a second degree are also able to access the LSF, subject to meeting other eligibility criteria. Apprenticeships offer an alternative training route for those for whom a full-time university course is not practical or preferred, allowing people to earn as they learn.

Pathways can also be shortened, depending on the level of someone's prior learning, via a process called Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning (APEL), which recognises previous learning and experience. People with non-traditional qualifications can apply to universities to determine if their skills, knowledge, and abilities may be recognised via APEL.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential financial barriers for people studying Paramedic Science as a second undergraduate degree.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Students studying paramedicine as a second degree are able to access the Learning Support Fund (LSF), subject to meeting the other eligibility criteria. The LSF comprises a non-repayable training grant of £5,000 per academic year. Further financial support is available for childcare and travel and dual accommodation costs while on clinical placements.

Access to student loans is governed by The Education (Student Support) Regulations 2011 (as amended) and is a matter for the Department for Education.

The Government keeps the funding arrangements for all healthcare courses, including paramedicine, under close review.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department plans to make second-degree Paramedic Science students eligible for (a) student finance and (b) the NHS Learning Support Fund.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Students studying paramedicine as a second degree are able to access the Learning Support Fund (LSF), subject to meeting the other eligibility criteria. The LSF comprises a non-repayable training grant of £5,000 per academic year. Further financial support is available for childcare and travel and dual accommodation costs while on clinical placements.

Access to student loans is governed by The Education (Student Support) Regulations 2011 (as amended) and is a matter for the Department for Education.

The Government keeps the funding arrangements for all healthcare courses, including paramedicine, under close review.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to reduce the backlog for medical driving licence assessments.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) aims to process all applications as quickly as possible. Driving licence applications where a medical condition(s) must be investigated before a licence can be issued can take longer as the DVLA is often reliant on information from third parties, including medical professionals, before a licence can be issued.

The quickest way to transact with the DVLA is by using its extensive suite of online services. Drivers with diabetes, epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, visual impairments, sleep conditions or heart conditions can renew their driving licence online.

The DVLA continues to make improvements to the services provided to drivers with medical conditions and is currently rolling out a new casework system. This is expected to deliver significant improvements which will enhance the handling of medical cases, support growing customer demand and help to reduce processing times.

It is important to note that most applicants renewing an existing licence will be able to continue driving while their application is being processed, providing the driver can meet specific criteria. More information can be found online at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/inf1886-can-i-drive-while-my-application-is-with-dvla.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what service standards the DVLA is working to; and what steps her Department is taking to hold them accountable for meeting them.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

My department keeps governance and assurance procedures under review.

The department measures the performance of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency against their Key Performance Indicators as set out in their Business Plan, together with regular meetings at Ministerial and official level.

Sanctions on Israel and International Court of Justice findings

Import of goods from Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory