Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to take steps to increase the number of training posts for speech and language therapists available in 2016–17.

The National workforce plan for England 2015-16 outlines that commissions for Speech and Language Therapists has increased since 2014-15 by 3.7%.

Health Education England is currently working with local organisations and key external stakeholders to develop the National Workforce Plan for England covering the period 2016-17. This will be published in December 2015. The plan takes account of what local providers require by way of future staffing levels including Speech and Language Therapists.