Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has plans to introduce additional support measures for medical students; and whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of (a) granting access to full maintenance loans for medical students for the duration of their degree programme, (b) granting access to the NHS Learning Support Fund to replace the medical student NHS bursary and (c) making the Travel and Dual Accommodation Expenses reflective of the rise in the cost of living.

We have no current plans to do so. In years one to four of an undergraduate course, domestic students can access student loans from Student Finance England. From year five of an undergraduate course and from year two of a graduate-entry course, the non-repayable NHS Bursary is available, comprising payment for tuition fees, a non-means-tested grant and a further means-tested award. Students eligible for the NHS Bursary can also apply for a reduced rate non-means tested maintenance loan for living costs from Student Finance England. The Travel and Dual Accommodation Expenses rates of payments are reviewed annually, prior to the start of the academic year.